What is GEO?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing so that generative AI engines — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews — cite your business in the answers they generate. It's used almost interchangeably with AEO, and centers on entity clarity, extractable content, and third-party corroboration.
What does GEO stand for?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. The "generative engine" is any AI system that generates a written answer rather than returning a list of links. GEO is the work of influencing whether and how your business appears in those generated answers.
Is GEO different from AEO?
In practice, no. AEO emphasizes being the answer; GEO emphasizes the generative engines producing it. Different people prefer different terms, but the underlying work is the same: make your business easy to identify, extract, and corroborate.
What does GEO work involve?
- Structured data and consistent entity information so engines identify you correctly.
- Answer-first content built to be extracted into generated responses.
- Citation and authority building across trusted third-party sources.
- Ongoing measurement of share of voice across the major engines.
Frequently asked
- Which term should I use, GEO or AEO?
- Either. They describe the same discipline. Pick the one your team and partners already use and stay consistent.
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