The Shift from SEO to GEO: How Marketers Must Evolve for LLM Discovery

In the world of digital marketing, we’ve grown comfortable with Search Engine Optimization (SEO). Keywords, backlinks, meta-descriptions; these were the levers we pulled to increase visibility and drive traffic. But a major shift is now underway. With the rise of generative AI and large-language models, how people discover information, and how brands are seen, is being re-written.

Welcome to the age of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO).This isn’t just a change in tactics, it’s a change in mindset.Where SEO once meant rank high, GEO means be referenced. Let’s explore what this means for marketers, how tactics must adapt, and what you should focus on to win.

From Being Found to Being Referenced

SEO was built for search engines: algorithms that crawl, index, rank. It rewarded backlinks, keyword density, anchor text. In contrast, GEO is built for intelligence engines: models that synthesize, summarize, and choose trusted sources when generating responses. These engines ask: “Who has authority? Who explains things clearly? What will answer the user’s question directly?”

In effect:

• SEO optimizes for ranking.

• GEO optimizes for reasoning.

Your next buyer might never click through to your website. They might ask their AI-assistant: “Which compliance automation platform handles multi-framework evidence collection?” And if your brand has been referenced by credible sources in that space, your answer (and your brand) may appear.

What’s Changing in Tactics & Outcomes

With GEO, the game has changed. Consider how your strategy must shift:

SEO

• Goal: increase traffic

• Metrics: rankings, page views, click-throughs

• Tactics: keywords, internal/external links, content volume

GEO

• Goal: increase credible references

• Metrics: citations by authoritative sources, model mentions, brand context

• Tactics: brand authority, structured content, consistent external visibility

If SEO was about how many people visit your content, GEO is about how many people (and machines) recognize your expertise.

How to Prepare Your Brand for GEO

Getting started with GEO means making practical changes:

Shift from keywords → concepts

Your content should teach, clarify, and connect. It’s not just about using the right phrase; it’s about explaining the idea behind the phrase. Write for the model as much as you write for people.

Secure credible third-party mentions

Being quoted in trade-publications, podcasts, analyst reports, and other identifiable authority domains boosts your signal. These mentions help AI models understand that you matter. Communications and PR are no longer nice to have, they’re strategic.

Create structured content designed for understanding

FAQs, glossaries, case studies and research-backed insights decline noise and ramp clarity. Models love structure, semantic logic, and content that answers real questions. The rule: help people understand, not just find.

Explore the emerging GEO analytics tools

Just like marketers once relied on SEO tools, GEO is spawning its own category. Platforms like Profound and Goodie are designed to measure brand and topic visibility in generative search results, essentially measuring understanding, not just impressions.

Final Word

You could still “play SEO” today, after all, search engines are still in use. But if you want to win the next wave of growth, you must evolve.GEO isn’t a substitute for SEO; it’s the next layer. The brands that learn how to be clear, credible and consistently present where both people and machines learn will become the trusted defaults in AI-driven discovery.

Start small. Choose one topic your brand should own, create structured content around it, secure credible mentions, and monitor how your brand is referenced by both humans and models.

The future isn’t about being seen, it’s about being understood.

Ready to go further? Let’s talk about how we can shape your content and PR strategy for GEO-readiness. Contact us at info@marketing.io.