In today’s busy evolving world, audiences are constantly searching, watching, listening, scrolling, and absorbing. Remember when just getting your business to the top of Google searches was the pinnacle of effective marketing and strategizing? Well, the bar is now higher! 

Now, audiences aren’t just Googling for results. They are asking AI-platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Google Gemini, Perplexity and other tools about their hot take and opinion on everything. Suddenly, the recommendations, answers, advice, and comparisons provided by these tools have become the new Holy Grail. 

And that is exactly where GEO – Generative Engine Optimisation – steps in. 

So, what is GEO all about? 

To break it down simply, GEO is all about ensuring that your brand is more likely to be mentioned, found, recommended, and understood by AI. 

Traditionally, SEO is mainly focused on the ranking your brand will get when searched for on a search engine like Google. GEO is more than just ranking. It is about becoming a part of the answer and solution provided by AI. 

This might simply mean being recommended when someone asks, “Which is the best PR Agency in Adelaide?”  

The difference between SEO and GEO is subtle. The competition is not just for clicks, rather it is for being a part of the conversation between a user and its preferred AI tool! 

Why should brands care? 

AI is responsible for changing the way people discover a business. There has been a significant increase in the usage of AI-powered tools in researching a brand, finding recommendations, comparing products and services, and answering questions a user may have even before landing on the brand’s website page. 

And this is where PR becomes effective, interesting, and non-negotiable! 

AI systems and tools look way beyond your website or your ranking on a Google search. It takes into serious consideration aspects such as your brand’s reputation, reviews, media coverage, third-party mentions, expert and user commentary and overall online presence to form an understanding of who you are and what your brand is truly known for! 

That said, the fundamentals of PR, such as credibility, authenticity, reputation, relevancy and authority, have a much bigger role to fill in now.  

GEO is not just about training robots 

There isn’t a sure-shot way, or a magic click that will ensure ChatGPT, or any other AI tool mentions your brand. And beware of anyone promising you that – it is a scam! 

The trick is really easy. The strongest GEO strategy revolves around answering the questions your audience asks truthfully, building a reputation beyond a website, demonstrating expertise in your field, and creating authentic and meaningful content. 

Focus more on being a brand that is worth mentioning, rather than just trying to hack an algorithm. 

Basically, just do good PR! 

So, is GEO the new SEO? 

Not completely, no.  

SEO is not disappearing or diminishing its significance. GEO is simply adding another layer to the existing puzzle of brand visibility. 

The brands that will win this race are those that will bring SEO, meaningful content, good PR, social relevance, and brand reputation together. It’s all about creating a digital footprint that audiences, users, and AI tools will trust. 

Because the next time someone asks an AI-powered tool “Which brand should I choose?”, you don’t just want your brand to rank higher. You want your brand to be the ANSWER!