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This is how you get started with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

This is how you get started with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) We can no longer ignore it: Artificial Intelligence has an increasing role in people's online behavior. So too in search behavior. At a time of increasing digital competition, Generative Engine Optimization offers the tools needed to stay ahead in the world of search engines. Research by the Central Bureau of Statistics shows that almost a quarter of the Dutch use artificial intelligence. For example, to generate videos, images and text. But AI now also offers alternatives to traditional search engines. Is your website already prepared for this new search behavior of (potential) customers?

Interested? Call or email us

The core of SEO

Before we answer the question of what GEO is, let's refresh on what SEO stands for. SEO means Search Engine Optimization. This means that you make sure search engines can read the website properly and thus assess its value. With good SEO, you ensure that your website is displayed prominently in search results.

What does GEO stand for?

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. With GEO, you make sure your website is found well within AI environments, such as ChatGPT. Think of it as SEO for AI. Generative machines do not search for content, but generate content based on existing information. GEO therefore requires different digital strategies than SEO. SEO remains important to remain findable in search engines. But with GEO, you ensure that you remain findable and visible in a world where AI increasingly determines what people see.

The main features of GEO:

1. Improved search engine interaction: Search engines are becoming better able to understand the context and meaning of content through the use of generative AI.

2. Adaptive and Dynamic: Content can be quickly adjusted based on search trends and user behavior.

3.Generating content based on search intent: GEO uses AI to generate answers based on different sources. These answers closely match users' search intent.

The differences between SEO and GEO

With SEO, the goal is to lead a user to your website through a clickable link. AI models work differently. Therefore, with GEO, you want to ensure that your content can be generated in the responses of an AI model. In other words; your information is displayed as an answer.

With GEO, the emphasis on keywords becomes less important. In-depth and relevant content, on the other hand, is very important if you want to score with GEO. In fact, GEO uses machine-learning technologies to improve results. AI models can process large amounts of data, recognize patterns in it and generate new, valuable content based on it that targets a specific user search query.

	SEO	GEO
Optimization for:	Search engines	AI models
The goal:	Directing users to your website via a clickable link	Integrating your content into the responses of AI models
Main focus in your text:	Keywords and backlinks	In-depth and relevant content
Uses AI to:	Finding information	Finding and understanding information
Name recognition:	Indirectly important	Immediately important

How to GEO-proof your website.

1: Implement extensive structured data

Structured data helps AI models better understand your content. This goes beyond basic schema markup. Websites with extensive structured data are nearly 40% more likely to get featured snippets than websites with only basic schema markup. An example of extended integration for the article you're reading now:

{

"@context": "https://schema.org",

"@type": "Article",

"headline": "Here's how to get started with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)",

"author": {

"@type": "Person",

"name": "Expert Name",

"jobTitle": "SEO Expert",

"url": "https://www.example.com/expert-naam"

},

"publisher": {

"@type": "Organization",

"name": "Economy",

"logo": {

"@type": "ImageObject",

"url": "https://www.economy.nl/logo.png"

}

},

"datePublished": "2024-12-04",

"dateModified": "2024-12-04",

"mainEntityOfPage": {

"@type": "WebPage",

"@id": "https://www.economy.nl/geo-artikel"

},

"image": "https://www.economy.nl/images/geo-article.jpg",

"description": "Learn how to effectively get started with Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to optimize your content for AI and search engines.",

"articleSection": "SEO Tips",

"keywords": "Generative Engine Optimization, GEO, SEO, AI Content, Search Engine Optimization",

"about": {

"@type": "Thing",

"name": "Generative Engine Optimization".

},

"inLanguage": "nl",

"wordCount": "1200",

"potentialAction": {

"@type": "ReadAction",

"target": [

“https://www.economy.nl/geo-artikel”

]

}

Explanation

-@type: Article indicates an article, which is relevant for content indexing.

-authorThe author is a SEO Expert, called as Expert Name.

-publisher: Displays the publishing organization, including the logo.

-datePublished and dateModified: Include the publication date, this is important for timeliness.

-mainEntityOfPage: Denotes the main URL of the article.

-keywords and articleSection: Contain key search terms to increase relevance.

-potentialAction: Suggests that the article can be read, which is useful for rich snippets.

2: Create High-Quality Content

With Generative Engine Optimization, the content on your website becomes more important than ever. You now want not only humans, but AI models to understand your website. There are several gears you can turn to improve your content for GEO.

Semantic relationships

In SEO, keywords play an important role in your content. When writing a text about keyboards, traditional SEO would focus on keywords like:

-best keyboard
-buy keyboard
-inexpensive keyboard

For GEO, you have to think in meaning relationships, also called semantic relationships. Examples of meaning relationships are:

-Relationship with laptops (wireless, wired)
-Connecting with use cases (typing texts, controlling music and videos)
-Context of use (home, office)
-Technical aspects (letter layouts, key types)

Good content structure

In addition, machine learning models understand content better when it is logically structured. This was already important for SEO as well, but with GEO it goes beyond headings and paragraphs. Tips for good GEO content structure:

-Build your text logically from base to detail
-Start with a clear explanation or definition
-Make connections clear, use relational words (therefore, because, thereby)
-Support your arguments with sources and/or data

Test different content formats

Of course, we'd love to give you the golden formula for the best GEO. But this varies from client to client and website to website. Therefore, it is important to test and optimize different content formats.

By testing formats like bullet points, lists and Q&A structures, you make sure your content is more easily included in conversations with AI-driven search engines. And realize that there's more to content than text. For example, videos can generate more shares, infographics can provide more backlinks and long-form content can generate more time on-page. Monitor your listings in SearchGPT, for example, and see how your content scores. Start small, measure the results and adjust as needed.

3: PR and content marketing

For SEO, it is important that your name is mentioned in various places. In GEO, it is still important how often your brand is mentioned, but the way your name is mentioned is now more important. For example, a sustainable clothing brand is shown more often in SearchGPT after being mentioned in different ways by:

-Fashion blogs about sustainable fashion
-Articles on sustainable business
-Interviews with designers in magazines
-Remarks in lists of shopping tips

Developing a branding strategy that goes beyond link building is therefore highly recommended.

SEO still important

Is it done with SEO and traditional search engines? No, definitely not. ChatGPT now processes about 10 million searches a day. Against Google's 8.5 billion searches, of course, this is still nothing. For now, Google remains dominant with over 90% market share. But we foresee great growth in the use of AI search models. Therefore, be prepared and integrate a GEO strategy as well.

Economy's SEO Expert Bryan Vijfvinkel explains, "I foresee SEO and GEO co-existing for now. Chances are if Google launches an AI-driven search model, it will reduce the use of traditional search engines. But Google Gemini has so far not been able to assume that role. For now, see GEO as a complement and not a replacement for your current SEO strategy.'

Are you ready to incorporate the power of Generative Engine Optimization into your marketing strategy? Contact us today to find out how GEO can enhance your SEO efforts!