GEO vs SEO : Understand the difference and improve your digital presence

Your SEO tactics might be strong, but are they still meeting today’s needs?

Think of your website as a store in a busy city. For years, SEO has been like a bright sign drawing in passersby, making sure people find your store when they search for what you sell on Google.

But here’s the catch: The city is changing. A new wave of visitors is arriving—people who no longer have the time to search. They want instant, personalized answers and are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT or Google AI to get exactly what they need, without even clicking on a link.

This is where GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) comes in. It’s the new strategy that ensures your content isn’t just found, but also appears directly in AI-generated responses.

In this article, we’ll explore how SEO and GEO work together, like two partners, to keep your website visible in this rapidly evolving digital world.

What is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?

Let’s start with the basics. SEO is all about optimizing your website so it ranks higher on traditional search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The goal is to increase organic traffic by ensuring your content gets discovered when users search for keywords related to your business.

Key elements of SEO:

• Keywords: These are the terms people search for (“best coffee machine for home”).

• Backlinks: Links from other websites that give your content authority.

• Content quality: Well-written, engaging content that answers users' questions.

• Technical optimization: Things like fast load times, mobile-friendliness, and making sure your pages are properly indexed by search engines.

Example: When you search for “best coffee machine for home,” you get a list of articles that are optimized for keywords like “best coffee machine,” include backlinks from trusted sites, and offer detailed, helpful content. That’s SEO at work.

So, what is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?

Now, let’s talk about GEO. This is a newer strategy that focuses on optimizing content for AI-driven search tools like ChatGPT, Bard, Perplexity, and even Google’s AI search features. Unlike traditional search engines, these generative tools don’t just list links; they give you immediate answers.

Key elements of GEO:

• Clarity: Your content needs to be simple and direct, making it easy for AI to understand.

• Structure: Organize your content with clear headings, bullet points, and short paragraphs so that AI can extract information.

• Authority: Make sure your content is factually accurate and well-researched, as AI systems prefer trustworthy sources.

  More on building trust in content in “How to build a B2B thought leadership content strategy”.

Example: If you ask ChatGPT, “What’s the best coffee machine for home?” it might pull a direct answer from a GEO-optimized blog, summarizing the best options in a conversational way.

GEO is all about making sure your brand still gets noticed in a world where AI is the one giving people answers. It’s no longer just about showing up in search results—what matters now is how often AI uses or references your content when responding to questions.

As marketing expert Ross Simmonds puts it :

“The more likely you are to be sourced or included in a response to a query from AI, the more likely you are to become top of mind and have your website visited or brand engaged with.”

So in a way, GEO is like the next phase of SEO. It’s still rooted in creating quality content that aligns with what people are looking for, but now it’s about making sure that content is also easy for AI to find and use.

The evolution of search behavior:

Before diving into how SEO and GEO work together, let’s take a closer look at how search behavior has shifted over the past few years. This shift is central to understanding why both traditional SEO and emerging GEO strategies are crucial.

Changing user behavior

In the past, people would typically type short, keyword-heavy queries like “best running shoes.” Today, users are asking more natural language questions because search engines are now better at understanding context. For example:

• Old query: “best running shoes”

• New query: “What are the best shoes for marathon training in hot weather?”

This change is not just about phrasing. It also reflects a broader trend of increased reliance on voice search, mobile devices, and more sophisticated AI-driven tools like ChatGPT.

“As search behavior evolve, businesses must adapt by optimizing their content for these platforms to capture and engage their target audience effectively.”

Melissa Mitchell – Marketing Professional

Why this matters for SEO and GEO

As search behavior shifts from short keywords to more conversational, question-based queries, it’s important to understand that search engines are not only ranking content based on keywords anymore. They're prioritizing relevance, context, and intent—which is why GEO (is becoming more important.

• GEO works well for the new type of user search behavior, which is more nuanced and context-driven. AI tools extract information from content that is structured, clear, and easy to understand—qualities that both traditional SEO and GEO share but in different ways.

• At the same time, SEO is still crucial to ensure your content is discoverable in search engines, which still dominate the search landscape.

Also, Gartner predicts search engine volume will drop 25% by 2026, due to AI chatbots and other virtual agents.

