What is generative engine optimization?

Generative engine optimization (GEO) is the practice of getting your business named inside the answers that AI assistants generate — ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude and the rest. Where SEO earns you a spot in a list of links, GEO earns you the recommendation itself. And because assistants name only one or two businesses per answer, the winners take almost all of the demand.

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FAQ

How does GEO actually work?Three levers. Entity clarity: models must be able to resolve exactly what you do, where, and for whom (schema, llms.txt, a plain-spoken about page). Citation density: models trust businesses referenced across the directories, review platforms and roundups they lean on. Quotable content: pages that answer real buyer questions directly, with fresh dates and clean structure, get lifted into answers.

Is GEO worth it for a small business?Arguably more than for big brands — most SMB categories have no one optimizing yet, so the first mover in a city or niche often becomes the default AI answer. The compounding effect is real: once models settle on a name, they keep naming it.

How do I start with GEO?Baseline before you touch anything. Run a free Cited scan — it queries the real buying-intent prompts across 8+ engines, scores whether you're named, and hands you the highest-impact fix first.

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Most businesses score under 40/100 and have no idea. Find your score in 15 seconds, then fix it.

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