SEO Isn't Dead — But It's Not Enough
Let's be clear: traditional SEO still matters. Google still processes billions of searches daily. But a parallel channel has emerged that most businesses are completely ignoring: Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).
What Is GEO?
GEO is the practice of optimising your online presence so that AI-powered search engines — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Copilot — can find, understand, and recommend your business.
Unlike SEO, which focuses on ranking in a list of links, GEO focuses on being cited in a generated answer. When someone asks Perplexity "What's the best CRM for small businesses?", the AI doesn't show 10 blue links. It names 3-5 specific products and explains why.
Key Differences
Discovery
SEO: Users find you by scanning a list of results and clicking through.
GEO: AI mentions you by name in its response. Users may never visit your site but still choose you based on the AI's recommendation.
Ranking Factors
SEO: Backlinks, page authority, keyword density, Core Web Vitals.
GEO: Structured data, content clarity, trust signals (reviews), entity establishment, AI crawler access.
Content Strategy
SEO: Long-form content targeting specific keywords.
GEO: Clear, factual, well-structured content that can be easily summarised. Entity-rich descriptions. Comprehensive FAQ pages.
A Dual Strategy
The smart approach is to optimise for both. The good news? Many GEO improvements also benefit SEO. Schema markup, clear content structure, and strong trust signals help you in both worlds.
Start by auditing where you stand. Our AI visibility audit scores you across 17 factors that cover both traditional technical SEO and the newer GEO signals that AI search engines prioritise.