SEO vs GEO: What's Actually Different

You've spent years learning SEO. Now there's this "GEO" thing everyone's talking about. Is it the same? Different? Do you need to start over?

Let's cut through the confusion.

The core difference in one sentence

SEO: Getting your pages to rank in search engine results (primarily Google).

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): Getting your brand mentioned and recommended by AI tools (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, etc.).

One optimizes for rankings. The other optimizes for recommendations.

How users experience each one

This is where it really clicks.

The SEO user journey

1. User types a query into Google
2. User sees ranked results (the famous 10 blue links)
3. User clicks on several results, reads pages
4. User forms their own opinion based on what they read
5. User makes a decision

The user evaluates multiple sources and decides for themselves.

The GEO user journey

1. User asks AI a question
2. AI provides a direct answer, often with specific recommendations
3. User frequently accepts the recommendation
4. User takes action based on AI's answer

The AI evaluates sources and makes the recommendation. The user often never clicks through to any website.

See the difference? In SEO, you compete for clicks. In GEO, you compete for recommendations.

Side-by-side comparison

What SEO does that GEO doesn't

Technical optimization matters more in SEO

SEO cares deeply about:

• Page load speed
• Mobile responsiveness
• Crawlability
• URL structure
• Meta tags

GEO cares less about these technical factors. AI tools process content differently than search crawlers.

Keyword optimization is an SEO thing

SEO involves:

• Keyword research
• Targeting keywords in titles and headers
• Thinking about keyword density

GEO focuses on semantic understanding. AI understands what you mean, not just the specific words you use. Keyword stuffing is pointless.

Link building tactics differ

SEO values:

• Number of backlinks
• Anchor text of links
• Link acquisition strategies

GEO values authority, which links signal, but the mechanism is different. AI doesn't count your links. It assesses whether you seem trustworthy based on many signals.

What GEO does that SEO doesn't

Direct answer optimization

GEO emphasizes:

• Actually answering user questions directly
• Structuring content so AI can extract it
• Creating information AI can confidently cite

SEO content might optimize for keywords without ever clearly answering the question.

Multi-platform presence

GEO tracks visibility across:

• ChatGPT
• Perplexity
• Claude
• Gemini
• Grok

SEO primarily focuses on Google (and sometimes Bing).

Recommendation quality

GEO cares about:

• Being recommended vs. just being found
• How you're described in AI responses
• The sentiment of AI mentions

SEO cares about clicks, not recommendations.

Where they overlap (good news)

Despite the differences, there's significant overlap. A lot of your SEO work already helps GEO.

Content quality matters for both

Both reward:

• Comprehensive content
• Authoritative information
• Well-organized structure
• Clear, useful writing

Good content helps SEO and GEO.

Authority signals matter for both

Both consider:

• Third-party mentions
• Domain credibility
• Expertise signals

Building authority helps both channels.

User intent matters for both

Both care about:

• Matching what users actually want
• Providing relevant information
• Solving user problems

Understanding and serving user intent is foundational to both.

Should you focus on SEO, GEO, or both?

The answer is usually both

For most businesses, you need both. Here's why:

SEO: Still drives significant traffic. Google isn't disappearing.

GEO: Growing rapidly. Early movers build advantages that compound.

The good news: a lot of the work overlaps. Creating comprehensive, authoritative content helps both.

If resources are limited

Prioritize SEO if:

• Your current traffic is primarily Google organic
• Your audience uses traditional search heavily
• You have an established SEO presence to protect

Prioritize GEO if:

• Your audience is AI-native (tech, younger demographics)
• You're starting fresh with no SEO presence anyway
• Competitors are already winning AI visibility

Balance both if:

• You have both channels to protect
• Resources allow parallel efforts
• You're building for the long term

How to integrate SEO and GEO

Create content that serves both

• Answer questions directly (GEO) with keyword-targeted titles (SEO)
• Structure with headers that work for crawlers and AI
• Build comprehensiveness that signals authority to both

Track each channel separately

Use appropriate tools for each:

• Google Search Console for SEO rankings
• Mentionable for AI visibility
• Analytics for traffic from both sources

Optimize in layers

For key content:

1. Create comprehensive, authoritative content (helps both)
2. Optimize for SEO (keywords, technical factors)
3. Optimize for GEO (structure, direct answers)
4. Build authority (helps both)

The future: these are converging

Google is adding AI (AI Overviews). AI tools are adding search. The lines are blurring.

Future-proofing means:

• Strong content fundamentals
• Clear authority signals
• Presence across platforms
• Adaptability as things change

The businesses doing well in SEO and GEO share the same foundation: genuinely useful content from genuinely credible sources.

Your next steps

1. Audit both channels. Where do you rank in Google? Where do you appear in AI?

2. Identify gaps. Are you strong in one but weak in the other?

3. Prioritize overlap work. Comprehensive, authoritative content helps both.

4. Add channel-specific optimization. Technical SEO for Google, structure for AI.

5. Track both. Use appropriate tools for each channel.

Start by understanding where you stand in both SEO and GEO. Mentionable shows your AI visibility. Google Search Console shows your SEO position. Together, they give you the full picture.