What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)

What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) represents the latest evolution in search optimisation, tailored to align with the mechanics of AI-driven search results like Google AI Snippets and LLMs such as ChatGPT and Bard (now Gemini).

Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on keywords, backlinks, and meta tags, GEO optimises content for AI-generated responses. This involves creating authoritative, engaging, and informative content that generative models can understand and are willing to use or reference.

This doesn’t mean you have to create a separate strategy for GEO as there are certain aspects that GEO shares with SEO. Optimising for GEO will also improve your SEO performance.

I’ll refer to ChatGPT and Google in this blog (with special emphasis on B2B marketing), but the advice applies to all search engines and Large Language Models (LLM).

Adopting GEO will boost your organic page ranking on Google and other search engines and potentially get you mentioned in answers on ChatGPT. Win, win.

Why is GEO important for B2B marketing?

Buyer behaviour is changing, especially in B2B. Buyers will always ask friends/colleagues for recommendations, “who do you use?”. So word of mouth (WOM) will always be important. And they will continue to supplement that by doing their own research on Google.

But now they are also researching companies on LinkedIn (to see their expertise, growth and culture), and they are starting to use ChatGPT.

As shown in the screenshot, if you ask ChatGPT “Who is the best IT support company in London?” it will give you a list of recommendations. In this example it gave 5 companies as the answer, and concentrated on their customer reviews, industry recognition and clear services. You need to ensure you’re on the list if someone asks the same question in your sector.

ChatGPT search for suppliers

The reality is that people trust AI. They believe that because AI is not human it provides unbiased advice. And buyers are already using it to find suppliers. My research shows that at this early stage in the new buying process, 13%* of execs have used ChatGPT/Gemini(Bard) to find a supplier. That figure will rise and now is the perfect opportunity to get your name on the list.

Evolution from SEO to GEO

It’s probably a good idea to look at the evolution of search platforms and how AI has impacted search engines and LLMs. In the old days, there was SEO, then SGE and now GEO.

  1. SEO: Traditional SEO involves optimising content to rank higher on search engines through keywords, meta tags, and backlinks, etc.
  2. SGE: Search Generative Experience uses AI to enhance search results, providing contextual and comprehensive responses. Google AI Snippets is a good example – see the screenshot. At the time of writing it’s only available in USA for certain search terms, but you may be able to access it by clicking https://labs.google.com/search.
  3. GEO: Combines traditional SEO techniques with AI understanding to optimise content for AI-generated search responses in LLMs such as ChatGPT.

How popular is Generative Engine Optimisation

Sometimes it’s difficult to tell if a new marketing method is genuine or leading you astray. Is it just a new buzzword or new acronym? So I decided to commission my own research.

As previously mentioned, 13% of execs have already used ChatGPT or Gemini(Bard) to find new suppliers and my opinion is that the figure will grow. It just makes sense. But when I asked if they had used ChatGPT/Gemini to find a solution to a business problem, 40%** said Yes.

This is potentially a much better opportunity. If your organisation is cited as a expert or thought leader in providing an answer to a business problem (or at least offering insight and statistics), it positions you as a trusted adviser – and you probably won’t be listed with several of your competitors.

So, your next question is “But Graham, all my competitors are bigger than me and I’m probably too late”. The good news is that you are not too late – not if you take action today. When I surveyed 137 marketing execs in July 2024, only 13%** said they had updated their website for GEO – astonishingly, 53% said “What’s GEO?” (see chart).

Key aspects of GEO

As in all marketing, it’s important to view things from your audiences perspective. Normally, that would be the buying team, but in this case let’s view it from ChatGPT’s perspective.

When ChatGPT is searching for an answer it wants to use information from a trusted and authoritative source. Supplying an inaccurate answer damages ChatGPT’s reputation.

Therefore if your website has reputable and authoritative content backed by evidence, you stand a pretty good chance ChatGPT will use that information and may even give you credit.

So what is ChatGPT looking for? Here’s a possible list of elements:

  • Content Quality: Ensuring the content is authoritative and informative and directly answers user queries.
  • Keyword Relevance: Integrating relevant keywords naturally to maintain readability.
  • Citing Sources: Enhancing credibility by citing reliable sources.
  • Use of Statistics: Including quantitative data to support arguments.
  • Fluency Optimisation: Ensuring the content is grammatically correct and flows smoothly.
  • Technical Terms: Using specific vocabulary to showcase expertise but simplify complex concepts making content accessible and easy to understand.

What to do?

You need to adjust your web pages and blogs for Generative Engine Optimisation, but also create thought leadership/inights/research results on LinkedIn (remember Microsoft own LinkedIn and ChatGPT and Bing search engine). You also need to add the same useful information to your PR (backlinks on relevant subjects are still important).

The old search engine acronym EEAT still applies. Demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust.

If you want to be listed as a potential supplier, focus on your customer reviews (Trustpilot, Capterra, etc.), as well as industry recognition (awards) and clarity on the services or products you supply (if you are offering telemarketing, don’t call it ‘sales acceleration’).

Time needed: 3 days

To get started on your Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) follow these 3 steps:

  1. Review the existing content on your website

    You may not need to create new content. Refreshing existing pages or blogs is quick and will get you started on the GEO path. Then research popular and relevant search terms and start building great content around them.

  2. Give GEO what it wants

    Remember to demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authority and Trust. Highlight customer reviews, award wins, your own research and links to high Domain Authority publications. Offer genuine advice and not a sales pitch. Cite sources and use stats.

  3. Keep going

    This is a continuous marathon, not a short sprint. Your competitors will eventually attempt to knock you off the top spot, so keep going. Review what search terms are working well and analyse why.

The future of search in B2B marketing

As generative engines reshape content discovery, the emphasis must shift to producing high-quality, authoritative content that resonates with AI models and human audiences. Adopting GEO strategies can significantly improve online visibility and establish a strong presence in the AI-driven search landscape.

This blog is designed for GEO – let’s see if it gets picked up by any of the LLMs and if it appears in the results of the search engines. I’ll post the results in a few months.

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References
* Source: MarketingGraham, 13.2% of execs said they have used ChatGPT or Gemini(Bard) to find suppliers, July 2024 n=129
** Source: MarketingGraham, 39.7% of execs said they have used ChatGPT or Gemini(Bard) to find answers to a business problem, July 2024 n=116
*** Source: MarketingGraham, 13.1% of marketing execs said they have updated their website for GEO, July 2024 n=137