GEO and AEO: get found and cited in AI answers
More and more research now starts with a question to an AI assistant or LLM. When a buyer asks which companies can solve their problem, you want to be in the answer. That is what generative engine optimization (GEO), also called answer engine optimization (AEO), is about.
GEO (generative engine optimization) and AEO (answer engine optimization) are two names for the same goal: making your content easy for AI assistants, LLMs and AI search to understand, trust and cite, so your company appears in the answers buyers get from tools like ChatGPT.
How GEO and AEO relate to SEO
SEO aims to rank in a list of search results. GEO and AEO aim to be included in the generated answer itself, which matters because buyers increasingly start their research with an AI assistant instead of a search box. Much of good SEO still helps, so GEO is a layer on top of it, not a replacement. LLMs also draw on what others say about you across the web, not only on your own pages.
What helps AI assistants and LLMs cite you
- Clear structure with descriptive headings and direct answers to the questions people actually ask.
- Consistent facts about your company on your website, LinkedIn and other profiles.
- Visible expertise: named authors, original insight and concrete examples.
- Structured data, fast pages and no accidental blocking of AI crawlers.
- Mentions elsewhere, such as reviews, articles, partner pages and communities.
What to keep in mind
No one can guarantee a placement, and tricks such as keyword stuffing or thin content tend to backfire. The durable approach is to be genuinely the clearest and most credible source on the topics you want to be known for.
How to measure
Regularly test a set of relevant questions in several AI assistants and record whether and how your company appears. Track which of your pages are cited, follow visits that come from AI assistants in your analytics, and compare your visibility with competitors for the same questions.
How we approach it at Stretch
We start with an audit of how AI assistants and LLMs currently describe you for the questions your buyers ask. Then we improve content structure, the consistency of your facts and the technical foundations, and we build the content that answers your buyers' questions most clearly. We track visibility over time and adjust.
Frequently asked questions
GEO stands for generative engine optimization and AEO for answer engine optimization. Both mean improving how well AI assistants, LLMs and AI search tools can understand and cite your content.
No. SEO remains important and much of it also helps GEO and AEO. They add attention to direct answers, consistent facts and credibility across the web.
No one can. AI systems change and decide what to include on their own. You can improve the likelihood by being clear, credible and consistent, and you can track how you appear over time.
Improvements to structure and consistency can be visible within weeks. Building authority and mentions elsewhere takes longer, often several months.
Related
SEO is improving how your website appears in search results for the terms your buyers use, so they find you when they research a problem.
Demand capture means being present and convincing when people are already searching for a solution, through search, paid search and review or comparison moments.
Lead generation is the process of attracting people who may buy from you and capturing their interest, so sales has qualified conversations to work on.