SEO vs GEO: The differences

Imagine you're looking for a pizza recipe. A traditional search engine is like asking a friend for help, and they give you a list of recipe books to look through. You have to pick one and figure it out yourself.

But with AI search tools, it's like asking your friend to just tell you the recipe right away, without making you dig through books.

GEO is like making sure your recipe is written in a way that your friend can easily understand and give it to you instantly. It's all about making your content easy for AI to grab and give back as an immediate answer.

Key differences between traditional SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

How SEO works (traditional approach)

SEO has been around for years and works through a simple three-step process:

1. Crawling: Search engines use bots to discover new content by following links on the web.

2. Indexing: Once content is discovered, it’s stored in a massive database to be retrieved later.

3. Ranking: When someone searches for something, the search engine ranks content based on factors like keyword relevance, backlinks, and content quality.

For example, if you have a blog post about “how to make a cappuccino,” SEO would help that post rank higher in search results by making sure it’s optimized for keywords, has good backlinks, and loads quickly on mobile.

How GEO works (The new AI-driven approach)

Generative engines like ChatGPT operate differently. Here’s how:

1. Content ingestion: AI systems absorb content from across the web, either in real-time or through pre-training.

2. Knowledge extraction: The AI analyzes your content to identify key facts, entities, and relationships.

3. Response generation: When a user asks a question, AI pulls information from relevant, structured content and generates a synthesized response.

For instance, if someone asks ChatGPT, “How do I brew the perfect cup of coffee?” and your blog has clearly structured content with accurate instructions, AI might pull a direct quote or reference from your page in the answer.

Why GEO and SEO matter together

While SEO is still essential for driving organic traffic, GEO is becoming more and more important as AI-generated responses become a dominant source of information. So don’t choose one over the other. Use both!

How they work together:

• Content depth: Long-form, detailed content works for both SEO and GEO. It ranks well in search engines and provides rich, structured material for AI to use.

• Structured content: Use headings and bullet points to make your content easy to digest for both human readers and AI tools.

• E-E-A-T: This stands for Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. It’s important for both SEO and GEO. Google and AI systems both prioritize content that demonstrates these qualities.

“ E-E-A-T is a framework that Google's human reviewers use to assess content quality."
— Semrush

Practical tips to optimize for both SEO and GEO:

1. Audit your existing content: Look at your high-performing pages and optimize them for AI systems with minor tweaks—clearer structure, more headings, and concise answers.

   For more about improving your content’s SEO, check out  “Everything You Need to Know About Blog SEO."

2. Expand your keyword research: Think beyond just traditional search queries. Include natural language questions that AI users might ask.

3. Monitor cross-channel performance: Track both your traditional search rankings and how often your content is cited in AI responses.

4. Use structured data: It’s great for SEO and makes your content more digestible for AI tools.

The essential tools for SEO and GEO optimization

Now that we’ve covered the essentials of SEO and GEO, let’s look at some tools that can help you optimize for both. Whether you're looking to improve your ranking on traditional search engines or get your content noticed by AI-driven systems, the right tools make all the difference.

SEO tools

These tools are designed to help optimize content for traditional search engines, focusing on keyword research, backlinks, technical SEO, and overall content quality:

• Ahrefs: Excellent for keyword research, backlink analysis, and site audits.

• SEMrush: A comprehensive tool for tracking keyword rankings, competitive analysis, and SEO reporting.

• Google Search Console: Essential for tracking your site’s performance in Google search results, indexing issues, and overall SEO health.

• Yoast SEO: A popular plugin for WordPress that helps with on-page optimization, keyword analysis, and content readability.

• Inblog : SEO-friendly CMS tool designed for B2B companies, offering easy content creation. It helps businesses optimize their content and improve search engine visibility effortlessly.

GEO tools

These tools are specifically designed to optimize content for AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini:

• ChatGPT: Leverage AI to generate optimized content that answers natural language queries.

• Perplexity.ai: AI tool for understanding and refining search results based on user intent.

• Frase.io: A tool that helps create content optimized for both traditional SEO and AI, focusing on clear structure and clarity.

• Jasper AI: Use AI to generate content quickly that is both engaging and optimized for AI-driven search tools.

