What is Generative Engine Optimization in Search?
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Just when you thought you had mastered search engine optimization (SEO), a new search strategy emerges: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). As the digital landscape continues to advance, businesses must adapt to remain competitive, and GEO represents a shift in how we approach online visibility. Unlike traditional SEO, which primarily focuses on optimizing content for search engines based on keywords, technical website elements, backlinks, and various other strategies, GEO optimizes for advanced technologies using artificial intelligence to create personalized and contextually relevant search experiences.
It’s no secret that we’ve started to see a rise in zero-click searches in 2024. According to Sparktoro, for every 1,000 searches on Google in the United States, only 360 clicks lead to a non-Google-owned website. Nearly two-thirds of all searches remain within the Google ecosystem, a trend that may be heightened by the rise of artificial intelligence.
In this post, I’ll cover what Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is, how it differs from traditional SEO, and share effective tips and strategies to incorporate into your marketing mix.
What is Generative Engine Optimization?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is optimizing your website for AI-driven search results in tools and features like ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews, and others. GEO involves understanding how AI models generate search results and leveraging this knowledge to create content that aligns with these algorithms. This means considering factors such as conversational queries, user intent, and contextual relevance, which are important in AI-driven search environments.
According to Gartner, search volume is predicted to drop by 25% by 2026 due to the rise of AI chatbots and other virtual agents. As a result, it’s important to understand how these AI models and algorithms prioritize their results.
So, Has Focusing on SEO Been a Waste?
Absolutely not! SEO remains crucial in today’s digital space, especially as Google emphasizes the creation of helpful, reliable, people-first content. Adhering to the principles of Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T) is still essential for achieving high visibility in search results.
In this section, I’ll explore the differences and similarities between SEO and GEO. By understanding how both strategies can coexist and complement each other, businesses can better navigate the search landscape and optimize their website's online presence.
How Does SEO Differ From GEO?
Focus & Strategy:
SEO: Traditional SEO focuses on optimizing websites for traditional search engine results pages using tactics such as keyword research and on-page optimization, improving the technical aspects of the website, and more. The goal is to improve organic search rankings in traditional results to drive traffic directly to your website.
GEO: Generative Engine Optimization focuses on improving a website’s visibility through citations in AI-driven platforms and chatbots. In many ways, good SEO is a prerequisite for GEO, which emphasizes creating content that aligns with how AI models interpret queries, including understanding user intent (which is still important for traditional SEO), conversation language, and contextual relevance… all important to enhancing personalization on your website overall.
Content Creation:
SEO: Content strategy for SEO is often structured around specific keywords and phrases to rank highly in search results. The aim is to provide valuable, helpful, and unique information that adheres to SEO best practices and caters to the user intent of a keyword or group of similar keywords with similar intents.
- GEO: In GEO, content is created with a focus on how AI systems generate responses to provide comprehensive answers to the human behind the search. This involves using natural language, addressing user queries conversationally, and providing clear and direct answers to questions that users might ask AI models.
Tip: Leverage conversations with your prospects or customers to gather insights. Understand the questions that are frequently asked of your sales team, and consider interviewing clients or customers to learn how they found you and what they were looking to solve. By utilizing this information, you can ensure your website has the answers and resources they need at the moment of search, making it more likely that your content will resonate with both users and AI systems.
User Experience:
SEO: SEO strategies often prioritize website architecture and page experience, ensuring good user experience through page load speed, mobile-friendliness, navigational structure, accessibility, and more.
GEO: GEO places a greater emphasis on understanding user interactions with AI systems and ensuring that content can be easily consumed in conversational formats.
Measurement of Success:
SEO: SEO success is typically measured by metrics like organic traffic, keyword rankings, and conversion rates from organic searches.
- GEO: In contrast, GEO success may be evaluated based on visibility in AI-generated responses, user engagement with owned citations in AI platforms, and the effectiveness of content in answering user queries directly via metrics like engagement rate or conversion rate.
- Tip: You can see referral traffic from AI platforms in Google Analytics by following these steps:
Navigate to Acquisition > Traffic Acquisition report.
Include "Default Channel Group" and "Session source/medium."
Filter to view only "referral" traffic.
- From there, you’ll be able to drill down into specific AI platforms, such as Perplexity and ChatGPT.
Note: It’s important to keep in mind that this traffic will likely be a small portion of your overall traffic due to the nature of these platforms. The primary goal is to answer users' questions directly within these platforms, minimizing the need for them to click outside for further information.
- Tip: You can see referral traffic from AI platforms in Google Analytics by following these steps:
Tip: Many SEO tools are introducing the ability to see which of your website’s ranking keywords produce an AI Overview in Google SERPs, and which of those AI Overviews your website is cited in, as seen in the screenshots below from Semrush and STAT.
