Every business wants one thing; to appear on page one of Google.
That matters even more when you remember that Google processes about 8.5 billion searches every day – and roughly 15% of those queries have never been seen before.
But as AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot and Perplexity become more popular for answering everyday questions, online visibility is no longer just about ranking, it’s also about being referenced, quoted or summarised directly in the AI’s response.
This shift is introducing a new layer to digital marketing: Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO. While SEO is still very much alive and essential, GEO helps ensure your brand remains part of the conversation when AI delivers answers instead of links. At Brace, we are already including GEO practices within our SEO strategy. Search is evolving, and your strategy should evolve with it.
From Search Engines to Answer Engines
Traditional SEO is about getting your content found by Google and clicked on by people. That is still incredibly important, especially for e-commerce, local services, or when someone is ready to buy, book or contact you. For these kinds of high-intent searches, Google remains the go-to platform and is likely to stay that way.
However, AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity and others are quickly becoming the first place people go when they have questions. These could be anything from “how to clean white trainers” to “best ways to save on energy bills”. These tools generate answers instantly, often without showing the source. That means your content must now do more than rank; it must be usable, understandable and quotable by AI. Google’s new AI-powered summaries (known as Overviews) are a case in point: brands that optimise for AI Overviews stand a far better chance of being cited. The same applies when Alexa or Google Assistant recommends a local provider.
It is also worth noting that AI platforms are starting to recommend local and trusted businesses when users ask directly for services. Whether someone is speaking to Alexa, Google Assistant or asking ChatGPT for “a reliable plumber in Bristol”, the AI might surface a shortlist of nearby providers. The businesses that are best structured and most clearly represented online are more likely to be included in those suggestions. This makes your local SEO and reputation management even more important.
What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?
GEO is the practice of optimising your content so it is more likely to be used in AI-generated answers. It is about ensuring your expertise can be discovered and understood by large language models, the same way SEO helps Google understand and rank your content.
This includes:
- – Writing clearly and directly, especially in question-and-answer formats
- – Using consistent brand mentions and expert phrasing
- – Structuring content with headings, bullet points and FAQs that AIs can easily parse
- – Adding schema markup and structured data to help machines interpret your pages
In other words, if SEO gets you found in search results, GEO helps you be quoted in AI responses.
SEO is not dead. GEO builds on it.
There is a lot of noise out there suggesting that AI is killing traditional SEO, that is simply not true. SEO remains the foundation for online visibility, particularly when someone is looking to act – 90% of pages get zero organic traffic, underscoring just how critical solid optimisation still is.
Whether someone is trying to find a plumber near them, browse holiday packages, or compare service prices, they still go to Google. And Google still values high-quality content and technical optimisation.
In fact, AI models often use websites that rank well on Google as their source of truth. That means strong SEO can actually support your visibility in AI tools.
GEO does not replace SEO; it builds on it. At Brace, we make sure your content is optimised for both search engines and AI tools so your brand is visible wherever people are looking.
What’s in it for You?
So why should you care about GEO? Because visibility is no longer limited to ten blue links. People are getting their answers from many sources, and you need to be in those answers.
More exposure, even without a click
If your business is mentioned, quoted or used as a source in AI-generated content, it increases your brand visibility, even if the user never lands on your site.
Builds trust and authority
When AI tools reference your expertise, it positions you as a trusted voice in your industry.
You stay part of the buying journey
Even if AI provides the first touchpoint, users often go on to search, compare and purchase. GEO helps you stay present in that journey.
Future-proofing your content
Search behaviour is changing. By adapting now, you are setting yourself up for long-term success.
What Brace Does Differently
At Brace, we are not separating GEO from SEO. Instead, we see it as a natural evolution of how people search. Our SEO strategies already include:
- – AI-friendly content structures that are easy to understand and reuse
- – Schema markup, FAQs and formatting designed to support both Google and AI platforms
- – Content strategies that answer real user questions in natural, helpful ways
- – Technical audits ensuring your website is fast and optimised for both humans and AI bots
- – Ongoing research into how AI tools surface and summarise information
You do not need to choose between SEO and AI. We make sure your business is discoverable on Google, but also positioned to be part of AI-generated answers when it counts. By aligning every piece with Google’s helpful content framework, your pages will perform in both traditional results and AI-powered summaries, giving you an advantage over competitors that don’t.
Final thoughts: SEO still matters. GEO just makes it Stronger.
Your website is still a key part of how people find and trust you. Google is still a major player, and that is not changing overnight. But the way people search is expanding, and your strategy needs to expand with it.
At Brace, we help you stay visible wherever your audience is looking, whether that is on a search results page or inside a chatbot. GEO is not a replacement for SEO. It is the next step.
Ready to make sure your content is future-proof? Let us help you move from page one to prompt one.
Get in touch with our team today or call us on 01452 729 953.