• Surfer SEO (for structure): Helps structure content in a way that both search engines and AI can easily digest, improving content's chances of being featured in AI responses.

• InBlog: A streamlined CMS built for B2B blogging. While it doesn’t use AI or generate content, InBlog helps teams publish clean, well-structured articles that are easy for AI-driven engines like ChatGPT or Perplexity to interpret and surface.

How to make your content AI-friendly

AI readability is all about making your content clear, simple, and structured in a way that machines love. Think bullet points, short paragraphs, direct answers, and no fluff.

What AI search is looking for

To get featured or even noticed by AI tools, your content should:

• Use simple language

• Have clear headlines

• Answer specific questions directly

• Be backed by facts, not just opinions

• Stay updated

So, how to improve your content for AI search engines

To make your content stand out in AI-driven search results, you need a blend of traditional SEO strategies and techniques tailored for AI platforms. Here’s how to optimize your content:

1. Do keyword & topic research for AI

• Think in questions: AI thrives on user questions. Shift from short keywords to longer, conversational queries.

• Broaden your keyword scope: Use SEO tools to find trending topics, then reframe them as natural-language questions.
  Example: Instead of “smart home security,” go for “What are the most important things to look for in a smart home security system?”

• Focus on intent: Look for queries like “How do I…” or “What’s the best way to…”—these are AI magnets.

• Update often: Use tools like Perplexity or Bing AI to keep a list of trending, AI-friendly questions fresh.

2. Align content with user intent (answer questions directly)

• Identify user intent: Most AI queries are informational.

• Answer upfront: Give the core answer in the first sentence or paragraph.

• Cover follow-up questions: Think ahead and include answers to what users might ask next.

• Use a conversational tone: Write how people actually speak, especially for “how-to” and “best way to” topics.

• Be accurate: AI values truth and clarity. Don’t fudge the facts.

3. Create high-quality, trustworthy content

• Use reliable sources: Link to reputable research, studies, or expert insights.

• Add expert quotes: Credible voices boost authority.

• Include useful stats: AI loves numbers. Include relevant data where you can.

• Show your expertise: Use real examples, case studies, or personal experience.

• Write for humans: Being AI-optimized doesn’t mean being robotic. Stay engaging.

Adding relevant statistics, quotations and citations can boost content visibility in generative engines by up to 40%, according to a recent research paper.

-Search Engine Land

4. Make your content easy to read and understand

• Use clear headings and subheadings: Helps both humans and machines.

• Keep paragraphs short: 2–5 sentences max.

• Use bullet points and lists: Easy to scan. Easy to extract.

• Highlight key points: Use bold, italics, or even callout boxes.

• Maintain logical flow: Each section should work on its own, just in case AI pulls it out of context.

5. Leverage schema markup and technical SEO for AI

Content is one half of the puzzle—technical setup is the other.

• Add schema markup: Use FAQ, HowTo, or Article schema to help AI understand your content.

• Optimize meta tags: Clear, relevant titles and descriptions help AI pick the right context.

• Ensure crawlability: No slow load times, no blocked pages. Let AI access everything easily.

• Aim for featured snippets: Use clean answers, bullet lists, or tables.

• Improve page experience: Fast, secure (HTTPS), and mobile-friendly sites earn more trust from AI.

6. Build authority through digital PR (public relations) and partnerships

Brand mentions = AI trust.

• Use digital PR: Guest post, collaborate, and get featured on respected platforms.

• Partner with trusted brands: Being linked to reputable names increases your credibility in AI’s eyes.

Think of it like this:

You’re not just writing for readers anymore. You’re writing for algorithms that decide if your content is even worth showing. If AI can’t understand your message fast, it’ll move on to someone else’s content.

Measuring success: SEO and GEO KPIs

Alright, so you’re putting in the work to optimize your content for both SEO and GEO — but how do you actually know if it’s working?

Each approach comes with its own set of KPIs (key performance indicators), and tracking the right ones will help you stay on top of your strategy and adjust as needed.

“If you cannot measure it, you cannot improve it.”

– Lord Kelvin

For SEO, the usual suspects still matter:

• Keyword rankings: Are your target terms climbing the search results?

• Click-through rate (CTR): Are people actually clicking on your links?

