In our last blog post, we wrote about the differences between SEO and GEO. Essentially, search engine optimization helps your content get ranked in a traditional search, while generative engine optimization helps artificial intelligence tools surface your content.
Note: If you haven’t already started there, we recommend going back and reading Part 1!
SEO and GEO are one word apart—but that word can dramatically change your content marketing strategy.
In Part 2, we’ll attempt to definitively answer a question we keep running into….
Is GEO Replacing SEO?
The short answer is: No. Both play a role in ensuring that your content gets seen online.
However, it is important for GEO to be considered during the content creation and content marketing process as much as SEO. If you’re not already having this conversation with your marketing team, this is the right time to start!
But SEO still matters: Search engines like Google, Bing, and others continue to rely on crawled and indexed websites to provide answers. What’s changing is how those answers are delivered. AI-generated summaries are now posted at the top of the page after you search for something on Google. This means users might not scroll down to the results below.
For greater visibility, you might want your link featured within that summary—while also being ranked in the listings below.
AI will choose your website for this if it recognizes your website as an authority on the topics that matter. And interested searchers may click through to learn more.
Start the Conversation: How Can Your Web Team Address This Shift?
- Continue to Apply SEO: Crawlability, site structure, backlinks, and quality content remain important.
- But…Layer in GEO Strategies: Structure your content for clarity. Use informal language, address common questions, and ensure items are labeled clearly.
- Embrace Structure: Formatting (like bullet lists) helps both search engines and generative models interpret and promote your content more effectively.
- Build Brand Authority: Showcasing your expertise helps for both SEO and GEO.
In short, you’ll now want SEO and GEO. If you’re wondering what that looks like for your company, we’re happy to audit your current web content and help get you started!