AI search glossary

    What is GEO?

    Also known as: Generative engine optimisation

    GEO is the work of getting a business or its content named and cited inside answers written by AI systems.

    The term comes from a 2023 research paper by Aggarwal and colleagues (Princeton University and IIT Delhi), published at KDD 2024.

    Google's position is that optimising for its generative AI search is still SEO.

    Why it matters for your business

    Buyers increasingly ask AI tools for recommendations instead of scrolling through links. GEO is the name for the work of being one of the businesses those tools name.

    The original research found that certain content changes, like adding sources, quotations and statistics, made pages more visible in generative answers in the authors' tests.

    How it works

    1. 1

      Be findable

      AI systems that search the web need to be able to crawl and index your pages.

    2. 2

      Be quotable

      Clear, factual sentences with sources are easier for an AI to lift into an answer and cite.

    3. 3

      Be corroborated

      Mentions of your business on other trusted sites give AI systems a reason to believe what your site says.

    Common misunderstandings

    Myth

    GEO replaces SEO.

    Reality

    Google says optimising for its AI features is still SEO. Most GEO work builds on good SEO rather than replacing it.

    Myth

    There is a secret file or markup that gets you into AI answers.

    Reality

    Google says there is no special markup or file needed for its AI features.

    What to do about it

    • Make sure your key pages are indexed and allowed to show snippets.
    • Rewrite core pages so each opens with a direct answer to one question.
    • Add sources and real numbers where you make claims.
    • Earn mentions on industry sites, directories and media your buyers trust.

    Questions people ask

    Where does the term GEO come from?

    A 2023 research paper by Aggarwal and colleagues from Princeton University and IIT Delhi, published at KDD 2024.

    Is GEO different from AEO?

    Slightly. AEO began with featured snippets and voice answers; GEO focuses on AI-written answers. In practice the work overlaps heavily.

    See where your business stands

    Run the Free Check

    Sources

    Answers that explain this

    Related terms

    AEOSEOAI search

    Defined by Dr. Radhakrishnan KG, founder of WebNamaste · Reviewed 6 October 2026