What is GEO? The New SEO for AI Search

For 25 years, the question was: "How do I rank on Google?"

In 2026, there's a new question: "How do I get recommended by AI?"

The search landscape has fundamentally shifted. ChatGPT has 200+ million weekly users. Perplexity processes millions of searches daily. Google itself now shows AI-generated answers at the top of most results.

If your business isn't optimized for these AI search engines, you're becoming invisible to a growing portion of your potential customers.

The Rise of AI Search

Here's what happened:

• 2022: ChatGPT launches, people start asking it questions
• 2023: Perplexity and other AI search tools emerge
• 2024: Google introduces AI Overviews on most search results
• 2025: Voice assistants integrate AI for conversational answers
• 2026: Over 40% of product/service searches happen through AI tools

The shift is happening faster than anyone predicted. And most businesses haven't adapted.

How AI Search Differs from Google

When you search Google for "best plumber in Cleveland," you get 10 links. You click through, evaluate, compare.

When you ask ChatGPT "Who's the best plumber in Cleveland?", you get a direct answer: "Based on reviews and reputation, [Company Name] is highly recommended for plumbing services in Cleveland because..."

Key differences:

• Answers, not links: AI gives a recommendation, not a list to browse
• Synthesis, not ranking: AI combines information from multiple sources
• Conversation, not queries: Users ask follow-up questions naturally
• Trust transfer: When AI recommends you, its credibility transfers to your business

The implication is huge: if AI doesn't mention you, you don't exist in that search. There's no page 2 to scroll to.

What is GEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing your online presence so AI search engines can find, understand, and recommend your business.

While SEO focuses on ranking in traditional search results, GEO focuses on:

• Making your content AI-readable and citation-worthy
• Building the authority signals AI engines trust
• Ensuring AI can accurately represent your business
• Getting mentioned in the sources AI relies on

Think of it this way: SEO gets you found. GEO gets you recommended.

The 5 Pillars of GEO

1. Structured Data & Schema

AI engines read structured data far better than they read prose. Implementing comprehensive schema markup (LocalBusiness, FAQPage, Product, Review schemas) helps AI understand exactly what your business offers.

Most business websites have little to no schema. Adding it is one of the highest-impact GEO actions.

2. Authoritative Citations

AI engines don't just read your website—they synthesize information from across the web. If authoritative sources mention your business positively, AI is more likely to recommend you.

This means: industry publications, local news, professional directories, review platforms, and expert roundups all matter more than ever.

3. Comprehensive Content

AI needs substantial content to understand what you do and who you serve. Thin service pages don't cut it.

Each service you offer should have detailed, helpful content: what it is, who it's for, how it works, what to expect, pricing guidance, and FAQs. This gives AI the ammunition to recommend you.

4. Entity Establishment

AI engines build "entity graphs"—their understanding of what exists in the world and how things relate. Your business needs to be a recognized entity with clear attributes.

This involves consistent information across all platforms, a Wikipedia page if warranted, knowledge panel optimization, and clear brand signals.

5. Real-World Signals

AI engines weight real-world signals heavily: customer reviews, social proof, years in business, certifications, awards. These can't be faked and strongly influence AI recommendations.

Active reputation management becomes even more critical in the GEO era.

GEO vs SEO: Do You Need Both?

Short answer: Yes.

SEO and GEO are complementary, not competing strategies:

• SEO captures people searching Google the traditional way (still ~60% of searches)
• GEO captures people using AI search tools (and growing fast)
• Many tactics overlap (quality content, authority building, technical optimization)
• Some tactics are unique to each (link building for SEO, schema depth for GEO)

At Elevated AI Consulting, we now offer GEO as an add-on to our SEO services because the businesses seeing the best results are doing both.

DIY: Check Your AI Visibility

Want to see where you stand? Try this:

1. Open ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity
2. Ask: "Who are the best [your service] providers in [your city]?"
3. See if you're mentioned
4. If not, ask: "What do you know about [your business name]?"
5. Note what AI gets right, wrong, or doesn't know

If AI doesn't mention you—or worse, gets facts wrong—you have work to do.

Getting Started with GEO

Here's a prioritized approach:

1. Audit your AI visibility (the DIY check above)
2. Implement comprehensive schema on your website
3. Deepen your service content with FAQs and detailed information
4. Build authoritative citations in industry publications and directories
5. Activate reputation management to generate consistent positive signals
6. Monitor and iterate as AI engines evolve

The businesses optimizing for GEO now will have a significant advantage as AI search continues to grow. Don't wait until your competitors have claimed the AI recommendations in your market.

Ready to get started with GEO? Let's talk about your AI search strategy.