The AI revolution has started, and SEO is finding its voice in the powerful new language of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
Understanding GEO vs SEO and how to use both of them to form a winning content strategy is the next big challenge for businesses.
But don’t go into panic mode.
Google isn’t going anywhere and traditional SEO strategies are still relevant, but new search habits will make GEO more important. This means businesses that don’t adapt will:
- Lose visibility in AI-generated search results and summaries
- Rank lower than competitors who do optimize content for GEO
- Get fewer customers as AI platforms increasingly influence purchasing decisions.
If you’re a business owner, you don’t need to replace SEO with GEO – we’re not at that point yet. Indeed, we see GEO evolving as a sub-branch of SEO.
Instead, you need to start proactively integrating some GEO tactics into your current SEO strategy.
By doing this, you open your business up to increased referral traffic from outside of Google’s search results, including AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity, as well as those new featured snippets known as Google AI overviews that are popping up on search engine results more frequently.
But how do you do this?
Read on to find out what SEO experts make of this new GEO vs SEO era and how you can mold a winning content strategy out of it.
Contents list
- What is GEO?
- How is GEO different from SEO?
- Focus more on conversational intent, less on keywords
- EEAT at the same table as AI algorithms
- Prioritize clarity
- Shift from keyword research to “Ranch-Style SEO”
- YouTube (and video content) is a must-have
- Track AI-specific KPIs
- GEO vs SEO – Why not both? Use a Generative AI SEO agency that’s proven to deliver
Want to see how GEO expertise can get you better marketing returns? Book a no-cost consultation with the Mint Position team and we’ll show how you increase visibility with your target customers on emerging AI platforms.
What is GEO?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the evolving practice of optimizing content for AI-driven search results.
This goes beyond traditional keyword-based SEO and focuses on making content more easily understandable and valuable for Large Language Models (LLMs) to use.
ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews are the top LLMs you’ll have heard of.
New techniques used in GEO help get your business’s content featured in these responses, and they are working well. Recent research from a group of top academics found that GEO techniques can increase visibility by up to 40% in generative engine responses.
Below, we’ll get into the specifics of these emerging practices.
How is GEO different from SEO?
GEO and SEO (Search Engine Optimization) both aim to increase online visibility, but they target different search paradigms.
SEO targets traditional search engine results pages (SERPs): the list of links that appear when you use Google search, for example.
And Google isn’t going anywhere.
The world’s largest search engine, Google still accounts for around 90% of the global search market, although this dipped to its lowest level since 2015 recently.
GEO, on the other hand, optimizes website content for visibility within AI-powered generative engine responses, including the LLMs mentioned above.
It should be said that SEO and GEO are not two completely different worlds. There is a lot of overlap between best practices that define SEO and GEO, such as a focus on authoritative content, citations, and writing for search intent.
And AI-powered search engines like Perplexity and Google alike are using the same source material. The top three Google results are mentioned by AI search engines 77% of the time on average for the same keyword, according to research by Grow & Convert.
What matters most for businesses going forward is finding a way to increase visibility of their site across all search engines, no matter how they are powered.
Today, Google has quickly adopted AI-generated answers as part of its own search engine, which has traditionally been optimized around keywords.
These AI-driven responses are forming more and more of the zero-click results that made up almost 60% of Google searches in the United States and Europe last year, according to Search Engine Land.
Almost 60% of Google searches result in zero clicks
Source: Search Engine Land
These zero-click results are, of course, great for searchers, but mean fewer web visits for businesses. This is nothing new. In Google’s evolution, from featured snippets to AI overviews, it has slowly cannibalized its own traffic.
The aim, then, is to now optimize for both SEO and GEO results to improve overall site visibility in this context, which calls for different techniques, metrics, and content focus. We’ll go into this in more detail later in this article.
For now, here’s a summary of the differences between these two crucial ranking methods. Businesses that do both well will become more visible online than their competitors.
7 top generative engine optimization strategies to consider now
Businesses now need to adjust their approach to adapt to new search algorithms.
The best way to do this will be to follow specific generative engine optimization strategies for increased AI visibility.
In what follows, we will show how you can do this for your business and how these new approaches differ from their SEO equivalents that you may be more familiar with.
1. Focus more on conversational intent, less on keywords
Anyone who’s worked with SEO will know how important keywords are.
They act as the topical guides that algorithms pick up on to provide relevant content that matches searchers’ queries.
