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SEO vs GEO: A Detailed Guide for Every Marketer
Learn how Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and SEO work together to boost your online visibility.
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February 10, 2025
Search behavior is constantly evolving. It has shifted from simple keyword-based searches to more complex, conversational queries, and now, with the rise of generative AI, it is undergoing yet another transformation in how we discover information.
Think about it: how often do you click on a search result these days?
Many searches, especially those looking for quick facts or summaries, are now answered directly within the search results page, posing a challenge for website owners facing the rise of "zero-click searches." Google's "AI Overviews," powered by large language models, provide these concise, AI-generated answers, pulling information from multiple sources across the web.
This shift is mirrored in the growing popularity of dedicated AI chatbots like ChatGPT, which gained 100 million weekly users within one year of its launch. Even voice assistants like Alexa and Siri, offer personalized, conversational experiences. Users are increasingly turning to these tools for direct answers, bypassing traditional search results altogether. Even newer players like Deepseek are contributing to this rapidly changing landscape.
This means that as a marketer or business owner, simply optimizing for traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is no longer enough. You need to understand and adapt to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
In this post, we'll explore GEO, how it differs from traditional SEO, and the key strategies for optimizing content for generative AI. We'll cover everything from understanding search intent in a conversational context to structuring content so AI can easily interpret and utilize it.
SEO is the process of making your content rank higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) when people use search engines like Google or Bing.
Think of it as a three-part process: search engines crawl the web to discover content, index it to determine its relevance, and rank it based on how well it aligns with a user's search query.
GEO is about making your content AI-friendly. It's how you get your information used and referenced correctly by AI models like ChatGPT, Bing AI, and Bard. Think of it as teaching AI what your content is so it can include it in its responses.
It's a two-way street: you optimize your content to be easily understood by AI, and then that AI presents your information to users interacting with these AI tools. So, GEO adapts traditional SEO for the age of generative AI, helping brands rank not only in traditional search results but also in the increasingly important AI overviews and chatbot interactions.
Both SEO and GEO aim to align your content with user search intent, but they differ in several key aspects:
SEO and GEO are not mutually exclusive. While strong SEO won't guarantee GEO success, optimizing for AI will likely improve your overall visibility on the SERPs. Think of it as building a stronger foundation.
To achieve true organic success, it's essential to incorporate both SEO and GEO principles into your strategy. Here's how to do it:
When users engage with traditional search results, they are engaging in a research-driven process. They are often invested in exploring multiple options and consuming detailed information, such as in-depth guides and product comparisons.
An SEO strategy largely focuses on standing out during this stage of the customer journey.Marketers develop long-form, comprehensive content, including blog posts, case studies, and comparison pages, to support SEO efforts.
In contrast, users interacting with Generative AI like ChatGPT or Bing AI or AI Overviews on SERPS often seek immediate answers and concise, actionable insights. They expect the AI to synthesize information and provide quick solutions, often without requiring extensive exploration on the user's part. This shift in user behavior necessitates a different approach, which is where GEO comes into play.
When you account for GEO the emphasis shifts to creating modular and concise content, such as FAQs, summaries, and step-by-step guides, designed for direct, actionable responses that meet the user's immediate information needs.
Content discovery in SEO primarily occurs through Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs). Websites compete for visibility on these pages, and success hinges on optimizing content for search engine algorithms. These optimizations rely on three main pillars-
GEO content discovery happens through interactions with AI models. Instead of browsing every search result individually, users engage with AI responses. AI Overviews, for example, are concise AI-generated summaries that appear above traditional search results.
They represent a significant portion of "zero-click searches" and are often the first (and sometimes only) piece of content a user interacts with. Therefore, even if your content isn't directly used to train a chatbot, it must be structured in a way that allows Google's algorithms to easily extract the key information needed for AI Overviews.
If you want to improve visibility in AI searches you need to ensure content is clear, factually accurate, and structured in a way that aligns with likely AI prompts.
The emphasis needs to shift to creating modular and concise content, such as FAQs, summaries, and step-by-step guides, optimized for both direct answers in chatbots and for inclusion in AI Overviews. This means structuring your content with clear headings, subheadings, bullet points, and concise paragraphs. Think of it as creating "snippet-ready" content that can be easily digested and repurposed by AI.
