GEO is the work on visibility in generative answers. It tracks whether a system mentions the brand, uses its content, links to the source and gets the facts right.
What is GEO?
A generative system can put together one continuous answer where search used to show a list of links. GEO focuses on whether a site or brand shows up in that layer. You can't force a citation or a recommendation, though.
This covers Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT with search, Perplexity and other products. Each works with different models, indexes and rules for picking sources.
How does GEO work?
GEO isn't a new discipline. It's SEO with an extra layer of LLM intent. The practical foundation is an accessible site, good original content, consistent entities, internal links, verifiable authorship and a reputation beyond your own domain.
The new layer is measurement with a stable set of prompts. Track mentions, citations, links, accuracy and competitors. The results fluctuate, so evaluate them as a sample.
Why GEO matters
Some searches end right inside the AI answer. A brand can gain or lose visibility before anyone visits the site.
GEO still doesn't come before the SEO basics. Google doesn't require any special schema or AI file for its AI features. Fix accessibility, content and trust first.