GEO, however, changes the rules to fit artificial intelligence’s ability to read between the lines. It uses natural language processing (NLP) to understand why people are searching the term, as well as what (we call this search intent) they are searching for.
Your content (and keywords) must reflect this shift in tone; it must be answer questions in a conversational manner, be clearly structured, and be packed with context. Only this way will you meet the search intent, which remains the foundation of both GEO and SEO approaches.
“Instead of keywords or broader topic coverage, we encourage you to think about intents and perspectives,” says Bernard Huang, CEO of AI-powered content ranking platform Clearscope. “This is the only way businesses are going to stay relevant in the SERPs.”
The perspectives that Bernard talks about refer to the balanced view that your content must take, including the pros and cons of the topic at hand.
AI models are trained to synthesize information from multiple sources, and content that acknowledges different viewpoints is more likely to be seen as authoritative and trustworthy.
How your business can adapt
More detailed (long-tail keywords) search queries, such as full-sentence questions, are now much more important than before.
These will naturally be more specific and shaped in a conversational way that echoes your target audience’s search intent.
Actionable tips
- Imagine you’re having a conversation with your buyer persona. What questions would they ask?
- Read Google’s “People Also Ask” Questions. These help provide ideas of questions that you can directly answer in your content. They may not have direct traffic, but they represent the “conversational” aspect of AI search outputs.
- Ask questions in your content. An SEO keyword of “Best running shoes” might now become “What are the best running shoes for beginners?”
- Make sure your content offers a balanced point of view. AI models value this.
- Read the first few paragraphs of Google’s AI search result. Look at the structure, tone, and the types of information prioritized – these are elements that resonate with generative models.
- Anticipate their follow-up questions and make sure your content answers these, too.
- Write in a natural, conversational tone.
2. EEAT at the same table as AI algorithms (with expert content and brand mentions)
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (EEAT) principles have long been the backbone of high-quality SEO content.
This content includes expert quotes, fact-checked data, and testimonials: all vital components that help businesses rank higher, sell more, and attract valuable backlinks.
The good news is that AI algorithms love all of this, too, so research-heavy responses to search queries are going to grow in value.
“The biggest common ground between Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and traditional SEO is their shared focus on high-quality, authoritative content,” says Manmit Jena, Head of Digital Marketing at Influidity Solution. “Both marketing strategies aim to provide users with the most relevant and valuable information, whether through Google’s search results or AI-driven platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.”
But how do we make sure our content speaks to LLMs in this way?
One way to gather expertise is to ask LLMs niche-specific questions to identify their source material and target those topics.
“To position yourself well with LLMs, be present where they get their information,” says Tom Winter, co-founder of AI content tool SEOwind. “Try asking an LLM a question in your niche. See which competitors appear. Then, ask a follow-up question to find out where that information comes from. These are the pages you want to be featured on.”
While research-heavy articles will become the new focus, top-of-the-funnel topics that can quickly answer prompts from definition, glossary or explainer articles will be almost fully cannibalized; users will be able to get those answers quickly and easily, without the need to dive deeper to find research or citations.
This is precisely why EEAT content will still rule — searchers are more likely to seek out a source for a topic that is complex, yet they will be “fulfilled” by AI for answers that are simple, thus ending their search journey.
However, when it comes to EEAT, perhaps the biggest difference in SEO vs GEO will be the need for brand mentions as a tool of measuring trustworthiness and authority. For SEO, authority is passed by backlinks; for GEO, you’ll need to get your brand mentioned on a variety of sites and social media, including:
- Forums: Like Reddit or Quora, where people talk about topics your brand can solve.
- Reputable blogs: News or industry-specific sources that quote your company.
- Social media: Articles mentioned on social media, such as Linkedin
- Traditional media: A mention in a media source is now more valuable than ever, so PR is likely going to be more important in the age of GEO.
How your business can adapt
To “sit at the same table” as LLMs, prioritize E-E-A-T, then find out what kind of pages LLMs are citing in your niche. Aim to get your brand mentioned on more forums, review sites, social media articles, blogs and media.
Actionable tips
- Identify LLM source pages: Directly query LLMs to discover their trusted sources in your target topic and niche.
- Work on building reviews: Make sure your brand is reviewed positively on sites like Reddit, Quora and other relevant forums.
- Conduct digital and traditional PR: Get your brand mentioned as a source on digital news sites and traditional media.
- Write Linkedin articles: Articles displayed on social media act as citations for LLMs, including on Linkedin.
