The Difference Between Search Engine Optimization and Generative AI Optimization [Infographic]

With more and more online discovery now occurring via conversational AI chatbots, marketers are gradually changing focus from search engine optimization (SEO) to generative engine optimization (GEO), which requires a different approach and mindset.

GEO aims to ensure that your website and/or brand gets cited in AI answers, which is much harder to cater to, and has fewer established rules around things like keyword matching and URL data. GEO forces marketers to think about conversational queries instead, and the kinds of direct responses that show up in AI queries.

The focus of GEO is “citable chunks” which answer common questions, as these are more likely, depending on domain authority, to be referenced in an AI response.

Experts have found that listicles can attract AI linkage, though expertise is the primary driver of attention, which is established through high-quality content, relevant backlinks, etc. So the foundations of SEO remain the same to some degree, but it’s the specifics, in terms of presenting information, that are different.

Other approaches that lead to more references in AI answers include comparison tables, rankings, recommendations and original research.

The challenge then is that many AI answers don’t end up leading to a click, with referral traffic in rapid decline for many web publishers.

Though, I guess, you’re either resigning yourself to the fact that you won’t get any links, or you’re working to maintain whatever you can through GEO process.

Though in many cases, maybe the focus should be less on tactics and more on the content itself.

To provide some more context on this, check out this infographic from the team at Single Grain which outlines the differences between SEO and GEO.