Search has changed more in the last two years than in the previous ten. If you’re running a web agency, you’ve probably noticed clients asking about ChatGPT, AI Overviews in Google and whether any of it affects their rankings. The honest answer is: yes, and the implications run deeper than most people realise.
This post breaks down what’s actually happening, what the terms mean and what you should be thinking about for your clients.
What Is GEO?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation. It refers to the practice of optimising content and websites so that AI-powered search tools, including Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT’s web search, Perplexity and Copilot, are more likely to surface and cite your content in their responses.
You may also see it called AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) or, more broadly, AI visibility. The terminology isn’t settled yet, but the concept is consistent: as more searches get answered by AI rather than a list of blue links, there’s a growing need to optimise for that format specifically.
How Is It Different From Traditional SEO?
Traditional SEO is primarily about ranking pages. You target a keyword, optimise a page, build authority and aim for a position in the organic results. The user clicks your link.
GEO is about being cited. An AI search tool reads across multiple sources, synthesises an answer and may or may not reference the source. If your content is clear, authoritative, well-structured and directly answers the question being asked, you’re more likely to be included in that synthesis.
The key differences in practice:
Format matters differently. AI tools tend to favour content that is structured, specific and directly answers questions. Long-form editorial content can work well if it’s genuinely informative, but vague or thin content gets ignored.
Authority signals still count. E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is the quality standard Google has been developing for years, and it’s arguably more important than ever. AI tools are more likely to cite sources that demonstrate genuine expertise.
Schema markup plays a bigger role. Structured data helps AI systems understand what a page is about, who wrote it and what it relates to. It’s become a more meaningful factor for AI-generated responses.
Brand mentions matter. AI tools pick up on how often and in what context your brand is mentioned across the web, not just your own site. Being cited in industry publications, directories and high-quality external sources feeds into AI visibility.
Does This Replace Traditional SEO?
No. Traditional SEO isn’t going away. Organic clicks still happen at significant volume, and for many search intents, including local searches, product searches and navigational searches, the ten blue links remain the dominant format.
What’s changing is that the two disciplines are becoming more intertwined. A well-optimised page with good E-E-A-T signals, clean technical implementation and relevant schema is better positioned for both traditional rankings and AI citation. The practices increasingly overlap.
The main gap right now is that most SEO work hasn’t caught up with the AI layer yet. That’s a meaningful opportunity.
What Should Agencies Be Telling Clients?
If your clients are asking about AI search, a few honest things to convey:
“Your existing SEO investment still matters.” Good technical foundations, quality content and authority signals are as important as ever. Clients who have been doing SEO properly are in a better position to benefit from AI search, not a worse one.
“We should audit your AI visibility.” It’s now possible to assess how and whether a brand appears in AI-generated responses across tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews. That’s worth knowing, particularly for competitive sectors.
“Schema markup is worth prioritising.” If client sites are light on structured data, that’s a practical quick win with relevance to both traditional and AI search.
“Content quality is the long game.” Thin, templated or AI-generated content that lacks genuine expertise is going to perform worse across every channel. Clients who invest in well-written, useful content will fare better in both worlds.
The Practical Takeaway for Agencies
You don’t need to overhaul your service offering overnight. But understanding GEO well enough to have an informed conversation with clients is becoming a baseline expectation, particularly for agencies positioned as digital partners rather than just builders.
If you’re partnering with an SEO specialist, check whether AI visibility is part of what they offer. An AIO and GEO audit, assessing how a client’s brand appears in AI-generated responses and identifying what can be done to improve it, is increasingly a standard component of a thorough SEO engagement.
Nat20 Marketing offers AIO and GEO audits as part of its SEO services for agencies. Get in touch to find out more.