- Earn high-quality brand mentions: Build a network of reputable backlinks from trusted websites – but now with a much larger focus on getting your brand mentioned.
3. Prioritize clarity more than ever
Your content may be more information-rich than ever, but it must still be clear.
Conciseness and readability are key for both humans and AIs to understand your business, and both will appreciate you cutting the fluff and getting to the point.
“You need to make your website crystal clear about what you do, who you help, and What Makes You Different”, advises YouTube business specialist Wes McDowell.
Bernard Huang agrees. “An informational article on ‘what is monthly search volume’ should be short, concise, and entity-rich”, he adds.
In terms of content formats, review listicles pack a new punch in the GEO era because they encourage you to pack tons of information into small, concise chunks, as well as coming with valuable brand mentions and product-focused content.
Even better if you can explain to LLMs why your business is the best bet for readers. “Creating listicle
How your business can adapt
In the SEO era, search engines have always valued crisp copy that delivers what the customer is looking for as quickly as possible. AI algorithms look for a similar style.
Actionable tips
- Use concise language in all new copy. This includes avoiding jargon and winding sentences.
- Employ listicles: This format naturally promotes clarity and brevity. However, we recommend prioritizing lists at the bottom of the funnel, as top-of-funnel lists will increasingly get cannibalized by AI results.
- Edit or rewrite old content. Rewrite old content to create shorter sentences, punchier prose, and AI-friendly formats.
4. Structure content for the GEO era
The move away from keyword-obsessed SEO trends is also impacting how we structure our content creation.
The focus here should be on “snackability”: concise (as mentioned above), but also easy to digest.
“We must now structure content in a way that AI can easily interpret and reference,” says Manmit. “This includes structured headings (H1s, H2s, etc.), FAQ sections, and authoritative citations.”
David Kirkdorffer, a B2B start-up growth marketer, agrees. “AI scans for structured information rather than just title tags and meta descriptions”, he says. “Clear sectioning, bullet points, and tables make content easy for AI to break down.”
Technical SEO also helps with this. Proper use of schema markups, for example, provides explicit clues to generative search engines about the meaning and context of your content.
How your business can adapt
Snackability helps AI quickly grab the information it needs, and it makes it way easier for people to find what they’re looking for, too.
Actionable tips
- Structure content with clear headings. Use headings and bullet points to break down the content structure into snackable sections.
- Include FAQs. This is especially important on product or landing pages. They provide the structured and concise answers that AI can easily interpret, as well as a perfect opportunity to answer common questions asked by searchers.
- Include plenty of stats and quote images to break up text. This also lets you include that all-important expert input.
5. “Ranch-Style SEO” will help rein in AI algorithms
Ranch-Style SEO is a model that content optimization platform Clearscope has come up with as they adapt their approach to the rise of AI-driven search engine results.
Ranch-Style focuses on smaller, more specific articles that cover your topic from every angle, instead of the towering “skyscraper” piece of the traditional SEO era that stacks layers of keywords into one place.
This means a heavier focus on research-driven articles that dive deeper into on specific aspect of your topic.
The two contrasting approaches neatly encapsulate the GEO vs SEO question in front of us.
The SEO vs GEO content shift (using the example of bone broth)
Source: Clearscope
“A brand needs to own the entire journey of how users engage with a topic and create content to match each stage of research,” says Bernard Huang. “The role of SEO will shift from technical and keyword research to content strategist and architect in the GEO era”.
Bernard’s comments are based on how AI algorithms work. Like Google’s Knowledge Graph, they connect topics like a map. Your “ranch” gives them that map.
Plus, AI-generated content is now flooding the web with boring, copycat content. Ranch-Style SEO aims to stand out by answering specific search intents with fresh, original insights directly related to your brand, and real-world experience.
Once you include unique expert insight and fact-checked info, this is the type of content that AI can’t make up.
Google even filed a patent for this concept in 2020, calling it “Information Gain”.
“Ranch-Style SEO” gives AI what it craves: detailed, interconnected, and unique information. That’s how you get seen in AI-powered searches.
How your business can adapt
Ranch-Style SEO means building a full, interconnected content ecosystem of small, “snackable” articles that hit various keyword topics at different stages of a target persona’s research journey.
Not only will this strategy make your site more “AI-viisible”, but you’ll also generate something Mint Position likes to call the “Wikipedia Effect”, where your target customers stay on your pages for longer as they click through relevant internal links to other content.
