GEO, SEO and AEO compared
| SEO | AEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank in search results | Be the direct answer in snippets and voice | Be cited or recommended in AI-generated answers |
| Where it shows | Google and Bing results pages | Featured snippets, voice assistants | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Google AI features |
| Main levers | Relevance, links, technical health | Question headings, concise answers, FAQ markup | Quotable facts, sources, entity clarity, crawler access, third-party mentions |
| How to measure | Rankings, clicks | Snippet wins | Citations and mentions in AI answers, AI referral traffic |
Where the term comes from
The term was popularised by a 2023 research paper titled "GEO: Generative Engine Optimization" by researchers from Princeton University, Georgia Tech, the Allen Institute for AI and IIT Delhi. They tested how changes to web content affected its visibility in AI-generated answers and found that adding citations, quotations from relevant sources and statistics made content more likely to be used. Keyword stuffing did not help.
How AI assistants choose what to cite
When an assistant searches the web, it retrieves pages from a search index, through its own crawler or a partner search engine, reads the most relevant passages and composes an answer, often with links. That means two things. First, you must be crawlable and indexed: if robots.txt blocks crawlers such as OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot or ClaudeBot, or your pages are not in Google's and Bing's indexes, you are unlikely to be cited. Second, the passage has to be easy to lift: a direct answer near the top, specific facts and clear names for your business, services, prices and location.
Assistants also form a view of your business from what other sites say. Consistent details across your website, Google Business Profile, directories such as JustDial and IndiaMART, LinkedIn and review sites make it easier for them to describe you correctly.
A practical GEO checklist
- Allow search and AI crawlers in robots.txt and submit a sitemap to Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.
- Open every key page with a two or three sentence answer to the question it targets.
- Use question-style headings that match how people ask, such as "How much does X cost in India?"
- State facts plainly: what you do, for whom, where, at what price, and who is behind the business.
- Add structured data: Organization, Service, FAQPage, Article and BreadcrumbList where they genuinely fit.
- Publish an llms.txt file summarising your site for AI tools. It is a proposed convention, so treat it as a low-cost extra, not a ranking factor.
- Cite your sources and use your own data where you have it; original, specific content is what gets quoted.
- Keep your name, address, phone and services identical across your Google Business Profile and directories.
- Earn mentions on sites AI tools already trust: industry associations, publications, partner pages and genuine reviews.
- Update key pages when prices or offers change; stale facts get repeated.
How to measure GEO
There is no Search Console for AI answers yet, so measure in three ways. Keep a list of 20 to 30 questions your buyers ask and check monthly what ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google's AI features say, noting whether you are mentioned or linked. Watch referral traffic in GA4 from sources such as chatgpt.com and perplexity.ai. Track branded search in Search Console, which tends to rise when assistants mention you.
What GEO cannot do
Nobody controls what an AI model says, and nobody can honestly guarantee a citation or a top ranking. AI answers change with the model, the question and the user. GEO improves your odds by making accurate information about your business easy to find and quote. If a vendor promises guaranteed placement in ChatGPT, treat it as a red flag.
GEO for Indian businesses
Many Indian buyers now ask AI assistants questions like "best physiotherapy clinic near Sector 56 Gurugram" or "WhatsApp automation agency for D2C brands". Local businesses should start with a complete Google Business Profile, consistent directory listings and service pages that answer price and location questions directly. B2B firms should publish clear comparison and how-to content with specific facts.
Silvane offers AI SEO and GEO for Indian businesses, from technical fixes and structured data to answer-first content and monthly AI-citation tracking. Start with a ₹199 discovery call for founding members (normally ₹15,000). See AI SEO and AI-search visibility and pricing.