What Is Generative Engine Optimisation?
A complete guide to GEO: what it is, how it works, why it matters, and how to implement it so AI search engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity cite your brand.
Jayson MundayUpdated March 202612 min readWhat is generative engine optimisation (GEO)?
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of optimising your website content, structured data, and entity signals so that generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity cite and recommend your brand when generating answers to user queries.
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of optimising content so AI search engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity cite your brand in their generated responses. GEO was formally defined in a 2024 research paper by Aggarwal et al. (Princeton, Georgia Tech, IIT Delhi, Allen Institute for AI), which found that GEO techniques can increase content visibility in AI responses by up to 40%.
The term was formally introduced in the research paper "GEO: Generative Engine Optimization" by Pranjal Aggarwal et al. (2024), a collaboration between Princeton University, Georgia Tech, IIT Delhi, and the Allen Institute for AI. The study systematically evaluated nine different optimisation techniques and found that authoritative citations, structured data, and statistical content were among the most effective for improving AI citation rates.
GEO differs from traditional SEO in a fundamental way. SEO optimises for ranking algorithms that produce a list of results. GEO optimises for how large language models (LLMs) evaluate, select, and attribute sources when generating multi-paragraph answers. When someone asks ChatGPT "which plumber should I use in Sydney?" or Perplexity "what is the best mortgage broker?", GEO determines which businesses get mentioned in the response.
Is GEO a real thing?
Yes. GEO is a real, research-backed practice. It was formally defined in a peer-reviewed paper by researchers from Princeton, Georgia Tech, IIT Delhi, and the Allen Institute for AI (2024). The study proved that specific techniques measurably improve AI citation rates by up to 40%. GEO is now offered by specialist agencies, covered in industry publications, and taught in digital marketing courses.
Some people confuse GEO with the unrelated geographic abbreviation. In the context of digital marketing and search, GEO specifically refers to Generative Engine Optimisation. The discipline has been covered extensively by Search Engine Land, Semrush, Moz, and Forbes as a legitimate and growing field of search marketing.
The reason GEO matters is quantifiable. AI search queries grew 527% year-over-year according to Semrush (2024). ChatGPT processes over 2 billion queries daily (OpenAI, 2025). Google AI Overviews appear in more than 20% of searches, reaching 2 billion monthly users (Google I/O, 2024). These platforms are now a significant source of how people discover businesses, making GEO a practical necessity rather than an academic concept.
How does GEO work?
The GEO research paper identified nine optimisation techniques. These are the most effective, ranked by impact on AI citation rates.
Authoritative citations
Include references to credible sources like academic research, official documentation, and industry publications. The GEO study found that adding authoritative citations was one of the most effective techniques, increasing visibility by up to 40%.
Schema markup
Implement comprehensive JSON-LD structured data (Organization, FAQPage, Article, Service, Person) that gives AI models machine-readable context about your business and content.
Direct answer formatting
Lead every section with a 1-2 sentence factual answer. AI models extract and attribute these opening statements as citation candidates. Avoid preamble and marketing language.
Entity authority
Ensure your brand information is consistent across your website, Google Business Profile, social media, and third-party sources. AI models cross-reference entity data to determine trustworthiness.
Statistical data
Include specific numbers, percentages, and data points with source attributions. The GEO study found that content with statistics is significantly more likely to be cited by generative AI models.
E-E-A-T signals
Demonstrate Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness through author credentials, case studies, and transparent business information.
Question-and-answer headings
Structure your H2 and H3 headings as questions that match what people ask AI platforms. This mirrors user query patterns and helps AI models match your content to specific questions.
Topical depth
Create comprehensive content clusters that cover a topic thoroughly with interlinked supporting pages. AI models favour sources that demonstrate deep topical expertise over surface-level coverage.
What are the steps of GEO?
A practical six-step process for implementing generative engine optimisation for your business.
Audit your AI visibility
Query ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot with your target keywords. Document where your brand is cited, where it is missing, and which competitors appear. This reveals your baseline and priorities.
Implement schema markup
Add JSON-LD structured data to every important page: Organization, LocalBusiness, FAQPage, Article, Person, and Service schemas. This gives AI models the machine-readable context they need to cite you.
