What is
GEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is the process of optimising your online presence so that AI search engines cite your business in their answers. The term was introduced in 2023 by researchers at Princeton University and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Since then, it has grown into a discipline of its own alongside traditional SEO.

With SEO, you optimise for Google's algorithm: building backlinks, integrating keywords, improving technical speed. The goal is a high position in search results. With GEO, you optimise for AI models: writing quotable content, implementing structured data, building authority across multiple sources. The goal is that AI recommends your business when users ask relevant questions.

The Princeton research showed that specific GEO techniques produce measurable results. Adding citations and external sources to content increased AI visibility by 115% for lower-ranked pages. Adding statistics lifted visibility by 41%. Adding quotations increased it by 28%. These are not vague improvements. They are quantified effects from controlled research.

Citations versus positions

The fundamental difference lies in the output. SEO delivers positions: you rank at number 1, 2 or 3 in Google. GEO delivers citations: AI names your business in its answer and explains why. A citation is more powerful than a position. It is an active recommendation by a system the user trusts. This is why ChatGPT referral traffic converts at 15.9%, compared to 1.76% for Google organic. A 9x premium.

The first technique is rewriting your existing content for quotability. Take your most important pages and check: does each H2 section contain a passage of two to four sentences that can serve as a standalone answer to a question? Does each section start with the direct answer or with an introduction? Does the page contain concrete numbers, facts and specific information? If the answer is no, rewrite the content.

The second technique is adding FAQ sections to your pages. FAQs contain exactly the format AI needs: a question followed by a direct answer. Combine this with FAQPage schema markup and you give AI a ready-made set of questions and answers that it can directly use. For a UK estate agent, this might include "What does an estate agent charge in London?" with a specific answer citing typical fee ranges.

The third technique is adding statistics and data to your content. The Princeton study found that adding statistics increases AI visibility by 41%. Original numbers are gold for GEO. If you are the source of a statistic that AI cites, you are positioned as an authority. Customer survey results, industry benchmark data or usage statistics from your product are all valuable sources.

Comparison tables and structure

The fourth technique is implementing comparison tables. When someone asks AI "what is the difference between X and Y?", AI looks for content that already contains that comparison. A clear table with criteria and scores per option is exceptionally effective and often gets directly incorporated into AI answers. For UK businesses, this works particularly well for service comparisons, pricing tiers and feature breakdowns.

The fifth technique is actively collecting detailed reviews. Not "5 stars, great!" but reviews that specifically describe what went well, what problem you solved and what the outcome was. AI reads review text and uses it to describe your business. The richer the reviews, the better AI can position you. A Trustpilot review that says "Sorted our boiler emergency within 2 hours on a Sunday, fair price, left everything clean" gives AI far more to work with than "Good service."

The sixth technique is guest publications and PR. Publish articles in trade media, write contributions for industry websites and share your expertise on platforms where your target audience is active. AI interprets guest publications as evidence of expertise and authority. A feature in a trade journal carries more weight for AI than dozens of directory listings. For UK solicitors, this might mean writing for the Law Society Gazette. For accountants, contributing to AccountingWEB.

What to avoid

The Princeton research also showed what does not work. Promotional tone actually decreases AI visibility by 26%. Content that reads like a sales pitch gets filtered out. AI values informational, authoritative content over marketing copy. An authoritative tone only provides a modest 11.8% lift, suggesting that expertise expressed through facts and specifics matters more than simply sounding expert. Focus on substance over style.

Week 1 to 2: Baseline measurement. Before you start optimising, you need to know where you stand. Ask relevant questions to ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity about your industry and location. Is your business mentioned? With what sentiment? On which platforms? That baseline is your starting point. Or use a tool like VestVale that does this automatically across all major AI platforms.

Week 3 to 4: Structured data. Implement JSON-LD schema markup on your website. Start with LocalBusiness (or Organization), FAQPage and Service schema. This is the fastest way to give AI structured information about your business. Test with Google's Rich Results Test. For UK businesses, ensure your schema includes your geographic service area, opening hours and accepted payment methods.

Optimising content for AI

Month 2: Content rewriting. Take your five most important pages and rewrite them for quotability. Short paragraphs, direct answers, concrete facts, specific H2 headings phrased as questions, FAQ sections at the bottom. This is the core of your initial GEO investment. Focus on the pages that answer the questions your customers ask most frequently. For a UK accountant, that might be your services page, pricing page and pages about specific topics like VAT registration or Making Tax Digital.

Month 3 to 4: Authority building. Start with active review collection on multiple platforms. Trustpilot, Google Business, Checkatrade or your industry equivalent. Publish a guest article in a trade publication. Check and update all your directory listings for NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency. Add author information to your blog content. For regulated professions, ensure your professional body listing is complete and accurate.

Month 5 to 6: Measure and adjust. Check again how you score in AI answers. Compare with your baseline. Which pages get cited and which do not? Which platforms mention you and which do not? Adjust based on data, not intuition. Double down on what works and rethink what does not.

An ongoing process

Ongoing: Publish and monitor. GEO is not a project with an end point. Publish new content regularly, collect reviews, update your profiles and monitor your visibility structurally. The businesses that work consistently on GEO build a cumulative advantage that becomes increasingly difficult for competitors to close. To understand how AI assembles its answers and what that means for your content strategy, see our guide on how AI assembles its answers.