With more and more consumers using generative AI engines such as ChatGPT, Anthropic’s Claude, and Perplexity, it’s inevitable that we’ve started to get questions from businesses about whether or not there are tips or secrets to “earning ranking” (in the form of citations) on these new popular engines.

To be honest, our standard answer remains relatively the same: If you do a good job with SEO (ranking for search engines such as Google, Bing, etc.), you will likely put yourself in a good position to be cited by Large Language Models (LLMs) as well.

What’s the Difference Between GEO and SEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is about ensuring your content appears within AI-generated answers on platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, while SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on ranking higher in traditional search engine results pages.

The idea for GEO is that it’s really much more about appearing in the answers (being cited for the answer) within that particular AI platform, whereas SEO typically was more about appearing high in search results to make that searcher click through to your website.

With GEO, the goal in other words, isn’t to get clicks per se though you certainly can. It’s much more about just appearing and being visible.

Similarities and Overlapping Best Practices

Yet, despite those differences, it’s not altogether different (at least at the moment). Both GEO and SEO aim to satisfy user intent and rely on high-quality, structured content and require ongoing optimization to adapt to changing algorithms and AI models. Indeed, much of the advice that so-called experts provide these days about LLMs has long applied to SEO as well. Examples:

• • In both GEO and SEO—content should answer real questions clearly and thoroughly.
  • Strong E-E-A-T signals (Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust) increase the likelihood of content being favored in both search engines and AI outputs.
  • Technical improvements such as fast load times, mobile compatibility, internal linking, clean URLs, and use of schema markup benefit both approaches.
  • Quality markers like descriptive headings, concise paragraphs, and multimedia assets (with transcripts/alt text) help both search engine crawlers and AI systems interpret and reuse content.

Let’s dive into a few of these in more detail that are particularly key for both SEO and GEO.  

Asking and Answering Key User Questions

Think about it: When you go to an AI engine, what’s your behavior? You’re probably asking a question about it, no? That you want an answer for. The AI’s job? Delivering the most accurate, relevant answer to you. Before AI, you did this in Google. And indeed, traditional SEO has long recognized the value of creating content that addresses users’ questions directly; this is how pages earn featured snippets or appear in the top organic results.

Now, with the rise of generative engines, the stakes are even higher: artificial intelligence synthesizes information from across the web to provide conversational, context-rich answers. Pages that openly ask and answer common user questions are far more likely to be selected as authoritative sources, both for search engine snippets and AI-generated responses. Providing clear, concise answers signals quality, relevance, and user-centricity—the factors both algorithms and AI models prioritize when surfacing content.

• • Small/Midsize Business Implementation. Here are a few things you can do as a small and midsize business. Let’s assume a standard WordPress website for now.
    • Use WordPress’s block editor or FAQ plugins to create dedicated Q&A sections on service pages, landing pages, and blog posts.
    • Optimize FAQ schema using SEO tools like Yoast or RankMath so search engines and AI models can easily extract question-answer pairs.
    • Review Google Search Console to determine what questions drive organic traffic, then refine and expand answers regularly.

Structured Data and Schema Markup

Structured data, especially schema markup, is a vital framework beneath the surface of every successful website. Yet, according to the most recent statistics, only an estimated 12 to 30 percent of sites actually use it.  

While users don’t see this code, search engines and AI engines depend on it to interpret and categorize content quickly. Schema markup transforms simple web pages into accessible, well-organized data sets, making them eligible for rich results—such as product listings, reviews, and FAQs—in both Google and generative AI platforms.

For GEO, the clarity provided by structured data gives AI models the cues they need to cite content accurately, extract key facts, and understand context. A website with robust schema signals professionalism and technical excellence, making it a trusted source in both search and AI-driven environments.

• • Small/Midsize Business Implementation. Here’s how a small to midsize business can approach this. Again, let’s assume a WordPress website:
    • Install schema plugins (Schema Pro, Yoast, RankMath) in WordPress to add FAQ, Product, Local Business, and How-To schemas.
    • Use WordPress’s block-based FAQs or automation plugins that generate JSON-LD markup for each answer.

Validate your structured data with tools like Google’s Rich Results Test or Schema.org validator, and audit schema completeness quarterly.

Developing Authority and Trust

Establishing your website as a recognized authority is no longer just about climbing the Google rankings—it’s central to gaining a foothold in the AI-powered search landscape. Authority is built on a foundation of expertise, in-depth content, consistent publishing, and a track record of trust.

Is there a magic bullet to this? Some would argue yes, some might say no. We would argue that, if there is one, it’s probably brand development. That’s because a strong brand translates digitally into more visibility almost automatically, as well as key inbound links to content.

Both SEO and GEO prioritize signals such as credentials, backlinks from reputable sources, industry awards, and user reviews. For generative engines, just as for search engines, authoritative sites are seen as reliable data sources; they shape the narrative in conversational results and become frequent destinations for users seeking deeper insights. The process is dynamic, requiring ongoing investment in high-quality information and engagement across platforms.

• • Small/Midsize Business Implementation: Here are some tips for small and midsize businesses.
    • Publish expert guides and industry insights and leverage categories and tags to structure your content and showcase expertise.
    • Use SEO plugins to optimize internal links, meta descriptions, and highlight team credentials or awards using Person/Organization schema.
    • Build quality backlinks through partnerships, directories, and PR; track progress via Moz, Ahrefs, or Google Search Console.
    • Connect social profiles, Google Business, and review platforms to your site to reinforce positive reputation signals.

By prioritizing these key strategies, small and midsize businesses enhance their visibility and credibility not just in traditional Google rankings, but also in evolving AI-driven search results—a crucial competitive edge as digital trends continue to shift.

Is It Worth Making the Effort for SEO and GEO?

If you look at trends across the board, traffic from search engines to websites in general in the last year have plummeted. In 2025, the share of website traffic coming from traditional search engines has seen a noticeable decline due to the rapid adoption of AI-generated answers and overviews. Industry-wide research shows that organic web traffic from search engines has dropped between 15% and 64%, depending on the sector and type of query, as users increasingly receive direct answers on search results pages—without clicking through to external websites. Also, as mentioned above, for those who do go to AI engines, the point isn’t often to visit the websites cited as sources. People are just using the platforms to answer the question, and that’s it.

It brings up the question: Is it worth it to continue to optimize your website in the face of declining returns? I think the answer is still yes – at least for now. After all, SEO/GEO traffic is still often considered the best traffic. Depending on the part of the funnel your potential buyers/customers are in, it may still be the best converting traffic as well. What likely will happen is that many of the top-of-the-funnel searches and queries may be answered in the AI engines themselves (including Google’s AI Overviews), but it will still pay to be the top source (or one of the top sources) cited. After all, you still want to be the company that ranks at the top despite perhaps declining traffic from the engines themselves.

Conclusion

In this ever-changing environment, it definitely helps to have a partner you can navigate this with. As always, let us know if you need help. We’re happy to have a free consultation based on your needs in this area or other areas.