What is generative engine optimization & how does it work?

While search engine optimization (SEO) is essential for your content and offerings to reach your target readers, it is also essential to stay up to date with the latest digital trends.

One of the emerging technologies is generative engine optimization (GEO), which refers to content optimized for the purpose of appearing in AI-generated responses.

Staying relevant today requires content that is optimized both for search and generative engines.

But the question is: How to do so properly?

Keep reading to learn:

• What is generative engine optimization?
• The difference between GEO and SEO
• How do generative AI engines work?
• Pros and cons of GEO
• How to optimize for GEO and SEO
• How to measure GEO and SEO performance
• Frequently asked questions

What is generative engine optimization? 

Generative engine optimization refers to the process of producing content that is optimized for AI-driven search engines and platforms that generate responses from trained AI models (such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Google AI overviews, etc.)

Unlike traditional search engines which index and rank web pages, AI-driven engines are capable of generating comprehensive answers and creative solutions based on the user’s query.

Where searching a specific query in a search engine would result in pages ranked based on how optimized they are and how well they answer the user’s query, AI models provide comprehensive responses in real-time, with sources and context from multiple data points.

GEO vs. SEO: What is the difference?

While both SEO and GEO aim to increase the visibility of content, there are key differences in terms of the platforms they target and the overall user experience.

Some of the main differences include:

1. Objective

• SEO: Focuses on improving website ranking on traditional search engines (such as Google or Bing).
• GEO: Optimizes content for inclusion in the AI-generated responses in platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Bard.

2. Content display

• SEO: Displays web pages by relevance and quality of the page in relation to the search engine query.
• GEO: Provides real-time generated AI responses that summarize information from multiple sources.

3. User interaction

• SEO: Users have to click on individual links to access relevant web pages.
• GEO: Users receive responses with sources, reducing the number of clicks and effort required by the users.

4. Content structure

• SEO: Content is optimized for specific keywords, with technical and on-page SEO in mind.
• GEO: Provides users with authoritative content pulled from multiple sources, structured to answer the user’s query.

5. Performance metrics

• SEO: Measures performance based on traffic and conversion.
• GEO: Measures results by how often the content is used or referenced by AI-generated results.

How do generative AI engines work? 

Generative AI models leverage advanced machine learning models (large language models, LLMs) to generate comprehensive responses to the user’s query.

These generative language models are trained on vast amounts of data, relying on books, articles, websites, and other available online content.

This allows generative AI models to produce human-like responses, synthesize data, and create new content that aligns with the user’s search intent.

Here is a breakdown of how the generative AI models work:

• Data training: Generative AI models are trained through large datasets. This allows the artificial intelligence to learn patterns in grammar, context, tone, and more.
• Natural language processing: Natural language processing (NLP) is at the core of generative AI. It allows these models to comprehend the context and intent of the user’s query. It also helps these models understand the nuances of the language, ensuring the responses are accurate and relevant.
• Patterns: AI models are trained to recognize patterns within the data they are trained on. Once a user asks a question, AI analyzes the question to identify patterns and, consequently, provide the most appropriate response to the user’s query.
• Context: Generative AI models can understand the context behind a query. Unlike traditional search engines that look for keywords, these AI models look at the user’s entire input, considering intent, tone, and context, offering a more holistic and nuanced answer to the user’s inquiry.
• Continuous learning: Generative AI platforms are consistently updated with new data, giving them the ability to evolve and provide more accurate responses. This ongoing learning ability allows them to keep up with the newest trends and developments across industries and niches.

Some of the most popular generative engines right now include: 

• ChatGPT
• Claude
• Bard
• Gemini
• DALL-E 2
• Google AI Overviews

Benefits & drawbacks of GEO

Much like with any emerging technology, generative engine optimization presents itself with a particular set of benefits and drawbacks.

Benefits of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

• Enhanced user experience: GEO delivers comprehensive and immediate responses to users. This removes the need to go through multiple pages, streamlining the process of acquiring information and improving user experience.
• Improved content visibility: Businesses that optimize their content for generative AI models increase their chances of being featured in generated responses, consequently increasing the visibility of their brand.
• Adapting to the evolving search trends: As more and more users turn to generative AI models for their queries, businesses that implement GEO strategies will position themselves ahead of competitors who failed to do so.

Drawbacks of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

• Unclear metrics: While it is possible to track and measure the metrics for traditional SEO (click-through rates, traffic, etc.) the metrics for GEO are still harder to quantify. This means that it is more difficult to determine their effectiveness and ROI.
• Dependence on AI platforms: Conducting GEO means relying on the AI platforms and the changes the platforms incorporate. 
• Content quality and saturation: As more companies start optimizing their content for generative engines, there’s a chance of oversaturation in the market. This heightened competition could result in a decline in quality, as many brands might end up using the same keywords and content structures.

How to optimize for GEO and SEO?

If businesses wish to stay competitive in today’s market, they have to optimize for both – search engines and generative engines.

Below are the steps you can take to stay ahead of the competition.

1. Perform holistic research

Holistic research refers to fully understanding your market, users, and competitors.

It involves careful consideration and analysis of various types of content to inform content creation and strategies.

