SEO vs GEO: What Small Businesses Need to Know About the Future of Website Visibility

You’ve heard of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), the classic strategy for helping your website rank on Google. But with the rise of tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google SGE (Search Generative Experience), a new kind of visibility is emerging: GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation).

Instead of showing up on a search results page, your brand could now be mentioned directly in an AI-generated answer.

So what exactly is GEO, how is it different from SEO, and does it matter for your business?

This post will break down the shift from traditional SEO to AI-powered discovery and how you can adapt your website strategy to stay visible in the age of generative search.

What Is SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)?

SEO is the process of improving your website’s structure, content, and relevance so that it ranks higher on traditional search engines like Google or Bing. The goal? More organic traffic from people actively searching for your product or service.

Classic SEO involves:

• Keyword research

• On-page optimisation (titles, meta tags, headers)

• Content marketing

• Link building

• Mobile-friendly design

• Page speed optimisation

  
  

For years, SEO has been the foundation of online discoverability. But now, user behaviour is changing.

What Is GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of tailoring your content to appear in AI-generated responses, like the answers shown in Google’s SGE, ChatGPT’s browsing mode, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity.

Instead of relying solely on traditional search result rankings, GEO aims to get your brand or content cited or featured directly in AI outputs.

Example: A user asks ChatGPT, “What are the best digital marketing agencies in Malaysia?”→ GEO helps your business show up in that AI-generated list, even if you're not ranking #1 on Google.

SEO vs GEO — What’s the Key Difference?

Feature	SEO	GEO
Format	Page links, titles, meta descriptions	Summarised answers, citations, source snippets
Goal	Rank pages to drive organic traffic	Be included in AI responses to gain exposure
Focus	Keywords, backlinks, site structure	Authority, clear language, source trust
Measurement	Impressions, clicks, rankings	Mentions in AI responses, brand citations

Why GEO Is Becoming More Important?

As more people turn to AI tools for answers, instead of typing searches into Google, your website’s visibility depends on more than just ranking. With GEO, AI engines decide what to include based on:

• How clear and factual your content is

• How well-structured your information is

• Whether you’re cited by other trustworthy sources

• How helpful and relevant your page is to the query

GEO is especially relevant for:

• Educational blog posts

• Expert roundups and how-to guides

• Service pages that answer niche questions

• Businesses building topical authority in their industry

How to Optimise for Generative Engines (GEO)?

Here’s how to position your content so it can be picked up by tools like Google SGE or ChatGPT:

1. Write Fact-Based, Clear Content

Generative engines prefer well-structured content with reliable information. Use simple, precise language and back up claims with facts or examples.

2. Use Structured Headings and Formatting

Break your content into clear H1s, H2s, bullet points, and tables. This helps AI systems understand and extract your information more easily.

3. Build Topical Authority

Cover your niche deeply and consistently. Publishing multiple high-quality articles around a topic signals that your site is an expert source, which AI tools love referencing.

4. Include Contextual Internal Links

Link to related articles and service pages to help AIs understand your site structure and provide deeper context for answers.

5. Focus on Brand Mentions and Citations

Getting your site mentioned by others (through guest posts, interviews, PR, etc.) builds credibility and increases the chances of being cited in AI responses.

6. Add Clear Author Bios and Source Signals

Let AI engines know your content is trustworthy. Include author bios, cite original sources, and keep your site updated with fresh, reliable content.

Should You Focus on SEO or GEO?

The short answer: you need both. It isn't actually a matter of SEO vs GEO but more of ensuring that your website gets the best of both worlds.

Scenario	Focus More On
You want traffic from Google	SEO
You want your brand mentioned in AI tools	GEO
You’re building a blog or knowledge hub	Both
You’re in a highly competitive niche	GEO helps level the playing field

The best strategy is to optimize for traditional SEO while structuring your content for AI engines so in that way, you’re covered no matter how people search.

Need Help Future-Proofing Your Website?

At Techy Apes, we help businesses optimize for both traditional search (SEO) and AI-powered discovery (GEO). Whether you're building a knowledge hub, writing blog posts, or refining your content structure, we make sure your site is positioned for the future of search.

Let’s Optimise Your Site for AI Search, drop us a message.