GEO: What’s Generative Engine Optimisation & Best Practices

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is changing the way people discover content in an AI-first world. As search shifts from static results to conversational, AI-driven answers, brands need to rethink visibility beyond Google’s blue links. In this guide, we break down what GEO is, how it compares to traditional SEO, and why it matters for businesses right now. You’ll also find practical best practices on how to adapt your content and authority signals to make sure your brand is referenced in platforms like Google Gemini, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude. Because in a landscape where AI engines curate the answers, being the source they trust is what keeps you seen.

What is Generative Engine Optimisation?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the process of optimising content specifically for AI-driven search results, such as Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) and other generative engines. Unlike traditional SEO, GEO focuses on earning visibility within AI-generated answers.

GEO SEO strategies are designed to help brands show up in featured snippets, AI summaries, and answer boxes, using authoritative content, structured data, and semantic clarity.

What’s the difference between SEO and GEO? 

While traditional SEO is focused on ranking web pages in search engine results pages (SERPs), GEO optimisation is about influencing how your content is surfaced and cited by generative AI engines.

Here’s a simple comparison:

Feature	Traditional SEO	Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
Goal	Rank on SERPs	Appear in AI-generated answers
Focus	Keywords, backlinks, UX	Structured data, content clarity, authority
Optimisation target	Search engine algorithms	Generative AI models
Content type	Pages and blogs	Entities, facts, summaries
Success metrics	Click-through rate, rank	Mentions in AI outputs, brand visibility

What are the benefits of GEO? 

Optimising for generative engines is becoming critical for brands that want to remain discoverable as AI reshapes search. Here are a few key benefits of adopting GEO:

• Early-mover advantage: GEO is still a developing space, giving proactive brands a chance to lead.
• Increased brand visibility: Being featured in AI summaries or answer boxes can significantly boost your reach.
• Better content relevance: GEO encourages clearer, more informative content that serves user intent.
• Future-proofing your strategy: As AI becomes more embedded in search, GEO targeting SEO strategies help keep your content competitive.

Explore our AI SEO services.

Best practices and strategies for GEO

To successfully optimise for GEO, businesses must think beyond keywords and consider how generative AI models consume and prioritise content. It’s worth bearing in mind that most of the key strategies for SEO still apply. Here are key best practices to follow:

1.Focus on semantic clarity, entity optimisation, and long-tail queries

AI models rely heavily on understanding entities and the relationships between them. Make sure your content clearly defines key terms and concepts, and use structured formatting (like FAQs and headings) to improve comprehension. It’s also important to target long-tail and related queries, as generative engines often “fan out” a single search into multiple, more specific questions. Covering these variations increases your chances of being surfaced in AI-generated results.

Tip: Use schema markup to help AI engines identify your content’s structure.

2. Use authoritative and well-sourced information

Generative engines prioritise high-quality, trustworthy content. Cite credible sources, include up-to-date facts, and maintain a professional tone.

Why it matters: AI models assess factual reliability when choosing sources to cite.

3. Prioritise user intent and topical coverage

GEO, like traditional SEO, isn’t about keyword-stuffing – it’s about fully addressing a user’s query. Create comprehensive content that explores a topic in-depth and anticipates related questions.

Try this: Use tools like AlsoAsked or Answer the Public to surface related questions.

4. Structure your content to support AI summarisation

Generative engines are trained to summarise content quickly. Help them by using concise sentences, bullet points, and clearly marked headings.

Bonus: A table or list increases your chances of appearing in AI answers. Also, think about conversational queries and follow-ups, users often ask a series of natural, connected questions (e.g. “best hotels in London” → “which have meeting rooms?”). By anticipating and addressing these within your content, you make it more useful for generative engines and more likely to be surfaced in multiple stages of an AI’s response.

Bonus: A table or list increases your chances of appearing in AI answers.

5. Optimise for featured snippets and zero-click results

Content that already performs well in featured snippets has a better chance of being used in AI outputs. Use snippet-friendly formats like definitions, tables, and how-tos.

6. Build off-page authority and digital PR

GEO success isn’t just on-site. Off-page signals like high-quality backlinks, mentions in credible publications, and digital PR help build trust with AI models.

Need help? Talk to our team about GEO SEO services.

7. Monitor your content’s performance in AI-driven environments

Tools are emerging to help track where and how your content appears in generative search. Monitor performance regularly and update content to remain relevant.

8. Align content with Google’s E-E-A-T principles

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trust are crucial not just for SEO, but GEO too. Ensure authors are clearly credited, bios are included, and content demonstrates real expertise.

Looking to optimise your brand for AI-driven search?

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