SEO vs GEO: Key Differences and What Your Business Needs to Do to Win in AI Search

As AI-powered search transforms how users find and consume information, businesses are grappling with a fundamental shift in digital marketing strategy. Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is no longer sufficient. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — the art of optimizing content for AI-generated summaries and conversational search platforms — is rapidly becoming essential for maintaining online visibility.

This blog breaks down the key differences between SEO and GEO and explains how brands must adapt to thrive in the new AI search era.

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) focuses on improving your website’s visibility in search engine results pages (SERPs). Success in traditional SEO has long been defined by:

• Ranking high for target keywords.
• Attracting organic traffic through clickable blue links in Search Engine Results Pages.
• Optimizing pages with keywords, metadata, backlinks, and technical elements.

What is GEO?

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) focuses on getting your content cited in AI-generated overviews and answers within platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity AI and Google’s AI Overviews within SERPs.

• Instead of driving clicks, the goal is securing mentions and citations in AI summaries.
• GEO favors fact-rich, authoritative content that AI systems can easily extract and synthesize into direct answers.

Key Differences Between SEO and GEO

SEO Focus	GEO Focus
Keyword optimization	Entity optimization
Backlink building	Credibility through citations & expert quotes
Driving website clicks	Getting cited in AI-generated answers
SERP rankings are critical	Top 12 rankings help, but AI citations are the goal
One primary platform (Google)	Multi-platform (Google, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.)

The New Reality: AI Overviews Dominate Search

AI-generated overviews now appear in up to 47% of Google searches, dramatically reducing traditional organic visibility. On mobile devices, AI overviews can cover as much as 75.7% of the screen, leaving organic results barely visible.

This means if your brand isn’t cited in the overview itself, users may never see your content, even if you rank well.

How GEO Builds on Traditional SEO

Despite these changes, traditional SEO isn’t obsolete. In fact, about 75% of links cited in AI overviews come from the top 12 organic search results. This means:

• Traditional SEO still matters — but it’s not enough.
• You need to optimize both for rankings and for AI extraction.

Essential GEO Techniques

1. Entity Optimization

AI models rely heavily on named entities (people, brands, products). Make sure:

• Your brand, products, and experts are clearly identified.
• You use structured data (schema) to highlight entities.
• Content clusters build topical authority around your key entities.

2. Credibility & Citations

• Include expert quotes, authoritative data, and external citations.
• Earn mentions and backlinks from trusted industry sources.
• Ensure your authors have clear bios and credentials.

3. Structured, Extractable Content

AI systems prefer easy-to-read, well-formatted content, so:

• Use tables, lists, and FAQ sections.
• Provide TL;DR summaries or executive summaries upfront.
• Use schema markup to help AI understand your content.

Multi-Platform Visibility

GEO optimization isn’t just for Google. AI-generated answers now appear on:

• Google Gemini (formerly Bard)
• Perplexity AI
• ChatGPT
• DeepSeek
• Grok
• Claude
• New Emerging Platforms Daily!

Your content strategy must cover the entire AI search ecosystem.

Track & Optimize with Nowspeed

At Nowspeed, we combine traditional SEO and advanced GEO strategies to future-proof your digital marketing. Our GEO tracking services monitor your AI overview citations, competitor visibility, and content performance across AI platforms. Schedule a Free Consultation today!