A Guide to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

Everyone’s talking about GEO—or AI SEO, or LLM SEO. The industry hasn’t really coalesced around a term for it yet, but we’re just going to call it GEO.

Most of what I’m seeing out there is either overly technical or just plain wrong.

So here’s a guide to what it actually is and how to approach it.

What GEO Actually Is

GEO is optimizing your content so AI systems like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google’s AI overviews can understand and reference your business accurately.

When someone asks an AI “Who are the best marketing agencies in Houston?” you want that AI to know about your company and potentially recommend you.

But most companies are approaching this backwards.

The Wrong Way

Most people think GEO means:

- Writing content specifically for AI

- Stuffing keywords that AI models like

- Creating “AI-friendly” formats

- Gaming the system with prompts

This misses the point entirely.

The Right Way

Good GEO is just good content strategy. Period.

The same things that help humans understand your business help AI understand your business:

**Clear positioning:** What do you do? How do you do it? Who do you serve? If a human can’t figure this out, neither can an AI.

**Comprehensive expertise:** Show your knowledge through detailed, helpful content. AI models pull from sources that demonstrate real expertise.

**Structured information:** Use clear headings and organized sections. AI parses structured content much better than walls of text.

**Specific examples:** Instead of saying “we help businesses grow,” explain how you helped a manufacturing company increase leads by 40%.

Why This Matters

AI is changing how people find information. Instead of clicking through search results, they’re asking ChatGPT for recommendations.

If your business isn’t represented accurately in AI responses, you’re invisible to potential customers.

What To Do

Start with the basics:

1. **Audit your content:** Can someone quickly understand what you do? If not, fix that first.

1. **Create comprehensive resources:** Build detailed guides that showcase your expertise.

1. **Be specific about your process:** Don’t just say you do SEO. Explain your methodology.

1. **Use clear structure:** Organize content with headers and logical sections.

1. **Answer real questions:** What do prospects actually ask you? Create content that answers those questions.

The Bottom Line

GEO isn’t a new discipline requiring new tactics. It’s good content strategy applied consistently.

The companies that win in the AI era will be the ones that have been clear and comprehensive about their expertise all along.

If you’ve been doing content marketing right, you’re already doing GEO. If you haven’t, now’s a good time to start.