SEO vs Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)

What is GEO?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the process of optimising your content so it gets referenced in AI-generated search results, such as those from Google’s AI Overviews or tools like ChatGPT. These platforms generate direct answers based on existing web content, structured data, and authoritative sources, and you want to be included in those. 

The goal of GEO is to ensure your brand is named or quoted directly within those AI-generated responses. For example, someone might search:

“Where’s a romantic hotel with sea views in Jersey?”

Instead of displaying a list of blue links, the AI might respond:

“St Brelade’s Bay Hotel in Jersey is known for its coastal views and on-site spa, making it a popular choice for romantic getaways.”

While SEO provides numerous opportunities to appear at the top, with GEO, if your hotel isn’t mentioned in the answer, it’s missed entirely - even if your website ranks well in traditional SEO.

SEO vs GEO: Key Differences

SEO

• Focuses on ranking pages in SERPs

• Target search engines 

• Optimises for click-throughs to the site

• Structured around keywords, metadata, and backlinks

• Traffic is driven via clicks

GEO

• Focuses on being cited in AI-generated answers

• Targets AI tools (e.g. Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity)

• Optimises for brand mentions in AI summaries

• Structured around clarity, authority, structured data, and usefulness

• Visibility comes via inclusion in AI responses, even without clicks

Why You Now Need GEO

AI search isn’t a distant concept; it’s already here and actively reshaping how users discover hotels, restaurants, and experiences. With the rise of tools like Google’s AI Overviews, traditional blue link search results are no longer the only way people find information. Instead, users are being served conversational summaries and AI-generated responses that pull from multiple sources. If your business isn’t optimised to appear in these AI outputs, you risk being left out of the conversation altogether.

Key reasons to adopt GEO:

• AI-generated search is growing: Google’s AI Overviews are now live, and AI-first tools like Perplexity are gaining users fast

• Traditional SERPs are shrinking: Fewer organic results are shown before AI answers, paid ads, and carousels

• Clickless search is rising: AI gives direct answers. If you’re not part of the answer, you’re invisible, even with strong SEO

• Brand citations build trust: Being referenced in AI summaries boosts credibility and drives bookings indirectly through exposure

How SEO and GEO Work Together

GEO doesn’t replace SEO; it builds on it. In fact, strong SEO is the foundation of good GEO and using the two together will yield the best results. AI tools still rely on authoritative, well-structured, and keyword-rich content to form their responses, and this is the very basis of good SEO.

SEO supports GEO by:

• Ensuring your content is indexed, structured, and trustworthy

• Building topical authority with consistent keywords

• Attracting link clicks through search listings

GEO enhances SEO by:

• Making your content AI-readable and likely to be cited

• Enhancing brand reach beyond the website

• Boosting brand mentions in high-visibility AI responses

Examples of GEO in Practice:

A guest asks, “Where is the best Art Deco hotel in the UK?”
→ AI pulls from your structured FAQ and says, “Burgh Island Hotel in Devon is a masterpiece of Art Deco style and living.”

A traveller asks, “Are there any spa hotels with private balconies in Jersey?”
→ Your landing page copy includes that phrase naturally, and AI cites your hotel.

To make that happen, you need:

• Location-rich content

• Schema markup (FAQ, LocalBusiness, Review)

• Clear, concise copywriting that naturally blends in long-tail extensions of keywords

• Questions and answers embedded in your pages

• A strong brand presence across trusted third-party platforms