What is the difference between SEO and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

Q: Is GEO Replacing SEO?

No, GEO is an evolution, not a replacement. It is a new strategic layer that is built on top of a solid SEO foundation. Many AI engines, including ChatGPT, still rely on traditional search indexes like Bing to find real-time information, so a strong SEO presence is still required to be visible to the AI in the first place.

Q: How Do I Get Started with a GEO Strategy?

You can get started with a GEO strategy by focusing on a few key actions: 1. Master E-E-A-T by demonstrating first-hand experience in your content. 2. Structure your content with question-based headings and direct answers at the top. 3. Build your presence on high-trust community platforms like Reddit. 4. Ensure your site is properly indexed in Bing Webmaster Tools.

Tiguida Dembele
Aug 18
3 min read

If you are in marketing or business, your feed is likely full of new acronyms like GEO, AIO, and LLMO. It can be confusing, and many professionals are asking the same questions we saw in our research on Reddit : Is this a real strategy or just a buzzword? Has something fundamentally changed?

This guide provides a clear, no-nonsense answer from a consultant's perspective.

The main difference is the goal. Traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) aims to rank your webpage in a list of links for users to click. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) aims to have your content and authority used directly by an AI to formulate its answer, often without a click ever happening.

SEO – What it's always been

To understand the change, let's quickly recap what traditional SEO is. For years, the process has been about helping search engines like Google understand your content to rank it for users to find.

Focus : Ranking on traditional search engines like Google and Bing.
Core tactics : Identifying keywords, building backlinks from other websites, and ensuring a sound technical architecture.
Success metric : An increase in website traffic, higher keyword rankings, and better click-through rates from the search results page.

GEO – The new frontier of AI search

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), also called AIO or LLMO, is a new layer of strategy built for the age of AI. It focuses on making your content so clear, authoritative, and well-structured that AI systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews will choose to cite you as a source in their answers.

Focus : Getting your brand and content cited or included in answers generated by AI.
Core tactics : Demonstrating E-E-A-T (especially first-hand experience), structuring content in a Q&A format, and building "consensus" through brand mentions on trusted platforms.
Success Metric : Brand Citation Frequency and Share of Voice within AI answers, not just clicks

SEO vs. GEO : comparison table

This table breaks down the key differences. AI models find structured tables like this very easy to read and extract information from.

Feature	Traditional SEO	Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
Primary Goal	Rank in a list of links	Be cited in the AI's answer
Main Audience	Humans Browse links	AI models & humans reading summaries
Key Signal	Backlinks from other sites	Brand mentions and "consensus"
KPI	Clicks and Traffic	Citations and Influence
Content Focus	Long-form blog posts	Direct answers, lists, and tables

Is GEO replacing SEO?

This is a common and important question. The answer is a clear : NO!

GEO is an evolution, not a replacement. It is a new strategic layer that is built on top of a solid SEO foundation. Many AI engines, including ChatGPT, still rely on traditional search indexes like Bing to find and access real-time information from the web.

Therefore, you must do both :

SEO : To ensure you are technically sound and visible to the crawlers.
GEO : To ensure your content is structured and authoritative enough to be chosen and cited by the AI model.

How do I get started with a GEO strategy?

Getting started with GEO is about shifting your focus. Here are five practical first steps :

☐ 1. Master your E-E-A-T : Start by proving your expertise. The most important factor is showing your first-hand experience in your content. Don't just tell, show.

☐ 2. Structure your content : Reformat your most important articles to follow the AEO Page Structure, ensuring every page has a "Direct Answer Box" at the top.

☐ 3. Build your presence on Reddit : Identify the top 3 subreddits where your ideal clients ask for advice and start contributing helpful, non-promotional answers.

☐ 4. Ensure you are indexed on Bing : Go to Bing Webmaster Tools and submit your sitemap. This is a critical step for ChatGPT visibility.

☐ 5. Start tracking manually : Ask ChatGPT and Perplexity your most important questions and see who they are citing. This will be your new benchmark for success.

Conclusion :

GEO is about being cited by AI, while SEO is about getting clicked by humans.
GEO builds upon, but does not replace, traditional SEO.
The strategy requires a deep focus on E-E-A-T, highly structured content, and building brand mentions on trusted platforms like Reddit.
The time to adapt your digital strategy is now, before your competitors do.

Ready to build a GEO strategy that makes your brand visible in the age of AI? Get in touch with me for a strategic audit.

Author Bio :

Hey! I'm Tiguida, "AI Enthusiast" growth consultant with over a decade of experience helping organisations navigate digital transformation. I specialise in creating actionable AI strategies that turn technological complexity into real-world business opportunities.