And How to Optimize Your Online Presence for It
Everyone by this point in time knows what SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is. If you don’t, you likely don’t have a job in marketing or a business that relies on marketing efforts to succeed.
However, what many people—including business owners who need to market their companies—don’t know about is GEO, or Generated Search Optimization. Though it is quite similar to SEO, GEO focuses on optimizing content for AI-based search engines like ChatGPT.
Here is more information on GEO and what you need to know to optimize your online presence for it.
How Do People Search with AI?
In the past, those in the market for a new product or service would simply Google it. They may use search terms like “best roofer near me” or “pool services Omaha”. Now, as more and more people turn to AI for many of their online needs, they are using these services to search instead of Google. While many of the same rules of how to optimize your content for SEO applies to optimizing it for AI, there are some key differences.
Optimizing Your Content for SEO
Before we go into optimizing your web and Google Business Profile content for GEO, it’s beneficial to first do an overview of optimizing it for SEO. Here are some of the most important factors when it comes to SEO ranking:
- Quality content. Well-structured content that meets the user’s needs.
- Keywords. Optimizing your content with the search terms your target audience uses when Googling your product or service.
- Technical considerations. Mobile-friendliness, load times, and the right indexing on your site.
- Backlinks and linking to other pages within your site.
- User experience. Low bounce rates and easy navigation on your site.
Optimizing Your Content for GEO
All of the above factors are also important for GEO, but you need to add in the following to increase your chances of showing up in an AI search:
- AI-friendly content. Content that is structured in a way that AI can summarize and interpret. This includes headings, subheadings, and bullet points.
- Conversational optimization. Content that is written in a way that matches how a user would normally ask a question.
- Contextual relevance. In addition to keywords, content should also focus on the meaning behind queries.
- Citations and references. These establish authority and back up the claims of your content.
Do You Need Both SEO and GEO Optimization?
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that SEO ranking and Google searches are a thing of the past. While more and more people are turning to AI to conduct searches, there are still plenty of people using Google and other “traditional” search engines. The key is to leverage both to ensure maximum visibility. Here’s why:
- You will reach different audiences. While SEO ensures people searching for keywords will find your content, GEO produces more personalized material that can target specific target audiences.
- You will stay ahead of your competitors. Be on the cutting edge of optimizing for GEO so you can get ahead of your competitors and rank higher.
- They enhance each other. Because much of SEO and GEO is similar, bolstering one also improves the other.
What Else Do You Need to Know?
Like SEO, GEO is also evolving rapidly. What may be true for optimization today may not be true tomorrow, so it’s important to stay up-to-date on both SEO and GEO strategies and best practices. This may not be possible if you’re also running a business and trying to focus on team-building and generating profit. That’s where an experienced marketing agency comes in. Their job is to continually learn and grow along with the industry and will be able to help you implement the current best practices for your SEO and GEO strategies.
As AI and the world of search engines continues to change and adapt, it’s important to know the basics and ensure that you are leveraging tools to boost your rankings. If you need assistance or have questions, please feel free to reach out to the helpful team at Pixel Fire Marketing.
