Online search is evolving fast. AI platforms like ChatGPT, Bard, Claude, and Perplexity are reshaping how people discover information by delivering direct, conversational answers instead of long lists of links.
So what does this mean for businesses? Traditional SEO alone is no longer enough. To stay visible, brands must optimize for AI-driven discovery, ensure relevance, and publish clear, structured content that generative platforms can easily understand, reference, and surface.
Done right, this approach increases visibility, attracts more qualified traffic, and positions your brand exactly where users are actively searching for solutions.
What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?
GEO refers to optimizing content for AI-powered knowledge platforms and generative engines that pull information from across the web to answer user questions.
Generative Engine Optimization is the practice of structuring and publishing content so platforms like ChatGPT, Bard, Claude, Perplexity, and other AI tools can easily interpret your expertise, retrieve your information, and cite your brand as an authoritative source when generating answers.
How Users Search on AI Platforms
Unlike traditional keyword searches, AI search is exploratory and conversational. Users often ask follow-up questions, refine their queries, and dig deeper into related topics as they learn more.
Because of this behavior, AI platforms prioritize:
- Clear explanations
- Contextually rich content
- Authoritative, answer-first information
This makes GEO less about ranking for individual keywords and more about being the best source to answer real questions.
Top Generative Engine Optimization Tips
Users leverage AI platforms for exploratory and iterative search, often asking follow-up questions on the same topic to dig deeper. The more information they receive, the more likely they are to refine their queries, clarify details, or explore related subtopics. This behavior makes AI search conversational and context-driven, unlike traditional keyword-based searches.
Here are the most impactful ways to optimize for AI platforms as a tool to drive traffic to your website:
1. Start With Your Website
The content on your website is still to be sourced, and will likely be cited. Optimize your SEO and ensure your content reflects your brand. Add necessary content and pages on the site needed to answer common questions – you can even check your branded queries in Google Search Console or search volume for branded keyword research platforms like SEMrush.
2. Create Helpful, Answer-First Content
Succinct, direct answers to common questions. This can come in a few forms, including an FAQ, or a “How It Works” guide, step-by-step tutorials, or brief explainer or definition sections that clearly address what users want to know.
3. Use Schema
Schema is structured data embedded on your website that helps search engines and AI platforms understand your content. As AI-driven search grows, schema enables tools like ChatGPT, Bing AI, and Google’s AI search to identify key details—such as products, pricing, locations, reviews, and services—and surface them in AI-generated answers and rich search results.
Tools like RankMath make implementing schema easier on WordPress sites, offering options for both custom and global schema deployment across large websites—an especially useful solution for enterprise-level sites with extensive sitemaps.
4. Get Positive Brand Mentions
From either news sites or being included in “best of” lists, comparing you to competitors. The best way to increase your chances of this is to produce high-quality, authoritative content, share unique insights or data, and actively engage with industry publications, directories, or influencer roundups.
5. Focus on Review Content
Reviews are one of the strongest signals of credibility and trust online. For local businesses, this usually means directories like Google Business Profile, Yelp, or other niche sites relevant to your industry. These platforms not only influence potential customers but can also appear prominently in search results and be cited by AI search tools, boosting visibility.
For other types of businesses, focusing on review-style articles for your brand, products, or services can be equally important. Positive or negative news articles or blog posts can all be cited in search results. High-quality press helps establish authority, demonstrate expertise, and provide context that reviews alone may not convey.
Reddit and other forums may also appear in certain searches, so it’s important to monitor them for customer feedback, brand discussions, and potential reputation issues.
The Final Word on Generative Engine Optimization
GEO shares similarities with traditional SEO—you still need a strong website, a clear brand, and genuinely helpful content. Google and AI platforms alike reward clarity and usefulness.
Where GEO differs is in what generative engines prioritize:
- Content that is directly quotable
- Clear structure for easy retrieval
- Consistent signals of expertise and authority
This means leaning into crisp definitions, frameworks, FAQs, step-by-step explanations, and consistent entity mentions, rather than relying solely on backlinks or keyword density.
Ready to get more out of AI platforms with your brand?
Search behavior is changing, and more users are turning to ChatGPT and other AI platforms to find answers faster.
Now is the time to position your website and brand as a trusted source that gets cited, referenced, and recommended in AI-generated responses. Optimize for GEO, and meet your audience exactly where they’re looking.