Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) | What it Means for Your Marketing Strategy
- Bev Salt
- May 6
- 3 min read
Updated: May 7
There’s a new player in town when it comes to getting found online...and it’s not just Google, Bing or other search engines anymore.
As AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini, Claude and Perplexity become part of how people search for and consume information, the way we think about visibility online is shifting. Enter...Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO.
If SEO is about getting clicks from search engines, GEO is about getting picked up by AI.
Shopping Assistant
Perplexity has a shopping tool which allows users to discover and purchase products directly on the platform, with personalised recommendations and comparisons. OpenAI announced on the 28 April 2025 that they be rolling out new shopping features, the platform will be making product recommendations and where to buy them. For e-commerce brands, this is a game-changer as the platform plans to link directly with retailers.
So, what is GEO?
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of shaping your content so it is cited in AI-generated responses.
Where traditional SEO focuses on climbing the ranks of search engine results pages (SERPs), GEO is about showing up in the answers AI tools give users directly. These generative tools don’t just list links. They serve up information from across the web, often without the user ever needing to click away.
That means your content needs to be structured in a way that these tools can find, understand and trust.
GEO vs SEO | What’s the difference?
While GEO and SEO share a common goal, visibility, they go about it in slightly different ways. Here’s the breakdown:
End goal - SEO wants users to visit your site. GEO wants your content to be the answer, even if users never leave the AI chat window.
Content approach - SEO leans on keywords, backlinks and technical structure. GEO prioritises clarity, authority, context and tone, especially in long-form, natural language.
Where you’re showing up - SEO focuses on search engine pages. GEO aims for inclusion in AI outputs.
How to start thinking GEO
If you’re already producing helpful and high quality content, the good news is that you’re part way there. Alice Widger, Milk it Digital, once said on my SEO insights podcast, “Ultimately, don't worry too much about what Google wants. Worry about what people want, and Google will follow.”
You should already be producing helpful content which resonates with your target audiences.
But here’s what to keep in mind as you pivot towards GEO:
Always write for humans first, AI second - Use a conversational tone, and answer the kinds of questions your audience is actually asking.
Be useful - AI tools are looking for clear, comprehensive answers. Think explainer content, FAQs, how-tos, and thoughtful opinions with substance.
Structure your content - Use headings, lists, bullet points and schema markup to make your content easy to scan and extract.
Build your brand authority - The more consistent and credible your brand is online, the more likely AI is to trust it as a source.
Think beyond blogs - Videos, infographics, and podcasts (hello, The Salt Sessions) all feed into the ecosystem. The more formats, the better.
Don’t forget long-tail keywords - These help you match specific queries more closely, especially when users ask in a natural, chatty way.
The takeaway
GEO isn’t replacing SEO, not yet, anyway, but it’s a growing piece of the puzzle. To future-proof your content strategy, it’s time to think like an engine - a generative one!
If you're thinking about Google Search Console or Bing Webmaster tools, surely it's only a matter of time before someone develops the AI equivalent.