Why Generative Engine Optimisation is quietly rewriting the rules of digital visibility
Once upon a time in the land of search, the mission was simple: be #1 on Google, rake in the clicks, and ride off into the marketing sunset. Today? Welcome to the era of GEO—Generative Engine Optimisation—where clicks are optional, citations are gold, and the AI is the one asking the questions.
Let’s unpack this deliciously complex, mildly terrifying, and completely unavoidable shift from SEO to GEO. With humour. And a little help from 20 signals smarter than most marketing departments.
What the GEO Is Going On?
If SEO was about impressing Google’s algorithm, GEO is about impressing ChatGPT’s librarian cousin, the AI retriever. Traditional SEO wants to rank. GEO wants to be quoted. Think less “come visit our blog” and more “make us the AI’s go-to source.”
GEO is the catch-all for how to show up inside AI-generated answers—from ChatGPT to Google’s AI Overviews and Perplexity. It’s not just a new acronym. It’s a new strategy. And frankly, it’s one most brands haven’t caught up with yet.
So here’s your cheat sheet.
From SERPs to Citations: The Metrics Makeover
| SEO | GEO |
|---|---|
| Keyword rankings | Citation frequency |
| CTR & traffic | Brand mentions & AI answer dominance |
| Optimise for readers | Optimise for AI parsing |
| Target: Humans via Google | Target: AI via Retriever |
Traditional SEO was like training for a marathon. GEO? It’s more like writing the footnotes for every AI book ever published—except you only make the bibliography if the AI finds your page, understands it, trusts it, and finds it quote-worthy.
The Mechanics of GEO: How AI Actually Finds You
Spoiler alert: LLMs don’t search. That job belongs to retrievers, like Bing (used by ChatGPT and Copilot) and Google Search (feeding AI Overviews). If you’re not optimising for the retriever, you’re effectively whispering into a void.
Let’s break it down:
- ChatGPT uses Bing. If you’re not on Bing’s radar, you’re invisible.
- Google’s AI Overviews rely on its traditional index. The good news? Old-school SEO still works here… but maybe not in the top 10. Google seems to love positions 21–100 lately.
- Perplexity lives for citations. Bullet points, tables, and tidy HTML are the new content kingmakers.
The 20 Signals That Make You Worth Quoting
Cluster A: Authority & Trust (The E-E-A-T-for-Machines Framework)
- Verifiable Experience – Real, lived experience with examples, data, or product use. AI favours practical, first-hand accounts grounded in real-world insights. Showcase personal involvement or original results.
- Demonstrable Expertise – Author bios, credentials, citations, and technical depth. Highlight your expertise clearly in both content and structure. Add links to proof.
- Provable Authoritativeness – Recognition from other reputable sites and mentions. Authority comes from consistent third-party validation across the web.
- Algorithmic Trustworthiness – Factual accuracy, transparency, and secure site structure. Structure your claims with citations and avoid exaggeration or fluff.
Cluster B: Content & Semantic Signals (Make Your Content Quote-Worthy)
- Original, Proprietary Data & Research – Unique statistics, surveys, and insights. Offer content AI hasn’t seen before to stand out and be cited.
- Fact-Dense and Concise Passages – Short, information-rich content blocks. Think “chunkable”: every paragraph should stand alone as a quotable gem.
- Direct Answer & Q&A Formatting – Use question-based headers and answer-first structures. Write like you’re responding to a prompt from ChatGPT.
- Holistic Topic Clustering – Build interlinked topic clusters with a clear central pillar. Demonstrate deep, structured knowledge of the full landscape.
- Natural Language & Semantic Richness – Conversational, entity-rich writing. Include synonyms, related entities, and natural phrasing for context.
- Content Freshness – Keep content current and visibly updated. AI values currency—clearly show dates and update logs where relevant.
Cluster C: Technical & Structural Signals (Help AI Parse Your Site)
- AI-Parsable HTML Structure – Logical heading hierarchy. Use H1, H2, and H3 correctly to guide AI through your structure like a contents page.
- Scannable Elements (Lists & Tables) – Easy-to-parse formats preferred by AI. Break down complexity using bullets, tables, and visual spacing.
- Avoid Hidden or Gated Content – Don’t hide core info in tabs or scripts. If it requires a click, AI may miss it entirely—keep key data visible.
- Site Speed & Accessibility – Fast-loading, technically clean websites win. Optimise Core Web Vitals, reduce load time, and test accessibility regularly.
- Internal Linking Architecture – Reinforce topical depth and hierarchy. Link related topics consistently to show semantic and site-wide structure.
Cluster D: Off-Platform Entity Signals (Go Where the AI Hangs Out)
- Wikipedia & Wikidata Presence – Still the AI’s favourite fact source. Build notability over time, then earn your spot with solid citations.
- Reddit & Quora Participation – Real-world mentions build trust. Don’t spam—contribute value in real conversations and communities.
- Review Platform Optimisation – G2, Yelp, and niche sites matter. Keep profiles updated and actively encourage quality reviews.
- Cross-Platform Brand Consistency – Keep tone, language, and facts aligned. Same brand bio, same tone, same proof—everywhere you appear.
- Local NAP Consistency – Ensure accurate local business listings. Use structured data to confirm and unify your business identity.
Wait, Are Schema and llms.txt Real?
Ah, the never-ending schema debate. Quick answer:
- Schema.org = yes (but not for the LLM—for the retriever).
- llms.txt = no (it’s the AI version of a marketing myth).
So, if you’re spending hours fiddling with llms.txt hoping to get “noticed” by ClaudeBot, you may as well be writing fanmail to HAL 9000. Focus on what actually gets crawled and cited.
Final Boss: Becoming an AI Agent’s Favourite Tool
Want to go from being an AI source to being its solution? That’s what Agent Experience (AX) is about. It’s not just about being found—it’s about being usable, trusted, and action-ready. Agents don’t want stories—they want tools, structured data, and operational clarity.
- Structure content like instructions. Think IKEA manual, not novel. Agents need clearly defined, step-by-step directions with unambiguous outcomes.
- Use Schema like an API. Label your content using structured data so agents can parse, process, and act on it without guessing.
- Make everything machine-actionable. Product specs, service descriptions, availability, and pricing should be formatted for task execution, not just readability.
- Own your niche. Build credibility until you’re not just a source—they trust you to deliver. Become the default choice when an AI is tasked with making decisions in your space.
TL;DR: GEO Is the New SEO—But Smarter
Still chasing rankings and CTRs without adjusting for AI’s new rules? You’re fighting yesterday’s war.
Want to be quoted? Structured. Cited. Verified. Everywhere.
AI doesn’t reward fluff. It rewards clarity, structure, and authority.
So, what are you waiting for? Rewrite your content. Claim your Wiki. Post that Reddit answer. The AI revolution isn’t coming—it’s already generating.
