If you've spent any time around a marketeer in the last 10 or so years, you've probably heard the following joke: “The best place to hide a dead body is page 2 of Google.” But in a world where AI answers questions directly, even page 1 might not be enough anymore.
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is about proving to Google that you deserve to be seen. It’s a long game, and it's built around trust.
If you want to increase your ranking, you'll need time. And no, you can't just stuff keywords or try to trick the algorithm. Believe us, we'd know if there was a shortcut. Instead, you should focus on structure and relevance. Things like:
You can think of SEO as part of building a house. You need a good foundation (technical SEO) and great interior design (content) to make visitors (and Google) want to stay.
In a world where AI answers questions directly, even page 1 of Google might not be enough anymore.
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the next evolution in search. And it's already here, so you better get on board! When a user asks ChatGPT or Gemini a question, they don't want a list of links. They just want a direct answer, preferably in 80 words or less.
So, GEO is about becoming that answer. Or in the case of Google Search, that featured snippet you see at the top. When they're scraping the web, AI models prioritise things like authority, citations, and clear facts. They’re looking for content that is easy to digest and synthesize.
So, how do you optimise for a robot that reads everything? Convert everything into machine code, or God forbit, COBOL? Nope. Just write better for humans.
Focus on things like direct answers, clear definitions, and structured data. If you make it easy for the AI to understand your expertise, it is more likely to recommend you as the solution. Because what's clear for them is clear for their users!
At this point you might be wondering: “Do I still need SEO if I invest in GEO?” The answer is simple: yes. SEO gets you on the list, and GEO gets you recommended. You need both to win!
Ready to get found by humans and machines?
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