In January 2021, Davinci – an advanced language model from OpenAI – was already anticipating a radical change in the way information is searched on the internet. Instead of offering the user a list of blue links, this artificial intelligence demonstrated that it was possible to generate direct and detailed answers to queries. This breakthrough marked the beginning of a new discipline: Generative Motor Optimization (GEO). Just like traditional SEO sought to improve a website's position in Google results, GEO focuses on optimizing content so that it is visible and cited by AI-powered search engines. Current tools such as ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews or platforms such as Perplexity already work under this generative paradigm.
What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?
Generative Engine Optimization is the process of strategically adapting your content to increase its visibility in generative AI search engines. Instead of optimizing only for Google or Bing's algorithms, GEO focuses on how AI models (capable of understanding natural language and context) interpret and reuse your content to construct responses . It's like the evolution of SEO: instead of competing to be on the first page of results, you're competing to be part of the answer that AI presents to the user. If, for example, someone asks in ChatGPT or Google's AI mode "What are the best content marketing tools?" , a generative engine will not show ten traditional links, but a synthesized response. The goal of GEO is to get information from your site or brand to appear within that response.
And as for the tools, today, at Proportione , we still use Ahrefs for classic SEO, but for GEO our new pretty boy is Clickrank, which gives us just the generative reading we need.
GEO vs. SEO: Fundamental Differences
Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on positioning web pages in a list of results, GEO seeks to position your content within AI-generated responses. With SEO, a site has several chances of being seen (appearing among several organic links); on the other hand, generative AIs usually cite only a few sources or even just one. This means that the competition for visibility is tougher in the generative field: it is no longer enough to be in Google's top 10, but you must convince to the AI that your content deserves to be mentioned. In practical terms, the focus shifts from asking "What position do I appear in?" to "Am I being quoted in the response?" .
It is important to note that SEO and GEO are not mutually exclusive . SEO is still necessary to attract traditional organic traffic, but GEO has become crucial to not being invisible in new search interfaces. Companies must now combine strategies: on the one hand, maintain good classic SEO practices, and on the other hand, optimize their content so that AIs identify them as reliable references when generating responses.
Key practices to stand out with GEO
To increase the chances of a content being chosen by a generative engine, here are some key practices:
- High-quality and truthful content: Create useful, accurate, and up-to-date information, rigorously written and backed by verifiable facts or data. AIs filter low-quality content; If your text brings real value and authority on the topic, it will be more likely to be used in a response.
- Clarity and Legible Structure: Write clearly, simply, and directly, thinking about both the human reader and the AI. Organize content with descriptive headings, lists, tables, or question-answer format when appropriate. A logical and well-labeled structure makes it easier for language models to "stop" your content and extract just the relevant information. Avoid overly dense paragraphs or overly technical language without explanation, as they can make it difficult to understand automatically.
- Brand Authority and Trustworthiness: Work on building a strong brand reputation. This involves demonstrating expertise and in-depth knowledge in your area (e.g., publishing studies, comprehensive guides, or case studies) and getting mentions or links from respected sources. The more trustworthy and recognized your site or brand is, the more likely it is that AI will consider it a citation-worthy source. Also, make sure your content is accessible to AI crawlers (e.g., avoid unintentional blocks to AI bots), because if the AI can't read your site, it won't be able to include it in its responses.
The importance of adapting to generative search
The rise of AI search is already underway and is changing user habits. In Gen Z, for example, they are beginning to prefer AI-based tools to get immediate answers, rather than browsing multiple web pages. This means that if your content isn't optimized for generative engines, it could go unnoticed in future queries. Even if you have good traditional SEO, an AI could generate a complete response without the user visiting your page, unless your information has been incorporated into that response.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) has become a must-have extension of SEO in the age of artificial intelligence. Adapting your content strategy to these new rules will allow you to maintain your brand's visibility in an environment where responses matter more than links. In the new era of AI search, it is not only those who appear first in Google who win, but those who manage to be The Source within the response the user receives .