• Bounce rate: Are they sticking around, or leaving right away?

These give you a good pulse on how your content is performing in traditional search engines like Google or Bing.

For GEO, the metrics are a bit newer but just as important:

• Mention frequency in AI responses: Is your content being referenced or summarized in tools like ChatGPT, Bard, or Perplexity?

• Citations in generative answers: Are AI platforms linking back to your content when generating responses?

• Engagement from AI-powered platforms: Are you getting noticeable traffic or user interaction from these AI-driven sources?

Tracking both sets of metrics helps you understand not only how visible your content is, but also where it’s being seen — and by whom. The goal is to be present in both traditional search results and AI-powered answers, because that’s where the future of discovery is heading.

And speaking of measuring success, you may also be wondering how to calculate the true return on investment (ROI) from your SEO and GEO efforts. If you're looking to understand how to gauge your ROI more effectively, take a look at this article on ” What is a good ROI and how to actually measure it? ”.

Beco case study : How they got 119% more traffic from AI

About Beco :

Beco is a pet brand that makes eco-friendly stuff for dogs. They’ve been around since 2009 and really care about making products that are better for the planet.

The problem :

Even though their products were great, Beco wasn’t getting much attention online. Here’s what was going wrong:

• Their content wasn’t showing up in AI-generated answers (like Google’s AI Overviews).

• They weren’t answering common questions people search for, like the ones under “People Also Ask.”

• They focused too much on short keywords and not enough on longer, more natural phrases people actually type in.

What they did :

To fix this, they worked with an agency and tried a mix of SEO and GEO. Here’s what helped:

• Looked at real questions people ask online and built content around that. For example, questions like “How long can newborn puppies go without eating?”

• Wrote detailed blog posts that really helped people, like “What to Feed Dogs With Diarrhoea”. They added visuals like charts and infographics to make the info clearer.

• Linked related posts together so people (and AI) could easily explore more.

• Added FAQ sections to blogs, answering specific questions like:

  • Is scrambled egg good for dogs with diarrhoea?

  • Can chicken give dogs diarrhoea?

The result :

• Their AI traffic went up by 119%—from 9,295 visits in September to 20,356 in November.

  

• They also had 46% more keywords showing up in the top 3 AI Overviews (from 216 to 316 keywords).

  

Plum Goodness case study : How they increased traffic by 116% with GEO

About Plum Goodness :

Plum Goodness is a skincare brand from India that makes natural, vegan, and cruelty-free products. They also offer makeup, fragrances, and hair care.

The problem :

Plum Goodness had great products, but they weren’t getting enough online attention. Here’s what was wrong:

• Their website wasn’t easy for search engines to understand.

• Their content didn’t answer the questions people were searching for.

• Their pages had too much text and not enough pictures or videos.

• They didn’t have FAQ sections, so their content didn’t show up when people asked common questions.

• Their content lacked expert advice, which is important in beauty.

• They focused only on broad keywords and missed specific, useful search terms.

What they did :

They used a mix of SEO and GEO :

• Created content for common questions: They looked at what people were asking online and made blog posts answering those questions, like “What’s the difference between body mist and perfume?”

• Added expert content: They included expert advice to make their content more trustworthy.

• Used structured data: They added FAQ sections to help their content show up in search results.

• Added visuals: They made their pages more engaging by adding images and videos.

• Updated content: They kept their content fresh with new trends and information.

• Targeted long-tail keywords: They focused on more specific search terms like “how to grow thicker hair” to reach more people.

The results :

• 116% More Traffic: Traffic increased from 11,539 visits in September 2024 to 24,927 in February 2025, an extra 13,388 visitors from AI-generated search results.

  

• 135% More Keywords in Top AI Results: The number of keywords ranking in top AI results increased by 261, a 135% jump.

  

Final Thoughts : Adapt or fall behind

The search landscape is evolving, and the businesses that succeed in 2025 and beyond will be the ones that embrace both SEO and GEO. You don’t have to become an expert in both overnight. Start by optimizing one of your top-performing pages for AI, and then build from there.

Remember: the future of search doesn’t just belong to those who dominate the Google rankings. It belongs to those who adapt to the AI-driven future of search.

New to digital marketing? Start with our guide: “ How to start digital marketing? “