What is GEO and Why Should My Business Care About It?

Have you noticed that you probably aren't "Googling" things the way you used to? These days, many of us are just as likely to ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Perplexity for recommendations as we are to start with a traditional search engine. We type in something like "what is the best family-owned bakery near me?" or "what's a good commercial real estate firm in the Hudson Valley?" and AI gives us a direct answer or a curated list of recommendations instead of pages of search results.

Here's the million-dollar question: is your business part of that answer?
If you're not sure, keep reading. That's exactly what GEO is all about.

GEO in plain English
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. Think of it as the next evolution of SEO. Where SEO is all about getting your website to rank high on Google, GEO is about making sure AI tools can find you, understand what you do, trust you, and, here's the big one, actually cite you and recommend you when someone asks.

In other words, SEO got you on page one. GEO gets you *in the answer.*

So how do you get AI to include you?
Here's the part I love, and honestly, the part that makes me smile. AI systems generate responses using information from a wide variety of publicly available sources, and news coverage from reliable, well-read, web-accessible outlets is often one of the first places they look. They also draw from expert commentary, well-structured websites, business profiles, and other reliable sources from across the web.

Sound familiar? It should, because that's exactly what good public relations has been producing all along!

Every press release that earns legitimate media coverage (rather than simply being syndicated), every feature story, award announcement, expert quote, blog post, op-ed, and bylined article helps build the kind of authoritative digital footprint AI systems recognize. When ChatGPT decides which businesses to include in its responses, it looks for strong, consistent signals of expertise, authority, and trust across the web. Good, consistent PR is one of the most effective ways to build those signals.

After 35 years of telling our clients' stories, it turns out we were doing GEO before GEO had a name. The difference is that those stories are no longer just influencing people. They're helping inform the public information ecosystem that today's AI systems draw from when generating recommendations.

Here are a few steps you can take right now to enhance your own GEO

1. Clearly Explain What You Do
AI can't recommend you for services it doesn't know you offer. Use clear, consistent content on your website to explain who you are, what you do, who you serve, and where you work. The easier it is for people (and AI) to understand your business, the more likely you are to be recommended.

2. Build Authority Beyond Your Website
Media coverage in local news outlets, industry publications, podcasts, and well-read blogs featuring your expert advice strengthens your authority and visibility across the web. So do community involvement, awards, and speaking engagements. All of it increases the likelihood that AI systems recognize your business, and a robust presence will impact the results far more than your own website touting your services, because AI systems tend to place greater weight on information that is consistently supported across multiple credible sources. Simply put: when a news site or major blog mentions you, AI is more likely to recognize you as a credible answer.

3. Keep Your Digital Footprint Consistent
Conflicting information confuses AI (and people!). Ensure your Google Business Profile, Apple Maps, Bing Places, Yelp, LinkedIn, chamber listings, and relevant industry directories are accurate, complete, and consistent. Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews, and make it easy by including a direct link or QR code in emails or at checkout.

4. Become a Helpful Resource
Blog posts that answer real questions your customers ask can make it easier for AI systems to understand your expertise. FAQs, guides, videos, and other helpful educational content can do the same. Well-written content also supports traditional SEO, making it a win for both search engines and AI.

5. Support GEO with Strong SEO
GEO builds on SEO. AI search isn't replacing traditional search. In fact, the two work together. AI systems often rely on many of the same signals that help websites rank well in search, including technical website quality, authoritative backlinks (often from reputable news sources), consistent business information, and strong brand credibility. Avoid fluff. Instead, focus on clear, useful content with descriptive headings, FAQs, concise definitions, and logical organization. Those elements help both search engines and AI systems better understand your expertise.

Remember E-E-A-T!
While E-E-A-T is a Google Search quality framework rather than an AI ranking system, many of the same signals that demonstrate experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness also strengthen your visibility across AI-powered search. Make an effort to publish data-backed insights, case studies, or white papers. If you are the original source of a statistic or a unique market report, other sites will link to you, and AI systems are more likely to recognize your organization as an authoritative source on that topic. The Takeaway? To get AI to talk about you, you have to give it a trail of digital breadcrumbs to follow. If the human internet trusts you, talks about you, and links to you, AI systems are more likely to reach the same conclusion.

The Bottom Line
The way people find businesses is changing fast, and the businesses that show up in AI responses now may have a significant competitive advantage as AI search continues to grow. The good news? You don't need to learn a whole new playbook. You need a strong story told consistently in the places that matter. 

Not sure where your business stands with AI search? Ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Perplexity, "Who would you recommend in my industry and geographic area?" If your business isn't part of the conversation, you need to take action. 

Risa Hoag is president of GMG Public Relations, a PR and Ad Agency serving the Hudson Valley since 1991. more information here www.gmgpr.com.