BrandViz.AIFree Report
Definitive GuideUpdated Jan 26, 2026•10 min read

What is GEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing your brand to be discovered and recommended by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.

GEO Definition

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of optimizing your brand to be discovered and recommended by AI assistants. Just as SEO helps you rank on Google, GEO helps you get recommended when buyers ask AI for product advice.

Also known as
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and LLMO (LLM Optimization). All three describe the same practice. Learn more →

Why GEO Matters Now

The way people search is changing. Instead of typing keywords into Google and clicking through ten blue links, users increasingly ask AI assistants direct questions - and get direct answers.

2 in 3
use AI chatbots as much or more than Google
50%
of B2B buyers now start their journey in AI
87%
say AI is changing how they research vendors

When an AI answers a product question, it doesn't show a list of links - it makes recommendations. It synthesizes information from across the web and presents what it believes are the best answers. If your brand isn't in that response, you don't exist to that buyer.

Sources: Digital Commerce 360, G2 Research, Oct 2025, G2 Research, Oct 2025

GEO vs SEO: What's the Difference?

GEO and SEO are complementary but distinct disciplines. A strong Google ranking doesn't guarantee AI visibility, and vice versa.

AspectTraditional SEOGEO
GoalRank on page 1 of search resultsGet recommended in AI responses
OutputList of 10 blue linksDirect answer naming your brand
User BehaviorUser clicks through to your siteUser may never visit - AI answered
Key SignalsBacklinks, keywords, page speedCitations, sentiment, authority, recency
MeasurementPosition 1-10 for keywordsMentioned? Recommended? What context?
Time to ImpactWeeks to monthsDays to months (varies by platform)
Key Insight
Brands ranking #1 on Google often aren't mentioned by ChatGPT at all. And brands with modest SEO get recommended consistently because of strong presence on review sites and in discussions. The algorithms are different. The signals are different. You need both.

Other Names for GEO

GEO is a relatively new discipline, and different practitioners use different terms. These all refer to essentially the same practice:

AEO
Answer Engine Optimization

Focuses on appearing in AI "answer engines" like Perplexity that provide direct answers to questions.

LLMO
Large Language Model Optimization

Technical term emphasizing optimization for LLMs like GPT-4, Claude, and Gemini.

AI SEO
AI Search Engine Optimization

Broader term covering optimization for any AI-powered search experience.

AI Visibility
AI Brand Visibility

The outcome GEO aims to achieve - being visible and recommended across AI platforms.

What Influences Your GEO Rankings?

AI platforms don't just make up recommendations. They synthesize information from sources across the web. Understanding these sources is key to improving your visibility.

Review Platforms

G2, Capterra, TrustRadius, and similar sites heavily influence AI recommendations. Your profile completeness, review volume, and ratings all matter.

Community Discussions

Reddit threads, Hacker News discussions, and forum posts shape how AI perceives your brand. Authentic engagement matters more than promotion.

Authoritative Publications

Mentions in trusted industry publications, news outlets, and thought leadership content carry significant weight with AI models.

Your Own Content

Documentation, blog posts, and landing pages - especially those with clear, structured information that AI can easily parse and cite.

Entity Recognition

Wikipedia entries, Wikidata records, and consistent naming across the web help AI recognize your brand as a distinct entity.

The tricky part is knowing which sources matter most for your specific category. GEO tools like BrandViz.AI show you exactly which sources AI cites when recommending products like yours - so you know where to focus.

How to Get Started with GEO

1

Benchmark Your Current Visibility

Before optimizing, understand where you stand. Query ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity with questions your buyers ask. Note whether you're mentioned, how you're described, and which competitors appear. Tools like BrandViz.AI automate this across all four platforms.

2

Identify Your Priority Queries

List the questions your ideal customers ask when looking for solutions like yours. Focus on high-intent queries: "best X for Y", "X vs Y comparison", "alternatives to Z".

3

Audit Your Sources

Examine the sources AI cites when discussing your category. Are you present on those platforms? Is your information current and accurate? Identify gaps.

4

Implement Quick Wins

Update review profiles with current features, add structured data to your site, ensure consistent naming across platforms. These changes can impact visibility within days.

5

Track Progress Over Time

GEO isn't a one-time project. AI platforms update their knowledge continuously. Monitor your visibility regularly to catch changes and prove ROI.

GEO Tools & Measurement

Unlike SEO where you can check Google rankings manually, tracking GEO performance across multiple AI platforms (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity) requires specialized tools that query these platforms systematically with buying-intent scenarios relevant to your market.

BrandViz.AI is purpose-built for this - it tracks visibility across all four major AI platforms (over 80% market share), generates queries tailored to your buyer journey, and provides specific actions to improve your recommendations.

For a broader comparison of available tools, see our AI visibility tools comparison.

Frequently Asked Questions About GEO

What does GEO stand for?

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. It refers to the practice of optimizing your brand's presence and content so that AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity (representing over 80% of the AI assistant market) mention and recommend you when users ask relevant questions.

What is the difference between GEO and SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on ranking your website in Google's list of links. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) focuses on getting your brand recommended in AI-generated responses. SEO success means appearing on page 1. GEO success means being the brand AI actually suggests when someone asks "What's the best tool for X?"

Is GEO the same as AEO or LLMO?

Yes, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), and LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization) all refer to the same practice: optimizing your brand to appear in AI-generated responses. Different practitioners use different terms, but the goal is identical.

Why does GEO matter for B2B brands?

B2B buyers increasingly use AI assistants to research software and services. Research shows 50% of B2B buyers now start their buying journey in AI chatbots, and 1 in 4 prefer AI over traditional search. When someone asks ChatGPT "What's the best CRM for small businesses?", the AI makes direct recommendations. If your brand isn't mentioned, you've lost that potential customer before they ever visited your website.

How do AI platforms decide which brands to recommend?

AI platforms synthesize information from multiple sources: review sites (G2, Capterra), documentation, Reddit discussions, news articles, and comparison content. They weight factors like recency, source authority, sentiment, and how consistently your brand is mentioned across these sources.

Can you directly control what AI says about your brand?

You cannot directly edit AI responses, but you can influence them by optimizing the sources AI learns from. This includes updating review profiles, creating authoritative content, earning mentions on trusted publications, and ensuring your information is accurate and consistent across the web.

How long does GEO take to show results?

GEO is a longer-term strategy than paid advertising. Quick wins like updating review profiles can show impact within days. More substantial improvements from content creation and PR typically take weeks to months, depending on how frequently AI platforms refresh their knowledge.

Does a high Google ranking guarantee AI visibility?

No. Google rankings and AI recommendations use different algorithms and weight different signals. A website ranking #1 on Google might not be mentioned by ChatGPT at all, while a brand with modest SEO might be consistently recommended because of strong presence on review sites and in discussions.

What are the main GEO ranking factors?

Key GEO ranking factors include: presence on authoritative review platforms, mentions in trusted publications, consistent and accurate brand information, fresh and comprehensive content, strong entity recognition (Wikipedia, Wikidata), positive sentiment in discussions, and structured data markup.

How do I measure my GEO performance?

GEO performance is measured by tracking: whether AI mentions your brand for relevant queries, your share of voice compared to competitors, the sentiment of AI descriptions, which sources AI cites about you, and how your visibility changes over time across different AI platforms. Tools like BrandViz.AI automate this tracking across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.