Digital marketing is changing at lightning speed. Keeping up with new developments is not a luxury, but a necessity.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is changing how people search and how brands are found. It is more than just a trend: it is shifting the ground rules of online visibility. To help you prepare for it, we explain what GEO is, why it matters and how to get started. That's how to stay relevant!
Disclaimer: Terms like LLMO, GEO and AEO are used in the market for a concept we call 'AI SEO'. These different abbreviations essentially refer to the same thing: optimisation for answering engines or AI search engines, such as ChatGPT. With us, AI SEO is not a separate service, but a fixed onder part of every SEO journey. In fact, we optimise for any search query and any type of search result - whether it takes place on Google, ChatGPT or other platforms.
GEO is onderpart of AI SEO and stands for Generative Engine Optimization. GEO ensures that your brand is mentioned in responses from AI systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini or Google's AI tab. Whereas SEO is about findability in search engines, GEO is about visibility in the answers themselves.
This is because AI does not provide a list of links, but a complete answer. The goal of GEO is for your product, service or brand to appear in that answer.
Instead of keywords, GEO revolves around prompts: the questions people ask AI. Those questions are often more personal and specific.
Think about: "What is a good coffee machine for a small office zonder fixed water connection?" Instead of: "Best coffee machine".
Therefore, GEO requires content that is clear, contextual and well-structured. This makes it easier for an AI model to understand your information and incorporate it into the response.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) helps your brand become visible in responses from AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Bing AI or Perplexity.
The hype around AI is now behind us. We are now in a phase where the use of AI in search is increasing, confidence is growing and the technology is maturing. At the same time, Google is getting stiff competition. More and more people are searching via AI instead of a traditional search engine.
This has major implications for businesses. Because those who want to stay visible must not only score in search results, but also appear in the answers that AI provides.
AI users ask different questions than in Google. They are not looking for a list of links, but want clear, personalised answers straight away. AI models deliver those answers based on existing content. That's where you want to be with your brand.
With GEO, you make sure that happens. For example, because:
GEO is not about keywords, but about content that is contextual and trustworthy. Content that AI recognises as valuable and thus uses. This way, you are visible at the moment your target audience is orientating. And because AI presents your brand as a reliable source, your credibility also grows.
SEO and GEO share the same goal: making sure your brand is visible online. But they do so in a different way.
Generative search engines do not provide a list of links, but build a complete answer themselves. They combine information from different sources to generate a clear, coherent result. Only content that is reliable, relevant and well-structured stands a chance of being included in them.
This is done in seven steps:
Only content that is current, accurate and clearly structured is eligible for inclusion in AI answers. Therein lies the power of GEO: it makes your brand visible in the answers that matter.
We can measure how you perform against your competitors (see image on the right). Want to know more? Check out our LLM tracking page.
Onder helps your brand become visible in the answers of AI platforms such as ChatGPT and Gemini. We translate AI developments into a clear approach tailored to your content and target audience... we make sure your content stands out, is recognised and included in AI answers. This is how you stay relevant in a changing online world where AI determines what people get to see.
Structure your existing content smarter and tailor it to how AI models formulate answers. Think clear headings, short paragraphs, bullet points and FAQs that respond to questions your target audience would ask AI. Focus not only on keywords, but especially on context and completeness. Make sure your content provides a clear, reliable and complete answer.
Start small. Choose one article or product page, for example, and build from there. That way, you work step by step on a solid content base. A base that makes your brand increasingly visible in generative search engines.
1. What is the difference between GEO and SEO?
SEO focuses on findability in classic search engines such as Google. GEO focuses on visibility in responses from AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.
2. How do I know if my brand is already mentioned in AI answers?
You can test this by asking AI systems questions yourself that your target audience is also likely to ask. There are also tools that monitor AI mentions.
3. Should I replace all my SEO strategies with GEO?
No, SEO and GEO complement each other. SEO remains important for search engines, while GEO ensures your brand is visible in AI answers.
4. What kind of content works best for GEO?
Content that is clearly structured, reliable and contextually rich. Think FAQs, how-to's, guides and product comparisons.
5. Is GEO only relevant for large companies?
Definitely not. Smaller companies in particular can benefit quickly because they are more agile and can adapt their content strategy faster.
6. How quickly can I see results with GEO?
This varies by sector and question type. You often see after a few months that AI picks up your brand more often in answers, especially if your content is well aligned with your target audience's questions.
7. What does it cost to get started with GEO?
You can do the basics yourself by structuring your content smarter and adding context. For deeper strategies and monitoring, you can work with a specialist.
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