SEO vs GEO
SEO gets you ranked in a list of search results. GEO, short for Generative Engine Optimization, gets you named and quoted inside the answer an AI writes, whether that is ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity.
The difference
With SEO, the prize is a clickable link on the results page. With GEO, the prize is a mention inside the answer itself, and the person reading it may never see a list of links to click. SEO leans on keywords, links and rankings. GEO leans on how clearly you state a fact, how easily it can be lifted, and whether the model trusts you enough to repeat it.
Which to focus on
Do both, because they run on the same fuel. The clear, well-structured, genuinely authoritative page that ranks is the same page an AI reaches for when it answers. Get the SEO fundamentals right first, then add the GEO layer: answer the question in the first line, mark it up with schema, publish an llms.txt, and stay consistent about who you are.
Frequently asked
No. Think of it as SEO's next chapter. As more people ask an AI instead of typing into Google, being the source it cites matters as much as ranking, but both still come down to quality the engine can trust.
Yes, and that is the point. A page that answers first, carries schema and has real E-E-A-T behind it tends to rank and get quoted. Write it once, win in two places.
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