Here’s What You Need to Know

Linley McConnell

The way we search and shop is changing. This year, roughly 50% of Canadians used artificial intelligence (AI) tools for online purchases and product searches. In other words, AI is quickly replacing the traditional ‘Google Search’.

For years, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) or ranking in the number one spot on Google was the cornerstone of digital visibility. But now, Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are reshaping the landscape and the way we find our information. Digital marketers are turning their attention to a new concept: GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization. Instead of optimizing content for Google’s search rankings, companies are now thinking about how to show up in AI-generated answers. And you should be, too.

Let’s Backtrack: What Is SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

(Skip ahead if you don’t need this refresher.) SEO is the practice of optimizing your website and content so that search engines (Google, Bing, etc.) rank your site higher when people search for relevant keywords. Key components of SEO include:

• Keyword Research: Digging into what people are searching for in relation to your business. For example, you may think people are searching for ‘wash and fold’ but keyword data shows that people are searching for ‘personal laundry service’ instead.
• Quality Content: Search platforms reward you for the quality of content; they want to ensure users are finding credible and helpful information.

• On-Page Optimization: (titles, headers, meta descriptions, image alt tags). This means that your website includes keywords that are searched in relation to your business.
• Technical SEO and Backlinks: Site speed, mobile responsiveness and using backlinks, or having other reputable sites to link to you.

What Is GEO?

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. GEO optimizes for generative AI systems, or the recommendation engines, content generation tools and chat assistants that will use AI to search and suggest content. SEO is about responding to queries that people type. GEO is about being discoverable by AI systems that produce or recommend content.

How Does One Optimize for GEO?

GEO is still emerging, and there are some unknowns, but here’s how early adopters are starting to approach it. Traditional SEO focuses on specific search terms. GEO focuses on semantic understanding, or how well AI systems can interpret your content. Here are some tips:

• Use natural-sounding language.
• Include context, e.g., if you’re writing about ‘cashmere’, provide holistic content – fibre structure and environmental benefits – so the AI connects the dots.
• Write in ways that make your content quotable: Include clean, declarative sentences, e.g., ’Cashmere should be dry cleaned to prevent shrinkage’.
• Use question-based headers, e.g., ‘How do you clean silk without damaging it?’
• Build digital credibility, as GEO rewards trust signals. Author biographies, verified company listings and reputable backlinks still matter!
• Update content regularly. AI models prioritize current and accurate data.

And don’t forget to test how AI sees you. Try searching for your own business inside AI engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, etc.) to see if your company and relevant information appear.

Like any new technology, GEO comes with questions and challenges. It’s important to strike a balance between SEO and GEO; they’re meant to complement, not compete. Quality and credibility also matter. It’s also important to note that even if a generative engine recognizes your content, it doesn’t guarantee a human will engage with it. The goal, as always, is to create content worth being discovered by algorithms and by people.

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