What Is GEO?
How GEO works
Generative engines answer from sources they trust. GEO earns that trust three ways: publishing genuinely citable content the model has a reason to quote; keeping your entity data (name, services, locations) consistent everywhere the model looks; and earning presence on the third-party pages models read, not just your own site. Because models re-cite sources they already trust, early and consistent presence compounds into a durable citation moat.
GEO vs AEO vs SEO
SEO ranks a page in classic search. AEO gets your answer surfaced in Google's own answer features (AI Overviews, snippets). GEO gets you cited inside standalone generative assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity. They overlap on foundation — schema, entities, quality content — but aim at different surfaces. A complete AI-search program covers all three.
Is GEO worth it?
If your buyers research with assistants — increasingly common in B2B and considered purchases — then being the cited recommendation is high-intent visibility most competitors aren't buying yet. The cheapest GEO win is usually fixing inconsistent entity data, the top reason a model simply never mentions a business.
GEO FAQ
What does GEO stand for?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization — optimizing so generative AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Copilot cite and recommend your business.
How is GEO different from AEO?
AEO targets Google's own answer features (AI Overviews, featured snippets, People-Also-Ask). GEO targets standalone generative assistants (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot). Both build on the same foundation but aim at different surfaces.
How do I get cited by ChatGPT or Perplexity?
Publish genuinely citable content (original data, first-hand expertise), keep your entity data consistent everywhere the model looks, earn presence on the third-party sources it reads, then track which prompts surface you and improve the pages that don't.
How much does GEO cost?
For most businesses it runs a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a month as part of a managed program. See our GEO cost guide for current ranges.
Related: GEO cost guide, what is AEO, and AI SEO vs SEO.