GEO: The New SEO — How to Get Recommended in AI Search Engines

Search is changing — fast.
ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and other AI-driven engines are reshaping how people find information, products, and services. Instead of typing keywords into Google and scrolling through ten blue links, users now describe their needs and get a direct, reasoned recommendation from an LLM.

This shift demands a new discipline: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).

GEO is the process of optimizing your brand, content, and presence so that AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity recommend you as the top solution when users ask, “What’s the best [X] for [Y]?”

Use these strategies to land your first biggest deal, directly from an AI search referral. Here’s the framework.

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The New Search Landscape

AI search engines don’t behave like Google.
Where Google uses backlinks, click data, and engagement metrics, LLMs rely on context, credibility, and consensus.

They don’t just crawl web pages — they synthesize reasoning based on:

• Up-to-date, structured content
• Brand mentions across trusted sources
• Reviews, listicles, and social consensus
• Logical, educational, non-promotional writing

LLMs like ChatGPT Search analyze your brand across your website, media coverage, review platforms, and social presence — not just your homepage.

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How AI Search Differs from Google

Bottom line: Google rewards clicks. AI search rewards clarity and consensus.

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The GEO Fundamentals

Before optimizing, make sure LLMs can read and understand your site.

1. Ensure LLM Accessibility

LLMs don’t render JavaScript like browsers do.
Check your site’s raw HTML (disable JavaScript with Ctrl + Shift + P → Disable JavaScript) — if your content disappears, it’s invisible to AI crawlers.

Also, review your robots.txt file. Don’t block crucial folders or assets from crawling.

2. Add Structured Data

Use schema markup (Organization, Product, Review, Certification schemas).
Tests show that identical pages — one with schema, one without — result in LLMs choosing the structured one for recommendations. Schema adds context, credibility, and machine readability.

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The 10 Best Practices for GEO

1. Build Brand Mentions

LLMs form “entity embeddings.”
The more your brand appears in authoritative contexts, the more likely it is to be associated with relevant searches.
Get cited in:

• Listicles (“Best [tool] for [use case]”)
• Industry blogs
• Forums and community discussions (Reddit, Quora)

2. Ditch Marketing Speak

Stop selling. Start explaining.
AI prefers logical, fact-based comparisons over fluff.

✅ “Our returns management solution automates global returns for retailers in 170+ countries.”
❌ “We’re an award-winning leader redefining the future of returns.”

Write like a smart friend explaining how your product works — short, clear, and structured.

3. Create BOFU Content at Scale

LLMs love comparison and listicle content.
Create “best of,” “alternatives,” and “vs.” pages positioning your product as #1 with detailed reasoning.
Examples:

• Best AI Prompt Builders 2025
• Best Email Marketing Tools for Small Businesses
• [Your Brand] vs [Competitor]

4. Get Featured in “Best Software for X” Lists

LLMs prioritize consensus.
If multiple sites mention you, ChatGPT will likely recommend you.
If only one does, you’re invisible.
So — pitch your inclusion in multiple listicles.

5. Leverage PR with Media Partners

OpenAI and Anthropic have partnerships with major publishers (AP, FT, Vox, The Guardian, etc.).
Getting mentioned in one of these outlets massively increases your GEO footprint — those sites directly feed model training and retrieval datasets.

6. Strengthen Review Platform Profiles

LLMs cross-reference reviews from G2, Capterra, TrustPilot, and Reddit.
Encourage real customers to leave reviews, and have your team engage in relevant Reddit threads with rational, useful input — not promotion.

7. Verify and Optimize for Bing

ChatGPT Search uses Bing as a data source.
If your site isn’t indexed on Bing, you won’t appear in AI search results.
Use Bing Search Console to verify and monitor your indexed pages.

8. Build a Visible Social Presence

LLMs scan YouTube, TikTok, LinkedIn, and X posts for brand mentions and contextual insights.
Your thought leadership videos, case studies, and how-tos all strengthen brand embeddings.

9. Keep Content Fresh

AI models prioritize recency.
Update old pages regularly with current stats, examples, and comparisons.
Stale content = dropped visibility.

10. Produce Content That’s Not in Pretraining Data

If an LLM already knows something (e.g., “how to drink more water”), it won’t reference your content.
Focus on new data, novel insights, and untrained niches where your expertise fills the gap.

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Tracking GEO Performance

GEO isn’t measured in keyword rankings — it’s measured in recommendations.
Track:

• Traffic from LLMs (referrers like perplexity.ai or chat.openai.com)
• Lead attribution from AI mentions
• Recommendation appearance frequency (when your brand shows up in AI results)
• How AI perceives your brand — test prompts like “best [tool for X]” and note your inclusion.

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The Bottom Line

SEO made brands visible.
GEO makes them recommended.

This isn’t about gaming algorithms anymore — it’s about teaching AI systems why you’re the best solution. That means:

• Writing for clarity.
• Building real authority.
• Being visible across structured, reputable, and community-driven platforms.

AI search is where customers now make decisions.
If you’re not being recommended, you’re already behind.