Key Takeaways:
Understand the differences and similarities between SEO and GEO.
Learn some tips for optimizing your content for GEO as AI search tools continue to grow in popularity.
As artificial intelligence reshapes how people search for information, small business owners must understand the difference between Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to stay visible online. While SEO focuses on ranking in traditional search results, GEO helps your business appear in AI-driven answer engines like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews (AIO), and Microsoft’s Copilot. The digital landscape is changing. Here’s what you need to know to stay ahead.
SEO vs. GEO: What’s the Difference?
If you’re new to GEO and not sure how it differs from SEO, you’re in the right place. SEO is about making your website easy for search engines like Google to find and understand. It involves using relevant keywords, writing good descriptions, and getting other websites to link to yours. This helps your site show up higher in search results, bringing in more visitors.
GEO is about making your content ready for AI tools that directly answer people’s questions. It focuses on clear writing, making sure the information is relevant to the question, and organizing the data in a way that AI can easily use. This helps your content be used to create those direct answers.
Or, to put it more simply, a search engine helps someone seek out information. And a generative engine provides the answers they’re looking for.
“A search engine helps someone seek out information, while a generative engine provides the answers they’re looking for.”
– Jennifer Shaheen, President and Founder, Technology Therapy® Group
How AI Overviews Are Changing Search
AI Overviews have been altering the search landscape ever since Google first launched them back in May 2024. These automated summaries are generated from multiple sources. These AI-powered search results give users quick answers without clicking through to multiple sites.
According to recent data from Moz, 25.4% of users engage with AI Overviews, and 27% of search results that feature an AIO also include a traditional featured snippet. This shift means you should optimize content for both traditional search rankings and AI-generated responses. It’s a “both and” situation, not an “either or” one.
Key Differences Between SEO and GEO
SEO and GEO both help your business get found online, but they work in different ways. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is like a sales associate in a store. It helps customers find exactly what they’re looking for, matching search queries with the most relevant web pages. It focuses on keywords, rankings, and click-through rates to drive traffic to specific content.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), on the other hand, is more like a personal stylist. Instead of just answering one question, it understands the bigger picture. It grasps what the customer might need next, how everything fits together, and what additional value can be provided. Just like a stylist curates complete outfits based on your lifestyle, GEO ensures AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews can pull together information from multiple sources to deliver a comprehensive, well-structured answer rather than just pointing users to a single webpage.
SEO is still crucial for getting your website ranked. But you should also think about how your content can inform and contribute to AI-driven search results.
A Few Ways That SEO and GEO Overlap
Despite their differences, SEO and GEO share several fundamental principles. Both types of optimization:
- Improve content visibility to help your business reach its target audience.
- Rely on keywords to enhance discoverability and relevance.
- Prioritize high-quality, user-friendly content following Google’s EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) principles.
- Require technical optimization such as fast-loading pages and mobile responsiveness.
As AI search evolves, your business must blend SEO and GEO strategies to maintain a strong online presence. Traditional SEO is still essential, but you now need to think about how AI search engines process information — and optimize for both.
“We live in a bullet-point society. People are more likely to read lists than they are paragraphs.”
– Jennifer Shaheen, President and Founder, Technology Therapy® Group
5 Strategies to Optimize Your Content for AI Search
New to creating and formatting content that’s friendly to AI search tools? Here are five strategies to keep in mind:
1. Make Sure Your Site is Indexed in Bing
Many business owners focus only on Google, but Microsoft’s SearchGPT is powered by Bing, so it’s essential that your site is indexed. Visit this site to check.
2. Structure Content for AI Search
AI-driven search engines prioritize content that is easy to skim. Listicles, Q&A formats, and clearly structured sections improve your chances of appearing in AI-generated results. Remember, we live in a bullet-point society. People are more likely to read lists than they are paragraphs.
3. Build Backlinks & Get Listed on Other Sites
Getting your content featured on trusted sites and directories helps improve credibility and visibility in AI-generated responses. Help a Reporter Out (HARO) and Qwoted are two examples of these.
4. Present Unique Data & Statistics
AI search tools look for unique insights. Turn your expertise into data points. For example, if you’ve noticed a trend in customer behavior, frame it as a statistic and share it in your content.
5. Use AI to Find Search Trends
AI-powered tools like the following can help identify what people are searching for:
- Google Trends – Explore trending topics and search patterns.
- ChatGPT Search Feature – Click the search icon in ChatGPT to see what users are looking for in real time.
- SEO Keyword GPTs – Ask AI for keyword recommendations relevant to your industry.
(NOTE: These tools don’t have to cost you a dime. Check out our blog here for a guide to Google’s free tools.)
Content Planning: From Keywords to Ideas
But how do you actually plan content for this new SEO vs. GEO world? It’s not just about stuffing keywords into your pages anymore. We’re moving from a keyword-focused approach to something much more idea-driven.
It’s worth noting that AI is trying to answer questions, not just match keywords. So, your content needs to do the same. Here are three ways to transform your content planning perspective in the new era of search:
Answer Customer Questions (Really Well)
AI loves in-depth, informative content. Don’t just scratch the surface; provide real value. This is crucial for both traditional SEO and getting picked up by generative AI.
Go Niche
Ditch the broad, keyword-heavy pages. Instead, think of long-tail keywords and super-specific topics. AI search is getting much better at understanding user intent, so the more specific you are, the better. This helps with SEO and makes your content more useful for AI to pull from.
Embrace Topic Clusters
This is a smart strategy for both SEO and GEO. Think of a “pillar topic,” or broad subject. Then, create “cluster topics,” which are smaller and more specific subtopics. Link these related pieces of content together. This creates a seamless, AI-friendly structure that search engines (and AI tools) love. It improves site navigation and helps AI understand the context of your content.
For instance, a jewelry store might have the pillar topic in the form of a “Gift Ideas for Her” page that links out to smaller cluster topic pages (or blogs) such as “Anniversary Jewelry Gifts,” “Valentine’s Day Jewelry Gifts,” “Mother’s Day Jewelry Gifts, and “Jewelry Gifts Under $100.”
Better Together: SEO & GEO
AI-powered search isn’t replacing traditional search but enhancing it. When you optimize for both SEO and GEO, you’ll have the best chance of staying visible in search results.
Jumpstart Your GEO Strategy
Want to dive deeper with GEO strategy? Invest in some mentoring sessions with a TTG pro!