“You should aim to become the ‘Wikipedia’ of your niche”, chimes Tom Winter. “Focus narrowly on the topics your company is truly an expert in. Share deep, trustworthy content that becomes the go-to source for answers in your field. Over time, this focused approach will also help you appear more prominently in LLM search results.”
Actionable tips
- Map the user journey: Thoroughly understand all the questions that users have at each stage of their research process related to your topic.
- Create granular content: Develop individual articles, videos, or other content formats that address each of these questions.
- Build topical authority: Interlink your “ranch” of content pieces and establish your website as a trustworthy resource within you niche.
- Prioritize information gain: Focus on providing unique insights, original research, curated and fact-checked data, and firsthand experiences that go beyond what AI can generate from existing sources.
6. Adapt YouTube (and video content) to AI results
The SEO era saw the rise of YouTube as an important ranking mechanism: the more hits you got, the more likely your video was to feature on Google’s first page.
They’re also a key part of the GEO era. The number of YouTube citations in AI Overviews (AIOs) rose by 25% in the first quarter of 2025 alone, according to data from SEO marketing company BrightEdge.
Over a third of all AIOs with instructional results (i.e., “How-To”) and visual demos – the two formats that businesses rely on most – now contain such video citations.
The growing importance of YouTube in AIOs
Source: BrightEdge
The reasons for this are clear, according to Wes McDowell. “An AI summary can’t replace the experience of learning from a real expert”, he says. “Anyone who prefers that quick AI summary over actually watching your expertise in action was never your ideal client to begin with.”
Companies are beginning to target AIOs with their video content as it will position them as a leading resource.
Short video content also chimes with younger users who prefer watching videos to text-based results, as seen with the growing use of social media search. One in three Gen Zers (14- to 26-year-olds) now use AI chatbots and platforms as their go-to information source, according to HubSpot.
How your business can adapt
Similar to text-based search, Wes recommends we deliver snackable video content pieces that are easy for AI algorithms – and humans – to find.
Actionable tips
- Create short videos for each of your customers’ pain points.
- Once you have these, keep those video titles and descriptions simple.
- Include how-to type content. Address common questions with videos, and use exact search terms in titles and descriptions for optimal AI ranking.
7. Use LLMs to get AI-related KPIs
Key performance indicators (KPIs) for traditional SEO will need to be adapted for generative AI engines – and these changes for the AI era are quite simple (for the moment).
What normally involves a multifaceted analysis of various SEO metrics could now become a matter of a simple prompt or two for GEO results.
“SEO has ranking tools like Google Search Console,” says David Kirkdorffer. “LLM optimization, however, requires manual testing in AI chat tools”.
“Simply prompting each of the top LLM models for recommendations within your category or industry is the easiest way to measure the success of GEO strategies”, says Bernard Huang.
Emerging AI tools like SpyGPT can help with this by tracking when your brand is mentioned in platforms like ChatGPT and giving you insights into how much you are influencing AI-generated responses.
Expanding on this, Manmit Jena suggests following a simple strategy. “Marketers can find out the level of engagement from users who find their content through AI platforms. Conversion rates from AI-driven search traffic will also be a key metric to watch.”
This might include monitoring how frequently you appear in Featured Snippets, AI Overviews, and Knowledge Panels, using tools like Ahrefs or SEMRUsh.
You can also track your “share of voice” to gauge your competitive standing in organic search, even as overall clicks decline.
However, GEO analytics are still in their infancy. The deep analytics we’re accustomed to in traditional SEO are still largely non-existent.
By this, we mean a “Search Console” equivalent for Perplexity or other AI platforms, providing data on impressions, clicks, and even keyword search volume within LLMs.
We predict that the evolution of GEO will lead to the development of analytics platforms offering a much clearer picture of content performance in the AI-driven search world.
How your business can adapt
Integrating AI-driven analysis into your reporting workflows should become a priority. This involves using LLMs to measure how often your brand is cited on AI-generated search results and extracting actionable insights from AI-driven traffic.
Actionable tips:
- Prompt LLMs for brand mentions: Regularly prompt leading LLMs like Claude and ChatGPT for marketing mentions of your brand or products within their responses.
- Find out AI-Driven traffic conversions: Track conversion rates, AI-driven search traffic to understand user experience, engagement and ROI.
- Keep an eye on SERP feature visibility: Use tools like Ahrefs to track your appearance in SERP features like Featured Snippets and AI Overviews.
- Track share of voice in AI responses: SpyGPT, or other emerging tools, compare your AI share of voice to your competitors.
