You may have been hearing the term “GEO” being bandied about a lot recently and not been entirely sure about what it is. But if your company is reliant on online search for generating business or attracting talent, you really do need to know all about it.
Since the launch of generative AI tools like ChatGPT, how people search for products and services is evolving incredibly quickly. People are no longer just typing queries into search engines; they’re asking conversational systems to identify, explain, summarise and recommend.
And because these tools don’t simply list links but generate actual answers, brands must now compete in an entirely new way. It means not only focusing on SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) but GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) too.
What Is GEO?
In simple terms, GEO is the practice of improving how your brand, product or content appears in AI-generated responses from systems such as ChatGPT and other large language model (LLM) interfaces.
Instead of optimising for Google’s ranking factors, GEO focuses on influencing the knowledge sources, signals and credibility markers that AI systems draw on when composing responses.
Unlike traditional search engines that deliver a list of links to click on, GEO presents your options, summarises them and makes recommendations based on the information you provide. That means your brand needs to be visible, accurate and authoritative if it is to be listed and recommended over other companies.
As more people rely on AI tools for decisions – from what to buy and where to go to which software to use and what provider is most suitable – GEO becomes mission critical for reputation and revenue.
Why does GEO matter for businesses?
These engines base their responses on online articles, website content, reviews, social media content, and authoritative sources. In other words, they draw from the entire public knowledge ecosystem. Therefore, if your brand is absent, outdated, inconsistent or poorly referenced, generative engines are unlikely to surface you.
It’s also not something that can be ignored as using AI systems for the purposes of online search and queries is becoming more widespread. Furthermore, such recommendations may carry more weight than advertising or sponsored content.
Can PR help with GEO?
One of the most effective, yet often overlooked, ways to influence GEO performance is through strong strategic PR, backed up by strong media relations. From shaping public perception to generating more visibility for your brand online, there are a number of benefits of using PR to boost your GEO standing.
PR creates visibility in high-authority sources – including recognised news outlets, credible trade publications and respected industry reports. A strong PR programme places your brand within those authoritative environments so that when these engines scan the web, there is a better chance of your organisation being referenced.
When it comes to building authority, strength and consistency of messaging is crucial. That means that inconsistent information about your organisation – different figures, conflicting statements, outdated descriptions – could see it omitted entirely. PR prevents this by aligning messaging, clarifying value proposition and ensuring announcements and updates appear on credible platforms.
PR also enables you to position your company and leaders as experts or thought leaders, again feeding into the sense of authority and accuracy. By creating opportunities for spokespeople to comment on relevant topics, PR emphasises your credibility and visibility for these AI models.
Moving forward…
To succeed in GEO, brands need to do more than just optimise their company websites. They need to shape the wider digital narrative. That means using PR to strengthen visibility, credibility, consistency and relevance.
The result? When people are doing their research – buying products, choosing vendors, comparing services or finding local providers – your brand is not only highlighted but potentially recommended. So, in order to benefit your bottom line and get your brand seen more, the bottom line is: the more high-quality information that exists online, the more generative systems can – and will – talk about you.
If you want to find out about how Comit can support your digital content strategies, including optimising for the purposes of SEO and GEO, contact the team today.