Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)
GEO is optimising content so generative answer engines can retrieve, understand, quote and attribute it correctly.
In detail
GEO is not a separate discipline bolted onto SEO. It reuses the same foundations — indexable pages, clear structure, correct entities — and adds an emphasis on answer-shaped writing.
The practical checklist: a direct answer near the top, one topic per page, descriptive headings, facts stated explicitly, structured data that matches the visible content, and visible authorship.
Example
A glossary page that opens with a one-sentence definition, then explains, exemplifies and links onward.
Why it matters
Citations in generated answers are becoming a real traffic and trust channel, and they favour precise, attributable pages.
Common mistakes
- Treating GEO as a trick separate from technical SEO.
- Stuffing schema that does not reflect what the page shows.
Related questions
Related articles
- How to Get Your Website Found in AI Search Results
A practical sequence for becoming a source AI answers can retrieve, quote and attribute — starting with the things that block you entirely.
Related guides
- The Complete AI SEO GuideGuide
How to stay visible when answers are generated: retrievability, answer-shaped content, entities, structured data, and honest measurement.
Related terms
- AI Search
AI search is any search experience where a generative model answers the query directly instead of only listing links.
- AI SEO
AI SEO means adapting search work to a results page where AI answers appear, and using AI responsibly in the work itself.
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)
RAG is the pattern of retrieving relevant documents first and then having a language model answer using them.
- Schema Markup
Schema markup is structured data added to a page in a machine-readable format that describes what the page contains.
Related questions
- What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?
GEO is the practice of making content easy for generative answer engines to retrieve, quote and attribute. It overlaps heavily with SEO: crawlable pages, clear structure, unambiguous entities and factual precision.
- How can a website become visible in AI search?
Make sure the pages can be fetched and indexed, then make each page easy to quote: one clear topic, a direct answer early, descriptive headings, and facts stated plainly rather than implied.