The digital landscape has transformed dramatically over the past year. While brands are still perfecting their traditional SEO strategies, new technologies are emerging that could change everything. By 2024, it was reported that over 100 million people were using ChatGPT monthly, and similar AI-powered tools are beginning to reshape how we discover and consume information online.
These trends signal the emergence of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) – a concept focused on optimising your content to be surfaced in AI-generated responses across platforms like ChatGPT and Google Bard (Google’s AI-powered chatbot).
In this guide, you’ll learn what GEO is, the facts about its rise, how it differs from conventional SEO, and five actionable steps you can take to prepare your content for this new era. Please note: While some observations and recommendations are grounded in established trends, parts of this guide present reasoned assumptions about how GEO may impact digital marketing in the near future.
Traditional SEO is an established practice that focuses on understanding search engine algorithms—such as Google’s ranking factors, keyword density, and technical site structure. It aims to improve visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs), driving users to your website through clicks.
GEO, by contrast, is an emerging approach that proposes optimising for AI models that generate summaries, recommendations, and direct answers in response to user queries. Instead of preparing your web page solely for search engines, you consider how AI models interpret, synthesise, and reference your content in conversational outputs.
This distinction is factual: Traditional search platforms display lists of links; AI-powered generative engines produce natural language answers, often combining information from multiple sources. As AI systems become more sophisticated, the way users access information—and the way content creators must structure their material—is expected to change accordingly.
Think of it this way: traditional SEO helps you get invited to the party. GEO—if its adoption continues as forecast—could ensure you’re part of the conversation.
Fact: Millions of users are now turning to AI assistants for information, recommendations, and advice. When users ask questions like, “What are the best project management tools for remote teams under 50 people?”, AI engines respond with synthesised answers, potentially referencing multiple sources.
Forward-Looking Insight: As AI-driven platforms become more integrated into everyday workflows, being referenced by these generative engines could become as important as ranking in traditional search results. Optimising your content now may increase your chances of being cited in AI-generated responses.
Fact: Generative engines are designed to deliver personalised, contextually relevant responses by drawing on a wide variety of content sources. Early industry observations suggest that this can improve how users engage with information, as they receive tailored answers to their nuanced queries.
Forward-Looking Insight: As these technologies advance, producing content that’s clear, specific, and actionable will likely become even more valuable—not just for users, but for AI systems looking to provide useful answers. (There are currently no widely published, peer-reviewed engagement metrics specific to GEO adoption).
Fact: Most businesses continue to focus on traditional SEO, and there are no established industry standards for GEO.
Forward-Looking Insight: Early adoption of effective GEO strategies could offer a first-mover advantage. If AI systems learn from publicly available, high-quality content, establishing your expertise now might increase the odds of being referenced in future conversational AI outputs. This is speculative but is in line with how search engine algorithms historically prioritise authoritative sources.
The following steps blend current best practices in digital marketing with reasonable projections about how GEO could evolve. Any recommendations based on likely future trends are identified as such.
Fact: User interactions with AI tools differ from traditional search—they’re typically conversational, often including follow-up questions and specific scenarios.
Action: Use tools like AnswerThePublic or Google’s “People Also Ask” feature to identify the kinds of questions your audience brings to AI platforms. Build audience personas that factor in which generative AI tools they use and the language they use when asking questions.
Forward-Looking Insight: As generative engines become more prominent, tailoring your content to reflect these conversational patterns may become increasingly important.
Fact: AI systems select and synthesise content that directly answers user questions. Personalised, scenario-focused content formats, such as in-depth guides or targeted FAQ sections, make your insights more accessible to both humans and machines.
Action: Develop content that addresses a range of user scenarios, using clear examples and case studies.
Forward-Looking Insight: As generative engines continue to evolve, content that anticipates and responds to distinct user needs will likely earn more visibility within AI-generated responses.
Fact: Numerous AI-powered tools now exist to help analyse, refine, and optimise digital content. Tools such as Jasper, Sintra AI and ChatGPT can summarise or assess your material; tools like Grammarly and Hemingway improve clarity and accessibility; others help identify conversational search trends.
Action: Incorporate these tools into your content workflow to ensure relevance and clarity.
Forward-Looking Insight: As content volume rises and AI systems become more choosy, optimising for both machine readability and human engagement will likely benefit your brand.
Fact: The digital and AI landscapes shift rapidly. Routine monitoring of which content gets referenced (and how) is standard advice in digital marketing.
Action: Track mentions in AI responses, review traffic from AI-powered search features, and measure engagement.
Forward-Looking Insight: As more platforms introduce generative search or conversational features, agile brands will benefit most by refreshing their content regularly and staying up to date with the latest trends.
Fact: Both search engines and AI models value authoritative, comprehensive coverage of topics. Creating content clusters that explore your core focus areas remains an industry best practice.
Action: Go deep on themes relevant to your expertise and anticipate related or follow-up questions your audience may have.
Forward-Looking Insight: In the evolving GEO landscape, content that demonstrates depth and reliability may become a preferred information source for generative engines—just as it does for traditional SEO.
Fact: Generative Engine Optimisation is not yet a fully established discipline, but user reliance on AI assistants for discovering information is growing rapidly.
Forward-Looking Insight: Businesses that start thinking about GEO now are positioning themselves for success as the boundaries between traditional search and generative answers blur. This may prove as significant a shift as the arrival of social media or mobile search a decade ago.
While nobody can predict exactly how GEO will reshape digital marketing, taking steps to understand, prepare, and experiment with your approach now is a practical way to future-proof your brand. Evaluate your existing content, update it for clarity and relevance, and monitor how it’s referenced in emerging AI platforms.
Continue following industry research and user adoption trends. By distinguishing between what’s proven and what’s plausible, you can make smart, measured moves as the landscape evolves—helping your brand stay visible and trusted, both by humans and the AI systems shaping the future of information discovery.
Many of your competitors are still focused on yesterday’s search engines. The next era of digital visibility is emerging. GEO strategies could help you lead the way.