While website loading speed, navigation, and site structure may not play a crucial role in generative engine optimization, utilizing structured formats like lists, headers, and schema markup does. These elements make content easier for AI models to parse and understand.
This 19-page report identifies several factors that help increase visibility in AI searches:
Note: Easy-to-understand language, unique words, fluency, and authoritativeness benefit both SEO and GEO efforts and should take top priority when creating content.
There is ample talk about how no-click responses have disrupted SEO. This SEMrush study suggests that 26% of searches on Google result in no clicks. As algorithms become more advanced this number is bound to increase in the future.
For marketers, this means a shift in their SEO strategy. AI overviews cover the initial awareness stage content like blog posts and informational articles. As marketers, it's time to prioritize consideration (product comparisons, reviews) and decision stages (demos, testimonials, case studies) for SEO. Instead of talking about “How to,” talk about “How we” to highlight what your product or service does and how it benefits the users.
GEO-optimized content, on the other hand, can primarily focus on the top and middle of the funnel, helping you in getting discovered from AI-generated responses.
A good GEO strategy helps AI index your brand for quick answers, making it a valuable resource when users search for tips, tricks, and guides.
While it doesn’t inherently excel at providing immediate answers, appearing in these AI-driven searches allows you to influence the user's perception of your brand, positioning it as a trusted source of information for AI tools.
While SEO can incorporate some personalization, it's fundamentally designed to cast a broad net. Say you search for "best movies to watch" on Google. You'll get those massive listicles from Rotten Tomatoes, IMDB, and other review websites.
Sure, they're full of highly-rated films, but they lack your personal touch. They don't know your favorite genres, your mood, or who you're watching with. That's the inherent limitation of SEO personalization. It's about appealing to a large audience, so the content has to be fairly general. Even strategies like geotargeting (showing different content based on location), while offering some level of personalization, are still relatively broad.
GEO, on the other hand, helps you address personalized queries. AI tools tailor responses based on a user's prompt, creating a personalized, one-on-one conversation. For example, if you request movie suggestions, it considers your preferences and past questions. It’s almost like asking a knowledgeable friend for advice.
This inherent personalization shapes the GEO strategy in several key ways. First, the emphasis shifts to anticipating the prompts users might ask, including those long-tail queries that might rarely be searched directly but can still surface in AI Overviews or chatbot results. While these specific queries may not generate high search volume, optimizing your content for granular topics increases the likelihood of it being surfaced by AI.
Creating persona-specific FAQs or guides further enhances this strategy. The focus is on utilizing your content in both chatbot interactions and AI Overviews, even for niche, long-tail searches.
How we measure success differs between SEO and GEO, reflecting their distinct goals and user interactions.
SEO performance is traditionally measured by key metrics like organic traffic (how many people visit your site from search results), click-through rates (CTR – how often people click on your site in the SERPs), bounce rates (how quickly people leave your site after arriving), and conversions (how many visitors take a desired action, like making a purchase or filling out a form). Essentially, SEO strategy focuses on tracking and optimizing SERP rankings and user behavior once on your site.
Tools like Google Analytics and SEMrush are vital for tracking these metrics, helping you pinpoint areas for improvement and refine your SEO strategy. Regular analysis with these tools is crucial for identifying what’s working and what needs adjustment.
GEO success, on the other hand, is measured by a different set of metrics centered around AI interaction. Instead of focusing on traffic and engagement, GEO success revolves around how often your content is referenced in AI-generated responses.
Are AI tools pulling relevant information from your content to answer user queries? Metrics such as citations, use of unique terms, and technical accuracy are key. Success can be seen in higher overall traffic and inclusion in AI overviews for relevant search terms.
At TripleDart, we understand that true online visibility requires a comprehensive strategy. That's why we focus on both GEO and SEO for our clients.
We don't limit our efforts to just one strategy. With a strong belief in a holistic approach, we ensure that your brand is not only easily found by search engines but also prominently featured in AI-driven experiences.
Navigating the complexities of both traditional and generative search, we craft content to resonate with both human users and AI models alike.
Book your free consultation with Tripledart to learn how we can help you adapt your online strategy to include both SEO and GEO approaches.
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