Structure content for AI
Restructure your key pages with direct answer formatting: question-based headings, factual opening sentences, cited statistics, and clean paragraph structure. Every section should be extractable by AI.
Build entity authority
Ensure your brand name, address, and details are consistent across your website, Google Business Profile, social media, and directories. Add sameAs links in your schema pointing to all verified profiles.
Create authoritative content
Produce comprehensive content with external citations from reputable sources. Reference academic research, official documentation, and industry publications. Content that cites authoritative sources is treated as more authoritative itself.
Monitor and iterate
Regularly query AI platforms with your keywords to track citation changes. Identify gaps where competitors are cited instead. Adjust content, schema, and authority signals based on what you learn.
What does GEO look like in practice?
GEO transforms how you structure and write content. Here is a before-and-after example showing the difference between traditional marketing copy and GEO-optimised content.
Our plumbing services
"We offer the best plumbing services in Sydney. Our experienced team handles all your plumbing needs. Contact us today for a free quote!"
Marketing language, no facts, no structure for AI extraction
What plumbing services are available in Sydney?
"Sydney plumbing services include emergency repairs, hot water system installation, blocked drain clearing, gas fitting, and bathroom renovations. Licensed plumbers in NSW must hold a plumbing licence issued by NSW Fair Trading. Average callout fees in Sydney range from $80 to $150 for standard jobs."
Factual, structured, question-format heading, specific data, citable
Will SEO be replaced by AI?
SEO will not be replaced by AI. It is evolving to include AI-specific optimisation disciplines. Traditional SEO for Google rankings remains essential, but the search landscape now includes AEO (answer engine optimisation) and GEO (generative engine optimisation). The future requires all three working together, with SEO as the foundation that AEO and GEO build on.
The "SEO is dead" narrative has resurfaced with every major search evolution, from Google Panda (2011) to mobile-first indexing (2018) to Core Web Vitals (2021). Each time, SEO adapted rather than disappeared. The same is happening with the AI search era.
What is genuinely changing is that SEO alone is no longer sufficient. The research by Aggarwal et al. (2024) demonstrated that content optimised for traditional search does not automatically perform well in generative AI results. Different signals matter. Generative AI models weigh entity authority, structured data, source credibility, and content structure differently from Google's ranking algorithm.
The practical takeaway: businesses should continue investing in SEO as their foundation while adding GEO to capture the growing AI search audience. Brain Buddy AI combines SEO, AEO, and GEO in every managed plan because separating them creates visibility gaps. Read our full SEO vs AEO comparison.
Why GEO matters now
AI search query growth YoY
Semrush, 2024
ChatGPT daily queries
OpenAI, 2025
Visibility boost from GEO
Aggarwal et al., 2024
Google searches with AI Overviews
Google I/O, 2024
Can a beginner do GEO?
Yes. Beginners can implement basic GEO by adding FAQ schema, using question-format headings, ensuring consistent business information across the web, and writing direct factual answers to industry questions. Advanced techniques like entity authority building and citation monitoring benefit from professional help.
What beginners can do today
Add FAQ schema to your top 5 pages with questions your customers ask
Rewrite your page headings as questions (e.g., 'What plumbing services are available in Sydney?')
Verify and complete your Google Business Profile with accurate information
Ensure your business name, address, and phone match across your website, socials, and directories
Lead every content section with a direct, factual first sentence that answers the heading question
What requires professional help
Comprehensive schema markup implementation across all page types
Entity authority building and knowledge graph optimisation
AI citation monitoring across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot
Competitive citation analysis and gap identification
Content strategy for topical authority clusters
Brain Buddy AI offers managed GEO services for businesses that want professional implementation. Learn about our GEO agency services.
Frequently asked questions about GEO
Written by
Jayson Munday
CEO & Founder, Brain Buddy AI
Jayson has been in search marketing since 2003, building strategies across three countries for hundreds of businesses. He founded Brain Buddy AI to help businesses navigate the shift from traditional SEO to AI-powered search, combining 20+ years of practitioner experience with cutting-edge AI technology. Based at Stone and Chalk, Sydney Tech Central.
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