Search is changing faster than ever and now we have generative engine optimization. For years, businesses focused on SEO (Search Engine Optimization) to climb Google’s rankings. But now, we are entering a new era driven by AI-powered search assistants like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity and Claude. These tools do not just point users to websites. They generate answers.
That shift is giving rise to a new discipline: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).
What is GEO?
Generative Engine Optimization is the practice of shaping your digital presence so AI search engines recognize, understand, and feature your brand in their generated responses. Instead of optimizing for a single set of keywords on a search results page, you are now optimizing for how AI engines describe your business in natural language.
Think of GEO as SEO’s evolution:
- SEO: Ranking higher on Google for targeted search queries.
- GEO: Becoming the trusted source that AI assistants reference directly in their answers.
In other words, GEO is about being included in the answer itself, not just linked as a resource.
Why GEO Matters Now
AI-driven search is not a far-off trend. It is already here. Millions of people now ask generative engines for recommendations on everything from restaurants to real estate to B2B software. If your brand is not represented in these answers, you are invisible to a growing share of searchers.
Businesses that adapt early to GEO will gain a major competitive edge. Those that ignore it risk falling behind.
How GEO Works
Generative engines rely on three main factors when deciding what to surface:
- Authority and Trustworthiness: Engines pull from brands with clear expertise, strong reputations, and credible signals.
- Structured, Accessible Content: AI prefers content that is well organized, clearly written, and available in formats it can parse.
- Consistency Across Channels: Your website, social media, press mentions, and reviews should all reinforce the same brand message.
By aligning your marketing with these signals, you increase the odds of being cited in generated answers.
GEO Strategies Businesses Can Use
At Foxtown Marketing, we help clients prepare for this new landscape with actionable GEO strategies, including:
- Content Reframing: Publishing content in Q&A and conversational formats that align with how AI engines answer queries.
- Entity Optimization: Making sure your brand, services, and expertise are clearly defined in ways AI can recognize.
- Structured Data Markup: Using schema and other signals to help engines parse your site more effectively.
- Digital PR: Securing high-quality mentions in trusted publications that generative engines are likely to pull from.
- Monitoring AI Answers: Tracking how engines currently describe your business and optimizing when you are missing or misrepresented.
Case Study: GEO in Action
One of our clients in the home services space wanted to increase visibility for “best HVAC marketing company.” Traditional SEO had them ranking on page one of Google, but they were not showing up in ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overviews.
We optimized their content around conversational Q&A formats, added structured data markup, and boosted credibility with PR outreach. Within three months, their brand began appearing consistently in generative search answers. The result was a measurable increase in inbound leads coming directly from AI-driven platforms.
Preparing for the GEO Era
Just as SEO became a non-negotiable part of digital strategy in the 2010s, GEO will define the 2020s. Businesses that start now will be miles ahead as AI-driven search becomes the default.
At Foxtown Marketing, we are already helping brands navigate this shift, from content strategy to technical optimization to real-time monitoring of generative engines.
The takeaway: GEO is not the future. It is here today. The sooner you adapt, the sooner you will be the business that AI engines trust enough to recommend.
If you need help creating or optimizing your website for generative engine optimization, please contact us for a free consultation.