How are GEO and SEO Similar?
The Objective of Increasing Visibility:
Both SEO and GEO aim to enhance a website’s overall visibility, albeit through different channels of reaching the end user.
Importance of Quality Content:
High-quality content remains at the core of both SEO and GEO. Whether optimizing for traditional search engines or AI platforms, creating unique, valuable, relevant, and trustworthy content that adheres to Google’s E-E-A-T principles is essential for engaging users.
Need for Understanding User Intent:
Both strategies require a deep understanding of user intent. Whether users are typing a query into a search engine or asking a question to an AI chatbot, understanding what users are looking for is important for creative effective content.
Continual Adaptation:
Both SEO and GEO require ongoing adaptation to changing algorithms, user behaviors, and technology advancements. Staying informed about industry trends is key to success in both strategies.
Utilization of Data and Analytics:
- Both SEO and GEO benefit from data analysis and user feedback. Insights gained from user interactions and performance metrics inform strategy adjustments and improve website effectiveness.
Tip: Do you use a chatbot on your website to engage with potential customers? Leverage the insights gained from chatbot conversations to fuel your content strategy. Use this information to enhance your website content, develop video assets, and create more targeted materials that address your audience's needs.
Technical Elements:
A website's technical variables affect how search and generative engines are able to crawl, render, and index your content—a prerequisite to both traditional SEO and GEO.
Technical variables affecting how fast your page loads are important for GEO and SEO. Generative engines, especially those leveraged in Google search, likely prioritize page experience for citations in AI Overviews as they do for traditional results.
Traditional SEO and Generative Engine Optimization share more similarities than differences. At the heart of both approaches lies a common goal: generating helpful, informative, and reliable content that meets the needs of users and adapts to evolving search technologies.
Why is Generative Engine Optimization Important?
Just as traditional SEO is important for traditional search engines, GEO is important for increased visibility in AI-driven search engines. Ignoring AI-driven search platforms means missing out on reaching potential audiences where they actively seek information. According to Forbes Advisor, ChatGPT amassed 1 million users within the first five days of its launch—1 million users in just five days! This statistic highlights the rapid adoption of AI tools, underscoring the need for businesses to integrate GEO strategies into their digital marketing efforts.
There are several key benefits to integrating GEO into your marketing strategies:
Benefits of GEO
Brand Awareness: Creating helpful and reliable content can enhance your visibility across AI platforms, increasing the likelihood of being featured in AI-driven search results.
Improved User Engagement: GEO focuses on understanding user intent and delivering answers directly, leading to higher engagement rates. When users find what they're looking for quickly, they're more likely to interact with your content.
Increased Conversion Rates: By addressing user questions directly and effectively through AI platforms, you can guide users down the sales funnel more efficiently, leading to higher conversion rates.
Competitive Advantage: As more businesses adopt GEO strategies, early adoption can set you apart from competitors who may still rely solely on traditional SEO. This proactive approach can position your brand as a leader in your industry.
Adaptability to Changing Search Trends: GEO helps businesses stay ahead of shifts in user behavior and technology, enabling them to adapt their strategies to evolving search trends and maintain relevance in a dynamic market.
How to Optimize for Generative Engine Optimization
Understand AI Algorithms: Familiarize yourself with how AI platforms generate responses and rank content. This includes understanding the significance of user intent and the types of queries users are likely to make.
Prioritize E-E-A-T: Generative engines will try to prioritize trustworthy sources with content that is written authoritatively.
Generate Conversational Content: Create content that mimics natural language and conversational tone. Use questions and answers to format your content, making it easy for AI models to consolidate relevant information. When in doubt, ask yourself how easy your content would be for a busy user to skim and understand quickly.
Include Citations and Statistics: At the end of the day, users and search engines are looking for trustworthy information. Incorporating credible statistics and citing authoritative sources throughout your writing will strengthen your credibility and enhance user trust in your content.
Include Quotations: Incorporate relevant quotes from industry experts and authoritative sources. Doing so enhances your content’s depth and credibility.
Optimize for Voice Search: According to Invoca, one in five people (21%) use voice search regularly, with an estimated 8.4 billion voice assistant users globally. Optimize your content for voice queries by using natural language and addressing common questions that your audience may ask.
Engage with Your Audience: Actively engage with your audience through social media, interviews, feedback, or polls. Review queries from internal site search and conversations from your internal customer chatbot. Understanding your audiences’ questions and concerns can guide your content creation and optimization efforts.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is becoming increasingly important as businesses adapt to the changes in the Search landscape. By understanding the differences between GEO and traditional SEO, and implementing effective strategies, you can enhance your online visibility and engage your target audience more effectively.
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