Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) optimises for being referenced by generative engines—ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. SEO optimises for ranking in a list of links. They overlap on fundamentals like quality content and fast pages, but they diverge sharply on what wins.
Where they differ
- SEO targets keyword rankings; GEO targets being quoted in an answer
- SEO rewards links and authority; GEO rewards clarity and structure
- SEO success is a position; GEO success is a citation and share-of-voice
- GEO leans far more on structured data and clean entity signals
What earns citations
Generative engines favour content that answers the question directly, is well structured, and comes from a brand they can identify as a credible entity. Answer-first formatting, comprehensive FAQ coverage, and consistent brand information across the web all increase the odds you are the source an engine pulls from.
Run them together, measure differently
Keep doing SEO—rankings still drive meaningful traffic. But measure GEO on its own terms: track a fixed prompt set across engines, watch whether your brand is cited, and monitor share-of-voice against competitors. What gets you ranked and what gets you quoted are related, but they are not identical.
