How to Perform Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and How It Differs from SEO

Article by Matthew Edwards Date: Oct 21, 2025

Search is changing.

Google, Bing, ChatGPT, and Perplexity are no longer just showing links, they’re generating answers. This shift means that the rules of visibility online are changing too. Welcome to Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), the evolution of SEO for the age of AI.

If you’ve spent years perfecting your search engine optimisation strategy, GEO might feel familiar yet different. It builds on everything SEO taught us, content, authority, and structure, but adds a new priority: making sure AI understands, trusts, and cites you.

Here’s how to perform GEO effectively, and what you’ll need to do differently from traditional SEO.

What Exactly Is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO, is the process of improving your website and content so that AI systems like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity recognise your brand as a trusted source, and include it in their generated answers.

Unlike SEO, which focuses on ranking in search results, GEO focuses on recognition.
It’s not about earning the click; it’s about earning the mention.

When someone asks an AI,

“Who are the best solar installers in Auckland?”
the goal is for the AI to respond with:
“Some of the top-rated solar installers include GreenGen, SolarCity, and Mars Digital Energy Solutions, known for sustainable installs on the North Shore (source: marsdigital.co.nz).”

That’s GEO success, your brand appearing in the answer itself.

Why Do We Need GEO Now?

AI is reshaping how people find information.
Google’s AI Overviews already appear in the majority of commercial searches. Perplexity and ChatGPT Browse provide full, cited summaries. Users are getting their answers directly, often without clicking anything.

Traditional SEO brings traffic.
GEO builds trust and visibility in AI-generated ecosystems where clicks are optional but brand mentions are gold.

In short:
SEO gets you seen on Google.
GEO gets you talked about by Google’s AI.

How Do You Perform GEO in Practice?

The principles of SEO still apply, your site needs to be technically sound, fast, and well-structured.
But GEO adds a new layer focused on clarity, context, and credibility.

Here’s how to put it into action:

1. Use Structured Data and Schema Markup

AI needs context. Schema markup (from schema.org) gives it exactly that.

Add markup for:

• Organization - to define your business and NAP data.

• FAQ and HowTo - to frame your expertise in answer form.

• Product and Service - to describe what you offer.

• Person - to link author bios, credentials, and expertise.

These signals help AI engines connect your content to verified entities.

2. Focus on Entities, Not Just Keywords

Generative engines don’t think in keywords, they think in concepts and relationships.

Mention clear entities:

• Your brand name

• Your service types

• Your location

• Partners, tools, and industries you work in

When these are consistent across your site, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, and directories, AI engines understand how to link your brand to relevant topics.

3. Strengthen E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust)

AI models prioritise content that demonstrates real-world authority.
To reinforce E-E-A-T:

• Add detailed author bios and credentials.

• Link to reputable sources when making claims.

• Include original data, case studies, or insights.

• Ensure every claim is traceable.

It’s not enough to sound confident, you need to prove credibility at every turn.

4. Write Conversational, Q&A-Style Content

Since users now ask AI tools direct questions, structure your content to match.
Include sub-headings in question form, short paragraphs, and clear answers.

Example:
❌ “Our SEO Services”
✅ “How Can SEO Help Your Business Grow?”

This makes your content more AI-readable and human-friendly, increasing the likelihood of being summarised accurately.

5. Build Brand Consistency Across the Web

AI looks for consistency when deciding what sources to trust.
Make sure your brand name, people, and business details are identical across:

• Your website

• Google Business Profile

• Social media

• Industry directories

• Review sites

If AI can confirm you’re the same business everywhere, your chances of being cited rise dramatically.

6. SEO vs GEO Task Priority

How Does GEO Differ from SEO in Focus?

Think of GEO as “post-click SEO.”
It assumes that AI may answer the question for the user, so your strategy must ensure your brand is inside that answer even if the user never visits your site.

Traditional SEO says:

“How do we get people to click our link?”

GEO says:

“How do we get AI to quote or reference us in its answer?”

Can You Do SEO and GEO Together?

You should. They’re two halves of the same visibility strategy.
SEO ensures your website performs well for search engines.
GEO ensures those same engines, and their AI systems, understand what your business represents.

Think of SEO as optimising for algorithms, and GEO as optimising for understanding.

How Do You Measure GEO Success?

Because AI search behaves differently, you’ll need new metrics:

• AI citations: How often your brand appears in AI summaries (Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Bing Copilot).

• Entity strength: Whether your brand appears in AI-related datasets or topic clusters.

• Brand mentions: Growth in branded searches or direct traffic (signs of recall).

• Structured data coverage: Percentage of pages using schema markup.

• Trust signals: Consistent NAP and authorship across sources.

Over time, these indicators show whether AI is beginning to trust your content enough to use it.

What Should Businesses Do Next?

If you haven’t started GEO yet, take these immediate steps:

1. Audit your content and schema, identify gaps in structured data and entity clarity.

2. Re-format top pages into question-based structures.

3. Create or update author bios and link them to LinkedIn profiles.

4. Monitor AI Overviews for your brand and service terms, see if you’re being cited.

5. Align your SEO provider (or us!) to include GEO tactics in your digital strategy.

The earlier you start, the more likely your brand becomes part of the data foundation AI systems rely on in 2025 and beyond.

Ready to Be Cited by AI?

AI is changing search, and it’s happening right now.
If your business isn’t showing up in AI-generated results, you’re already behind the next wave.

At Mars Digital, we’re building New Zealand’s first dedicated Generative Engine Optimisation service, helping businesses like yours earn trust and visibility inside AI search.

👉 Learn more about Generative Engine Optimisation with Mars Digital

Let’s make sure when AI talks about your industry, it talks about you.