Last week I talked about AI Overviews on Google. This week I want to introduce a term you’re going to hear a lot more in 2026: GEO, short for Generative Engine Optimisation.
If SEO is about ranking well in traditional search results, GEO is about something slightly different — getting referenced, quoted, and recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s own AI systems when people ask them questions.
Why GEO is becoming its own thing
Search isn’t just happening on Google anymore. People are increasingly asking ChatGPT directly instead of typing into a search bar. Others are using Perplexity as their main research tool. Even platforms like Reddit have seen enormous growth in organic traffic, partly because AI tools treat real, lived-experience content from forums as a trustworthy signal.
This is being described in the industry as “Search Everywhere” — discovery is no longer a single-platform story. And it means optimising only for Google’s traditional results page leaves a real gap.
I’ll be honest: this is a new enough discipline that even people who’ve been doing SEO for years (myself included) are still feeling our way through best practices. But certain principles are already becoming clear.
What AI tools actually look for when citing sources
When an AI tool like ChatGPT answers a question and references a source, it’s not picking randomly. A few patterns are emerging:
Clear, well-structured information. AI systems parse content more easily when it’s organised with proper headings, lists, and direct answers — not buried in dense paragraphs with no structure.
Specific, factual claims. Vague marketing language (“we’re the best in the industry”) doesn’t get cited. Specific, useful information does — numbers, steps, clear explanations.
Genuine expertise. This connects directly to what I mentioned last week. AI tools are increasingly weighing real experience and credibility, not just keyword matching.
Structured data and schema markup. This is a more technical piece, but using schema markup (a way of labelling content on your website so machines can understand it — things like FAQs, reviews, and business information) genuinely helps AI systems read your site accurately.
A simple way to think about it
Here’s the mental shift I’d encourage: stop writing only “for Google’s algorithm” and start writing as if you’re being asked the question directly, by someone who wants a clear, honest answer. That’s effectively what AI tools are trying to extract from your content when they generate an answer.
If your website content reads like a real person explaining something useful to another real person — which, again, is exactly what I try to do here on DiGeetal Diary — you’re already closer to GEO-friendly content than a lot of heavily “SEO-optimised” but hollow corporate copy.
Practical first steps for GEO
You don’t need to overhaul everything. Start here:
- Add an FAQ section to your most important pages. Direct questions and direct answers are exactly the format AI tools favour.
- Make sure your business information is consistent everywhere — your website, Google Business Profile, social media. AI tools cross-reference this.
- Write with real specificity. Replace vague claims with actual numbers, processes, and details wherever you can.
- Don’t ignore platforms outside Google. Being active and credible on places like Reddit or industry forums is increasingly feeding into how AI tools see your authority.
The bigger picture
GEO isn’t replacing SEO — it’s sitting alongside it. The fundamentals I’ve believed in for years (clear writing, real expertise, genuine usefulness) are still exactly what’s needed. What’s changed is where that content gets discovered and who — or what — is reading it first.
Next week, I want to bring this back down to something very practical and very local: how Mississauga businesses specifically can strengthen their local SEO in 2026, AI search and all.
— Geeta