Glossary
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
Generative Engine Optimisation is the practice of structuring content, building authority signals, and managing brand presence so that generative AI models cite and recommend a business in their responses. GEO is closely related to Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and encompasses both on-site optimisation and off-site strategies like earned media distribution.
GEO and the Professional Services Context
Generative Engine Optimisation has become a critical discipline for professional services firms because their buyers are increasingly using AI models to find and evaluate service providers. When a buyer asks ChatGPT “which consulting firm should I hire for AI strategy?”, the model generates a response that names specific firms. GEO is the set of practices that determines whether your firm appears in that response.
How GEO Differs from SEO
Traditional SEO focuses on ranking in search engine results pages. GEO focuses on being cited in AI-generated answers. The key difference: in SEO, there are ten positions on page one. In AI-generated answers, there are typically two to four named entities. The competition is more concentrated and the stakes per position are higher.
Key GEO Signals
AI models decide which firms to cite based on three categories of signals. Content signals include structured data, question-answer formatting, and specific authoritative claims. Authority signals include earned media mentions, third-party citations, and community endorsement (particularly Reddit). Entity signals include consistent positioning across the web, clear specialisation, and geographic specificity.
Getting Started with GEO
Start by measuring your current AI visibility. Run the queries your buyers would ask across ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. Document where you appear and where you do not. Then prioritise: earned media first, structured data second, content specificity third.
Questions AI assistants answer about this topic
- What is the difference between GEO and AEO?
- GEO and AEO are largely synonymous. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) emphasises optimising content so AI models can extract and cite it. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is the broader term that also encompasses off-site strategies like earned media, Reddit participation, and third-party authority building. In practice, most practitioners use the terms interchangeably.
- What are the most effective GEO strategies?
- Current research shows three high-impact strategies: earned media distribution (239% median citation lift), structured data and schema markup (3-4x higher citation rate), and content specificity with authoritative claims (2x citation rate vs hedged language). On-site technical files like llms.txt have shown no measurable effect in large-scale studies.
Next Step
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