Glossary

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

GEO is optimizing a website so AI assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity cite it in their answers.

3 min read · Published July 8, 2026

GEO at a glance

GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization, is the practice of optimizing a website so that AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI cite it in their answers. As more people ask AI instead of searching, being the source an AI quotes becomes as valuable as ranking on Google.

How GEO differs from SEO

SEO aims to rank a page in a list of links. GEO aims to be the source an AI quotes inside a written answer. The tactics overlap, but GEO puts extra weight on clear, self-contained, fact-rich content, structured data, and being allowed and understood by AI crawlers. Strong SEO and GEO reinforce each other.

FAQ

Is GEO replacing SEO?

No. GEO complements SEO. Google is still huge, but a growing share of research now happens inside AI assistants, so brands need to be visible in both places.

How do you optimize for GEO?

Write clear, self-contained answers with real facts and figures, use structured data, allow AI crawlers in robots.txt, and build brand mentions across the web.