We’ll say it: SEO is starting to feel a little... old.
Not like flip-phone old, but let’s face it—Google’s not the only game in town anymore.
If you haven’t noticed, the way people search for stuff is changing fast. Instead of typing keywords into search bars, they’re chatting it up with AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.
And guess what? These bots aren’t just regurgitating search results. They’re citing brands that show up in trusted content across the web.
Yep, you heard us. It’s time to start optimizing for the AIs that are shaping how your audience discovers brands and makes buying decisions. So how do you make sure your brand gets cited in the next AI-powered answer? Pull up a chair. We’ve got you covered.
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization—and no, it’s not some new overpriced SaaS tool (yet). It’s simply the strategy of making sure your brand is discoverable and credible in the sources that AI models pull from.
Unlike SEO, where you’re trying to rank on Page 1 of Google, GEO is about becoming part of the knowledge base that these bots reference when answering user queries. If SEO is about visibility, GEO is about authority and presence in the places that matter to AI:
Translation: if you’re not being cited by trusted sources, you’re not being cited at all by ChatGPT & friends.
AI assistants are becoming the first touchpoint for millions of customer journeys. People are asking bots questions like:
And if the bots don’t know you exist—or can’t find quality mentions of you—you’re invisible. Period.
Even worse? Your competitors might be cited instead. Ouch.
Alright, let’s get to the fun part: how do you actually win at GEO?
AI models love content from high-authority domains: major news outlets, reputable blogs, government sites, industry-specific directories, and trusted community hubs.
Your action plan:
Hot tip: If an article ranks high in Google, there’s a good chance it’s training data for AI models too.
No, this doesn’t mean spamming press releases. We’re talking about building a genuine, broad-based digital footprint that shows your brand is active, credible, and talked about.
Your action plan:
Remember, the goal isn’t to rank #1 anymore—it’s to be part of the source material for AI knowledge bases.
Here’s the nerdy part (we promise it’s cool): AI models use entity recognition to understand and cite brands. That means they need to clearly “see” your brand name in clean, consistent formats across the web.
Your action plan:
The easier you make it for AI to “understand” your brand as a distinct entity, the more likely you’ll be cited.
AI models love sources that reflect community engagement and collaboration. That means co-creating content and building relationships with others in your space is a GEO power move.
Your action plan:
Bonus: This also makes your brand more human and relatable—exactly what AI models (and their users) love to surface.
GEO isn’t some passing trend—it’s a fundamental shift in how brands are discovered. Your next client might not be searching Google... they might be asking ChatGPT. And if the answer they get doesn’t include your brand? Well, that’s a missed opportunity.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need to overhaul your whole marketing strategy—you just need to start thinking like an AI does.
Prioritize credibility. Build digital trust. Get cited in the right places. And hey, if you want help making your brand the one that AI assistants can’t stop talking about? You know where to find us.