Digital marketing has always been about staying a step ahead. First, it was about having a website. Then, it was about being found – cue the rise of Search Engine Optimization (SEO). 

Today, we’re on the cusp of a new frontier: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). While SEO remains essential, it’s time to expand our focus. Your next big opportunity is optimizing your website and digital properties for AI.

What is GEO?

GEO means making your website and digital content “readable” and actionable for artificial intelligence systems – think ChatGPT, Grok, Llama, Gemini and other AI-driven discovery tools. Just as SEO ensures your site is found by search engines, GEO ensures your brand is surfaced by AI assistants, answer engines and the next wave of digital gatekeepers.

Why does GEO matter now?

• AI is everywhere: 67 percent of consumers have used an AI-powered tool in the past year (Salesforce, 2024).
• Changing search habits: By 2026, Gartner predicts traditional search volume could drop by 25 percent as users turn to AI-powered platforms.
• First-mover advantage: Early adopters of GEO will see outsized visibility, just as early SEO adopters did in the 2000s.

SEO vs. GEO: What’s the Difference?

SEO and GEO share a root similarity: fundamentally, they both reward quality in terms of your content. SEO began with “meta keywords” – something that people could easily game – but has improved steadily with smarter algorithms to detect quality. AI is the perfection of this improvement. 

Where they differ: SEO is about optimizing for algorithms. GEO is about optimizing for understanding. AI systems don’t just crawl your site – they interpret, summarize and recommend. That means your content needs to be:

• Structured: Schema markup and rich metadata help AI understand what your business does.
• Clear: Concise, jargon-free language is more likely to be accurately summarized by AI.
• Credible: Sources and up-to-date facts help AI trust and recommend your content.
• Accessible: Fast load times, mobile-friendly design, and ADA compliance aren’t just for human—they help AI, too.

GEO Best Practices to Start Now

• Implement structured data: Use schema markup for products, services, FAQs and more.
• Prioritize clarity: Write clear, direct copy that’s easy for both humans and AI to understand.
• Keep content fresh: Update regularly – AI prioritizes current, accurate information.
• Optimize for voice: Think about how users ask questions, not just what they search for.
• Monitor your AI footprint: Check how your brand appears in AI-generated answers and make improvements.

Don’t Get Left Behind.

Just as the early days of SEO rewarded those who acted fast, GEO is opening the door for brands ready to lead. But the technical details can be daunting, and the landscape is changing fast.

That’s where PLUS comes in. Our experienced web development team specializes in future-proofing our clients’ digital presences – for search, AI and whatever comes next. Don’t wait for your competitors to beat you to the punch.

Ready to win the AI race? Contact us to start your GEO journey.

—

Stats referenced: Salesforce State of the Connected Customer 2024, Gartner 2023 Emerging Tech report. For more on GEO best practices, see Moz’s “How to Optimize for AI Search” and Search Engine Land’s “AI Optimization: The Next Frontier of Digital Marketing.”

Back