What Is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)? How AI Search Changes Everything

Curated by Matt Perry

CTO

From an AI prompt

24 February 2026

Search Is Changing. Fast.

For two decades, getting found online meant one thing: ranking on Google. That is no longer the full picture. Millions of people now ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot, and Google's own AI Overviews for recommendations, answers, and business suggestions. Instead of scrolling through ten blue links, they get a direct, conversational answer.

Gartner predicts that by the end of 2026, 25% of all searches will happen through AI-powered interfaces. That is a quarter of your potential customers using a completely different route to find businesses like yours. Google's AI Overviews already appear above traditional search results for many queries, pushing organic listings further down the page.

If your business only focuses on traditional SEO, you are missing a growing channel. The businesses that adapt now will be the ones customers find first.

What Is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?

Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO, is the practice of making your business visible in AI-generated search results. Think of it as SEO for AI assistants.

When someone asks ChatGPT "best web design agency in Manchester" or Perplexity "who can help my small business with AI," the AI reads, summarises, and recommends from the content it finds across the web. GEO is what determines whether your business gets mentioned in that answer or gets overlooked entirely.

GEO builds on traditional SEO but adds new requirements. It is not about gaming an algorithm. It is about making your content clear, authoritative, and structured so that AI systems can understand and cite it accurately. You can learn more about how this fits into a broader strategy through our digital growth services.

How Is GEO Different from Traditional SEO?

SEO and GEO share the same goal: getting your business found. But they work differently in practice.

SEO focuses on keywords and rankings. You research what people type into Google, then create content around those terms. Success means appearing on page one for your target searches.

GEO focuses on being the answer. Instead of ranking for a keyword, your goal is to be the business that AI recommends when someone asks a question. The AI does not show a list of ten results. It gives one or two direct answers.

SEO relies on meta tags and backlinks. These signals tell Google your page is relevant and trustworthy. They still matter, but they are not the whole story.

GEO relies on structured data, authority signals, and clear factual content. AI systems need to understand exactly what your business does, where you operate, and why you are credible. Schema markup, consistent business information, and well-written expert content carry more weight.

The good news is that GEO does not replace SEO. They work together. Strong SEO gives you the foundation that GEO builds on. A business with good traditional SEO is already halfway to being visible in AI search results. To see how we bring both together, explore our GEO and AI search service.

How Do AI Search Engines Decide What to Show?

Understanding how AI search works helps you see why GEO matters. Traditional search engines index web pages and rank them by relevance. AI search engines do something fundamentally different.

They read and summarise web content, not just index it. When you ask Perplexity a question, it does not just point you to a web page. It reads multiple sources, pulls out the key information, and presents a combined answer. Your content needs to be clear enough for an AI to understand and quote accurately.

They prioritise content from authoritative, well-structured sources. AI systems look for signals that your content is trustworthy. This includes consistent business information across the web, expert credentials, citations from other reputable sources, and well-organised page structure.

Schema markup helps AI understand your content. Structured data (the code behind your web pages that describes your content to machines) is more important than ever. It tells AI systems exactly what your business does, your location, your services, your reviews, and your expertise.

Clear, factual writing gets cited more than marketing fluff. AI systems are trained to identify and prioritise informative, accurate content. Vague marketing language gets skipped. Specific, helpful information gets quoted.

Citations and mentions from other websites signal trustworthiness. When other reputable sites reference your business or link to your content, AI systems treat your information as more reliable. This is similar to backlinks in traditional SEO, but the emphasis is on quality and relevance over quantity.

What Can You Do Right Now?

You do not need to overhaul your entire digital presence overnight. Here are practical steps you can take today to start improving your visibility in AI search results.

1. Make sure your website has proper structured data (schema markup). This is the single most impactful thing you can do. Schema markup tells AI systems exactly what your business offers, where you are, and what makes you credible. If your website does not have schema markup, AI systems are guessing about your business instead of knowing.

