In this article, I’ll explain what this new “GEO” is that everyone keeps talking about. You might also hear the terms LLMO or AEO – but in the end, they all mean more or less the same thing.
In a nutshell
GEO = Generative Engine Optimization
The goal is to optimize your website so that it gets mentioned or recommended by AI search engines like ChatGPT Search.
Many basics from SEO are still important – because AI search engines often use traditional search engines to collect their data. But there are a few things we need to do differently.
One important note: There are three types of generative AI search engines – and not all of them use up-to-date online content.
So what are Generative AI Engines?
These are systems or tools based on large language models (LLMs).
They are trained on huge amounts of data – from books, academic content, websites, and other sources. The goal is to understand language inputs and generate natural-sounding answers.
Examples: ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.
Types of Generative AI Engines
We can divide them into three categories:
1. AI engines based on training data
These are not really search engines. They’re just LLMs that generate answers based only on the data they were trained on.
Examples: Llama, Claude.
How to get mentioned here:
Only with long-term actions – like publishing a book or getting regular mentions in major media. These tools use content that existed before the training took place.
2. AI engines based on web search
These tools generate answers from current online content. This is where we can apply SEO, because they often rely on traditional search engines to find the data.
Examples: AI Overviews, Perplexity.
How to get mentioned here:
Since they use classic search engines, traditional SEO already helps. But if you want to appear directly in the AI answer, you need GEO – a mix of SEO and new GEO-specific methods.
3. Hybrid AI engines
Some tools start with training data but also fetch real-time content from the web, if it makes sense for their system (for example, for local or recent data).
Examples: ChatGPT, Gemini.
How to get mentioned here:
Either through long-term PR (for training data), or through SEO + GEO techniques (for current content). It’s important to know: The AI will only use real-time data if the answer is not already in the training data.
- Read more: When do LLMs “search” the web?
- Read more: Difference Between Google & LLMs (Traditional Search vs. AI Search)
What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
GEO is the strategy you use to get mentioned in AI search engines that rely on web search or hybrid models.
It combines many classic SEO methods – like structured data and clear content hierarchy – but also adds new techniques that help an AI easily quote your content.
Another difference: the goals and metrics change. Even if you get mentioned, people might not click. So the focus shifts to brand mentions and getting linked at the right moment.
- Want to go deeper? Read my article: ChatGPT SEO – How to get mentioned by ChatGPT
Good to know: Which search engine is behind each AI tool?
| AI Engine | Search Engine Used |
| ChatGPT | Bing |
| Gemini | |
| Perplexity | Own index |
Is AI changing search traffic?
There’s a lot of talk about declining website traffic due to AI search engines. People say users are happy with the AI’s answer and don’t click through to websites anymore.
But here’s the thing: 97% of Google traffic has never converted. That has always been the case. Most visitors land on a page, look around a bit, maybe read an article – and then leave.
In classic SEO, many queries are just too broad or vague to convert. AI is now changing that.
Instead of searching for “best robot vacuum 2025”, people now ask: “What is the best robot vacuum under 500 CHF for an apartment with two cats, a dog, and an auto-empty base?”
That’s a much more specific question, closer to a buying decision – and more likely to lead to conversion.
Also, LLMs mostly cover informational content (and often without links). These types of queries were already hard to monetize. What’s different now is the speed of research:
The journey from “I don’t even know what my problem is” to finding the exact solution now takes minutes, not days.
This means: Clicks are shifting. Away from people who are just looking for information, toward those who are ready to buy or take action.
And honestly: Who doesn’t want a shorter sales cycle and better leads?
My recommendation: How to split your budget – SEO vs. GEO
Of course, this brings up the big question: Should you fully switch to GEO? Should you continue with SEO? Or how do you split your budget?
Because GEO builds on many SEO basics, I recommend the following setup – depending on your current situation:
- You’re already strong in SEO and rank well on Google?
➔ Use 20% of your SEO budget for GEO. - You’re not ranking yet or barely visible on Google?
➔ Focus on SEO first. GEO won’t work if no one can find you yet.
“GEO does not replace SEO – it builds on it.”
If the foundation isn’t there, there’s no point in optimizing for AI visibility. But once you have some strong rankings, it’s the perfect time to take the next step and prepare your SEO for the future.