Things to consider:

• Long-tail keywords and questions: Identify and utilize long-tail keywords. These types of keywords often lead to higher conversion rates and help in targeting specific queries that generative AI models pull from. 
• Analyze your competitors: Review what your competitors are doing and what content they are ranking for. Assess their topics, keyword usage, and content strategies to identify areas of opportunity for your own content.
• Evaluate your brand in AI platforms: Regularly check how your brand is represented across various AI platforms. Ensure that your content is accurately indexed and linked to your brand’s authority.
• Thorough content research: Conduct extensive content research. This will allow you to create content that is rich, nuanced, and comprehensive, which is generally preferred by AI models.

2. Create high-quality & relevant content

High-quality content is essential for you to rank in both traditional search engines and generative AI platforms. This enhances the user experience and increases your chances of being featured in AI-generated responses.

Follow the below steps to produce content that will help you rank higher than the competition:

• Implement structured data: Utilizing structured data markup can help search engines and AI models grasp the context of your content better. This can enhance how your content appears in search results and AI-generated responses.
• Content distribution across various platforms: Share your content across various platforms to boost its visibility. This means using social media, blogs, newsletters, and forums to make sure it reaches a broader audience.
• E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness): Build credibility by highlighting your experience and expertise in your content. Adding author bios, references, and citations can help boost trust and reliability.
• Brand authority: Establish your brand’s authority by becoming a thought leader. Sharing valuable insights in industry conversations can make your brand a trusted source of information, which increases the likelihood of being featured in AI-generated responses.

3. Focus on technical SEO

Technical SEO is essential for a successful optimization strategy, particularly when it comes to generative engine optimization (GEO). It helps ensure that your website is set up so that search engines and AI models can easily crawl and index your content.

This involves optimizing site speed, making sure your site is mobile-friendly, implementing SSL security, and keeping a clear site structure.

Effective technical SEO strategies:

• Optimize page speed and mobile friendliness: Make sure your website loads quickly and is mobile-friendly. These elements are vital for both SEO rankings and user experience, influencing how AI models interact with your site.
• Utilize clear URL structures: Create straightforward, descriptive URLs that accurately reflect the content of each page. This helps both users and AI understand what to expect from your content.
• Implement internal linking: Use internal links to help guide users through related content on your site. This not only improves the user experience but also assists AI models in grasping the connections between different pieces of content.
• Monitor technical performance: Regularly check your website for any technical issues that might affect performance, such as broken links or incorrect redirects. Tools like Google Search Console can effectively track these metrics.

How to measure GEO and SEO performance? 

To accurately assess how well your generative engine optimization (GEO) and search engine optimization (SEO) efforts are performing, it’s important to use a range of measurement tools. 

Each tool offers unique insights into different areas of your performance, helping you refine your strategies as needed.

Google Search Console

Google Search Console is a free site monitoring tool that helps you track your site’s performance on Google.

It provides insights into keyword keyword rankings, click-through rates, and indexing status.

Mangools SERPWatcher

Mangools is a fantastic suite of SEO tools designed to help boost your website’s visibility online.

One of our standout products is SERPWatcher, which simplifies tracking your website’s performance in search engines for all important keywords.

It provides daily updates and a performance index to gauge the potential traffic from specific keywords.

In addition to the rank-tracking tool, Mangools offers other essential SEO tools to help you rank higher in Google SERPs:

• KWFinder: A powerful keyword research tool that helps you quickly find high-volume, low-difficulty keywords.
• SERPChecker: This tool allows users to analyze search engine results pages (SERPs) for any given keyword, helping you understand the competitive landscape and identify opportunities.
• LinkMiner: A powerful backlink checker that helps you find potential external links from other websites in seconds.
• SiteProfiler: A straightforward website domain authority checker that provides you with all the essential SEO metrics for any domain.

Mangools AI Search Grader

AI Search Grader is a free generative engine optimization tool designed to evaluate and grade how your brand or website performs in ChatGPT’s search results.

This tool helps you comprehend the overall visibility of your brand in your niche within the online world. It also provides insights into how your brand is perceived compared to your competitors.

Using the tool is straightforward—simply enter your brand name (or one of your competitors) and provide a description of your product or the niche in which it operates.

AI Search Grader will run a test by generating various relevant prompts based on the information you provided.

It will analyze multiple AI responses to check the percentage of prompts in which your brand appears and assess the average position of your brand in AI-generated recommendations. 

At the end of the test, you will receive a report that calculates your brand’s importance based on ranking positions and visibility.

Use AI Search Grader

Google Analytics 4

Google Analytics 4 (GA4) provides a detailed look at how users interact with your website. 

By examining where your traffic comes from, how users engage with your content, and your conversion rates, you can gain valuable insights into your website’s performance across various platforms. 

Frequently asked questions

Is GEO replacing SEO?

GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization, is not replacing SEO; rather, it’s a new approach that complements it.

While SEO focuses on traditional search engines, GEO optimizes content for AI-driven search engines, ensuring that it meets the needs of both human users and AI algorithms.

What is the difference between generative AI and traditional AI?

Generative AI is a subset of artificial intelligence that creates new content, such as text, images, or music, based on patterns learned from existing data.

In contrast, traditional AI primarily analyzes and interprets data to make decisions or predictions.

What is the difference between SEO, SGE, and GEO? 

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) aims to improve visibility in traditional search engines through keyword targeting and backlinks.

SGE (Search Generative Experience) leverages AI to provide more contextual search results. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) focuses on optimizing content specifically for AI-driven search engines to enhance its visibility in generated responses.

How do I turn on Google AI generative search?

To enable Google’s generative search features, check your Google account settings or search settings for options related to experimental features or AI enhancements. Simply toggle them on if they’re available.