Generative Engine Optimization
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of structuring content so it gets cited inside generative search results and AI overviews — the answers assistants produce instead of a list of links.
In depth
Where traditional SEO competes for a position in a ranked list, GEO competes to be the source a model quotes when it generates an answer. As assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews handle more queries directly, being cited in their output becomes a distinct visibility channel.
GEO overlaps with SEO — well-ranked, authoritative pages are more likely to be cited — but it adds requirements: machine-readable structure, clear short definitions, FAQ schema, and signals (like llms.txt) that tell engines what's safe to quote.
You measure GEO by citation share: how often your pages appear as sources for a tracked set of queries, and how that changes over time.
Related terms
Mentioned tools
FAQ
Is GEO different from SEO?+
They overlap, but GEO specifically targets being cited inside AI-generated answers, not just ranking in a list of links.
How do I measure GEO?+
Track citation share — how often assistants reference your pages for your target queries over time.
Can TriRank do GEO automatically?+
Yes — it structures every page for citation and tracks your share across major assistants.