✦ Definition
What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of building the signals that make generative AI platforms — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Claude — cite and recommend your business inside a generated answer. The term is used by some vendors and researchers; the work it describes is the same discipline covered by AI SEO and AEO.
✦ Related terminology
Same service, different names
In the AI marketing industry, you'll see several terms used for closely related concepts. They describe the same underlying work — we use whichever term is clearest for the person asking.
- AI SEO — our preferred term for optimizing businesses for AI search.
- AI Search Optimization — emphasizes optimization across AI platforms.
- Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) — focuses on AI answer engines.
- AI Visibility — describes the business outcome: being recommended by AI.
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — another industry term used by some vendors.
Why some vendors say GEO instead of AEO
"Generative Engine Optimization" draws a direct parallel to Search Engine Optimization (SEO) — same structure, aimed at generative AI instead of a ranked search results page. "Answer Engine Optimization" frames the same work around the fact that these tools produce a direct answer rather than a list of links. Both are describing the identical underlying practice:
- Structured, entity-consistent content that large language models can parse and cite accurately
- Schema.org markup and llms.txt files that guide how AI crawlers represent your business
- Review volume and sentiment — one of the most heavily weighted signals for local businesses
- Consistent citations and business details across the web
✦ FAQs
Generative Engine Optimization — common questions
✦ Get started
We run GEO as a done-for-you managed service
Audit, implementation, and monthly maintenance — no tools to learn, no dashboard to manage. See what's included and get a free AI Visibility Audit of your business.