We are familiar with search engine optimization (SEO) and how it focuses on traditional search engines like Google or Bing. But with the growth of AI services like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and CoPilot, a new optimization technique has risen up. This process is called generative engine optimization (GEO). GEO is a similar process to SEO just for AI search engines rather than typical search engines. For those that are familiar with using AI, AI search engines typically provide abrupt, summarized answers to questions based upon the relevance of the information the intelligence finds. This is different than the plethora of information that Google would provide. This info typically comes with lots of potential links and sources for users to find answers to their questions. Generative AI prioritizes quick, accessible and straightforward knowledge. This approach has become increasingly popular amongst internet users as convenience has become a top priority. While SEO uses “keyword targeting and information relevance”, GEO requires more of the context and intent behind the search queries.
SEO vs GEO Article
An article written about the difference between SEO and GEO on SEO.com, provided this example to illustrate the main difference between SEO and GEO. Let’s say a garage door refuses to open. If someone wanted to find a solution, an SEO-friendly search would include phrases like “garage door not opening”. Those specific words are important for Google’s search engine to recognize helpful and relevant sites. Meanwhile, the direct phrasing of “How do I fix a stuck garage door?” would be most helpful for GEO. Since GEO looks to understand intent, this question clearly establishes the intent of the user which allows for the AI to provide quick and useful advice. This convenient advice seems nice, but it comes at a cost. SEO relies on traffic and clicks, so the lack of people going on sites now due to preferring AI has led to a decrease in website traffic. With the growth in AI being uncertain, it will be interesting to see how important GEO gets in sense of SEO.
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