2. Write clear, factual content that answers specific questions. Think about what your customers ask you most often, then answer those questions directly on your website. "What does a web design agency do?" "How much does AI integration cost for a small business?" "What is the best CRM for a team of five?" Answer these clearly and you give AI systems content they can quote.

3. Build authority through consistent, expert content. Regular blog posts, case studies, and guides that demonstrate genuine expertise in your field signal to AI systems that you are a credible source. Quality matters far more than quantity.

4. Ensure your business information is consistent across the web (NAP). Your Name, Address, and Phone number should be identical everywhere they appear: your website, Google Business Profile, directories, social media profiles. Inconsistencies confuse AI systems and reduce trust.

5. Get listed in relevant directories and industry publications. Being mentioned on trusted industry websites and directories gives AI systems additional signals that your business is legitimate and active in your field.

6. Keep your Google Business Profile up to date. AI systems, including Google's own AI Overviews, pull data from Google Business Profiles. Make sure yours is complete, accurate, and regularly updated with posts, photos, and correct opening hours.

If you want help putting these steps into action, take a look at our SEO and ad management services for a structured approach.

Who Is Already Doing This Well?

You might wonder what separates businesses that already appear in AI search results from those that do not. The pattern is consistent.

Businesses with strong brand authority and consistent information. Companies that have maintained accurate, detailed information across multiple platforms are the first to appear in AI results. Their digital footprint is clear and unambiguous.

Companies that publish helpful, expert content regularly. Businesses that have invested in genuine thought leadership, answering real customer questions with real expertise, give AI systems plenty of high-quality content to draw from.

Organisations with comprehensive structured data on their websites. Websites with thorough schema markup make it easy for AI systems to understand and recommend them. This is a technical advantage that pays off across every AI platform.

Businesses that invest in both traditional and AI-optimised search. The most visible businesses treat SEO and GEO as complementary. They rank well on Google and get recommended by AI assistants, covering both bases.

The Opportunity for UK Businesses

GEO is still relatively new, and that is exactly why it represents such a strong opportunity for UK businesses right now.

Less competition. Most businesses have not even heard of GEO yet. While your competitors focus exclusively on traditional SEO, you can get ahead in AI search results with less effort than it takes to rank for competitive keywords on Google.

Early mover advantage. Businesses that start building their GEO presence now will have months or even years of authority built up by the time competitors catch on. AI systems favour established, consistently cited sources.

Modest investment. Many GEO improvements, like adding structured data, writing clear content, and maintaining consistent business information, do not require a large budget. They require attention and consistency, which any business can provide.

Double benefit. Here is the best part. Almost everything you do for GEO also improves your traditional SEO. Better structured data, clearer content, more authority signals: these all help you rank higher on Google too. You are not choosing between two strategies. You are strengthening both at once.

We wrote a detailed piece on the evolution from traditional SEO to generative engine optimisation that covers the technical background in more depth.

How Original Objective Can Help

We offer GEO as part of our digital growth services. We handle the technical side so you can focus on running your business.

Structured data implementation. We audit your website and add comprehensive schema markup that helps AI systems understand your business, services, location, and expertise. This is the foundation everything else builds on.

Content strategy for AI visibility. We help you plan and create content that both human readers and AI systems value. Clear, authoritative, well-structured content that answers real questions and demonstrates genuine expertise.

Authority building. We develop strategies to increase your business's citations and mentions across trusted platforms, building the trust signals that AI systems look for when deciding which businesses to recommend.

Performance tracking across traditional and AI search. We monitor how your business appears in both Google search results and AI-generated answers, giving you a complete picture of your online visibility.

GEO is not a passing trend. It is the next evolution of how people find businesses online. The question is not whether AI search will affect your business, but whether you will be ready when it does.

If you want to find out where your business stands and what you can do about it, get in touch for a conversation about GEO and what it could mean for your business. You can also sign up for our AI Growth Newsletter to stay ahead of changes like these.