SEO and GEO: how does your organisation stay findable online?

· Hidde Bruin

#SEO#GEO#Findability

People no longer search only in Google. They ask their question to ChatGPT, Perplexity or the AI summary above the search results. That answer mentions a few sources, and for the moment the rest simply doesn't exist. How do you make sure your organisation is one of those sources?

The good news: what works for Google largely works for AI too. There's just an extra layer.

SEO and GEO: what's the difference?

SEO (search engine optimisation) is about being found in search engines such as Google and Bing. You want to rank high in the list of results, so that people click on your link.

GEO (generative engine optimisation) is about being mentioned in the answers of AI assistants. There's no list of ten links there. There's one answer with a few sources, and you want your website to be one of them.

01 / Comparison

The same goal, a different route

Both are about being found. Only the place where that happens differs.

SEO

  • goal: high in the search results;
  • success: visitors who click through;
  • revolves around keywords, technology and links;
  • measurable through rankings and organic traffic.

GEO

  • goal: being mentioned in the answer;
  • success: your name or link as a source;
  • revolves around clear answers, structure and trustworthiness;
  • harder to measure, mainly by testing it yourself.

What works for both

The basics are the same. Search engines and AI models need to be able to read, understand and trust your site.

02 / Get started

Six things you can do today

  • Make sure your site is fast and readable

    Technology

    Pages that load quickly and are rendered on the server are easy for search engines and AI crawlers to read.

  • Write your own title and description

    Per page

    Every page its own SEO title and description that says what's on it. Not the same text with your company name everywhere.

  • Answer real questions

    Content

    Write the way your customers ask questions: a question as the heading, with the answer directly below it. AI assistants like to pick that up.

  • Use headings and structured data

    Structure

    A logical structure with headings, and structured data about your organisation, help machines understand who you are.

  • Show who you are

    Trust

    An address, real people, case studies and an author on your articles. The more trustworthy you come across, the more often you get mentioned.

  • Be findable outside your site too

    Elsewhere

    An up-to-date Google Business Profile and mentions on other sites. AI models learn from the whole web, not just from your site.

How we handle it in TokoWorks

The platform takes care of much of the technical side for you. Every page is rendered on the server and loads quickly. A sitemap, structured data and alt text for images are built in. If you change a page, the platform immediately notifies search engines via IndexNow.

You set your own SEO title and description per page and per blog post. Depending on your package, you measure visitors with Google Analytics or Matomo. And if you want more, we look together at the structure of your content and the questions your customers ask.

Frequently asked questions about GEO

Is SEO still needed now that everyone uses AI?

Yes. AI assistants often use search results as a source, and many people still simply search in Google. A good SEO foundation is also the foundation for GEO.

Can I see whether ChatGPT mentions my organisation?

Partly. Ask the questions your customers ask yourself and see which sources are mentioned. More and more tools are appearing that measure this, but it remains harder than tracking rankings in Google.

How long before I see results?

You sometimes notice technical improvements within a few weeks. Being found better with new content usually takes a few months. It's mainly a matter of keeping at it.

Do I need to write my texts specifically for AI?

No. Write for people, but clearly: a question as the heading, the answer directly below it, and no vague marketing language. Both readers and AI benefit from that.

Curious how findable you are?

We'll look at your website and the questions your customers ask together with you, and tell you honestly where the gains are.

Schedule a callRead about SEO and GEO