What Is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)? Why Small Businesses Should Adapt Their SEO Strategy in 2025
SEO is changing. In 2025, Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is emerging as a crucial evolution of SEO - especially for small businesses. As AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Google Search Generative Experience (SGE) take center stage, understanding how to optimise your content for these tools is essential to stay visible online.
What Is Generative Engine Optimisation?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation. It's the practice of tailoring your content to be selected, synthesised, or cited by AI-powered engines that create direct answers to user queries.
These AI engines don’t just crawl and rank content like traditional search engines - they generate responses based on what they find. That means if your content isn’t part of the training data or live indexed sources, it might not be surfaced at all.
Your aim when optimising for GEO is to be the go-to-source that AI uses in its answers - it’s less about rankings, and more about being the best and most trusted answer on the Internet.
Why GEO Matters in 2025
🔍 More people are searching differently.
With tools like Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), users get instant AI-generated answers - often without clicking through to a website. This has led to a rise in zero click searches - in fact, 60% of searches now end without the user clicking to another website. Additionally, more people than ever are turning to AI tools like ChatGPT to ask questions or research products, instead of using traditional search engines. For example, it’s reported that ChatGPT search alone hit a billion weekly queries.
🧠 AI needs clarity.
Generative engines prefer structured, well-written, and semantically rich content that answers questions clearly.
📉 Low visibility = lost opportunities.
If your business isn’t being referenced by these tools, your online presence could slowly fade - even if you’re doing “traditional” SEO well. High organic visibility, doesn’t guarantee visibility in AI generated answers.
How to Optimise for Generative Engines (GEO Best Practices)
Here are 5 actionable steps small business owners can take now to get noticed by AI:
1. Create Answer-Based Content
Research the most common questions your target audience are asking and then create helpful content to answer those questions. Use headings like questions (e.g. How much does SEO cost for small businesses?) and answer them directly.
Bonus tip: Use tools like ChatGPT to see how your competitors are being cited - and find the gaps.
For example, I asked ChatGPT about the best marketing teachers for small businesses in the UK, and there I am at number 2 in its answer! Pretty cool eh? Your aim with GEO is to make sure that your content/brand is the one that ChatGPT mentions by name when people ask the relevant questions. This is powerful because it gives your brand credibility, increased visibility, and differentiates you from the competition.
2. Use Natural, Conversational Language
AI engines prioritise content that sounds human and helpful, so write your content like you are taking to a human. Ditch the keyword stuffing - focus on clarity and intent.
3. Be Present in Trusted Sources
Generative engines often pull from Google Business Profiles, Reddit, YouTube transcripts, and high-authority blogs. Get active in those spaces.
Just like with traditional SEO, credibility is important as it highlights to AI that your content is worth quoting. Showcase your experience and expertise, such as testimonals, certifications, case studies etc. List a real author on blog posts with credentials and make sure your site is kept updated and relevant. As the example above shows, ChatGPT is clearly listing my credibility in its answer (e.g. years of experience, Skillshare TopTeacher etc), so having these visible could give you the edge over competitors, as well as earn trust with your audience.
4. Structure Your Content for AI Parsing
Keep your content clear and concise. Use short paragraphs, bullet points, schema markup, tables, and subheadings. Think like an AI: “Can I summarise this easily?” AI LOVES structure!
Bonus tip: Always break big ideas into steps or numbered sequences where possible.
5. Regularly Refresh and Refine
AI rewards up-to-date, factual content. Keep your site current with new FAQs, blog posts, and updated service pages.
Future-Proofing Your SEO Strategy
Generative Engine Optimisation isn’t a replacement for SEO - it’s the next evolution of it. Smart small business owners in 2025 will combine:
Traditional keyword strategies
Local SEO fundamentals
GEO best practices
If you’re ready to future-proof your visibility, start by evaluating how your content performs in AI engines now.
Learn how to create your own 30-day SEO strategy using AI tools and free resources in my free Skillshare course!
🔎 GEO SEO FAQs: Generative Engine Optimisation for Small Businesses
What is Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)?
Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO, is the practice of optimising your content to be selected, synthesised, or cited by AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Google SGE, Claude, and Perplexity. It’s less about ranking in search results and more about becoming the trusted source that AI engines pull from to generate answers.
How is GEO different from traditional SEO?
Traditional SEO focuses on improving your visibility in search engine result pages (SERPs), typically through keyword optimisation and backlinks. GEO, on the other hand, is about creating structured, high-quality content that AI models can easily understand, summarise, and present in direct answers - often without a user ever clicking on a link.
Why does GEO matter for small businesses in 2025?
With AI-driven search tools becoming mainstream, many users now get answers without visiting websites. If your content isn't being cited by these engines, your visibility could decline, regardless of how well you rank on Google. GEO helps small businesses remain discoverable in this changing search landscape.
How can I start optimising my content for GEO?
Begin by identifying common questions your audience is asking and create clear, answer-based content using natural language. Use structured formatting with headings, bullet points, and schema markup. Stay active on platforms AI engines pull from, like Google Business Profiles, YouTube, and Reddit, and refresh your content regularly to keep it relevant.
Is GEO replacing traditional SEO?
Not entirely. GEO is an evolution of SEO, not a replacement. Traditional strategies like keyword research, local SEO, and backlinks still matter, but they need to be integrated with GEO best practices to ensure your business content stays relevant in both organic rankings and AI-generated answers.
Want Help Building a Smarter SEO Plan?
I’ve recently developed a new Skillshare course for small business owners that walks you through building a 30-day SEO strategy using AI tools and free resources.
If you're looking to learn practical, time-saving techniques to improve your visibility - it's a great place to start. It also expores the topic of GEO in more detail and how you can optimise your content for AI search results.
Final Thoughts
GEO might sound like another SEO buzzword, but it’s rooted in a very real shift in how people discover content online. By taking simple, strategic steps now, your small business can stay visible in a world of AI-driven search.
Happy Learning!
– Louise
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