GEO: the new SEO

People's search behaviour is changing at breakneck speed. Recent figures (January 2025) from SEO expert Neil Patel show that as many as 30% of American online users are already using ChatGPT-like tools as a search engine. Moreover, 79% plan to do so in the near future, while 70% already trust the answers provided by generative AI.

These tools offer instant answers to questions with the user-friendly chat interface, without users having to dig through numerous links or read long texts. The result: better answers in less time. And you can ask follow-up questions, something that traditional search engines can't do. And that -for the time being- without commercials!

What does this mean for your website? The use of traditional search engines is expected to decrease. This offers opportunities and challenges: how do you ensure that your content remains visible in generative search engines? The answer lies in a new approach: GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization.

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, is the process of optimising a website to rank higher on search engines like Google. The goal? Attract more organic (unpaid) traffic by making your website more discoverable and user-friendly.

However, with the rise of GEO, the focus is shifting. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT have other ways of scanning and presenting content. It is therefore crucial to set up your content in such a way that it can be easily read by AI models and used in their answers.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is a relatively new strategy within digital marketing. It's all about optimising your content and website for generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and other AI models.

The goal of GEO? Ensuring that these AI systems correctly understand your brand, content or services and include them in the responses they generate.

GEO requires an approach that goes beyond traditional SEO. Here are some essential factors:

1. Structure and context

Provide structured data (e.g. via structured data markup) and a logical structure of your text. Clear headings, clear paragraphs, and clear subheadings make it easier for AI to understand the core of your content. Also include more long-tail keywords in your texts, so that the language models better understand what your text is about.

2. Rich content: context and relevance

Generative AI favours valuable and relevant content. Target:

• Up-to-date information that provides immediate answers to user questions.
• Lists, summaries and examples to make complex topics accessible.
• Context over stand-alone keywords: AI understands text better if it is rich in content and well-founded. Also use long-tail keywords for this.

3. Authority and reputation management

Similar to traditional SEO, AI models value the reliability of a source. Websites with a good reputation and proven authority are more likely to be chosen as a source. Therefore, make sure to:

• Quality backlinks.
• A consistent content strategy.
• Reviews and positive mentions.

Although GEO introduces new elements, a solid SEO strategy remains the foundation. Many principles overlap, such as the importance of relevant content and technical optimisation. But there are also unique opportunities:

• Structured data: Add structured data to make your content easier to read by AI models.
• Conversational tone: Optimize your content for the informal, question-driven style of AI responses.

Generative Engine Optimization is a must for businesses that want to stay relevant in a world where AI is increasingly impacting how people search and consume. By optimising your content for generative AI tools, you increase your visibility and stay one step ahead of the competition.

The future of search optimisation is here – make sure your website is ready for GEO!

With 28 years of experience in online communication and the latest AI technologies, Basic Orange helps your organisation to optimise the GEO of your website.