What is generative engine optimisation?
Generative engine optimisation, usually shortened to GEO, is the practice of shaping your website and wider online reputation so that AI tools which generate answers choose to mention you. Traditional SEO earns a position in a list of ten blue links. GEO earns a sentence in the answer itself, often with a citation back to your site.
Generative engines build answers from sources they consider clear, consistent and trustworthy. They read your website, your Google Business Profile, directory listings, reviews, news coverage and industry sites, then summarise what they find. If that picture is thin, contradictory or out of date, the AI either ignores you or describes you wrongly.
Why GEO matters for UK businesses now
Google AI Overviews appear above the organic results for a growing share of searches, and many people never scroll past them. At the same time, ChatGPT and Perplexity are used every day to shortlist suppliers, compare prices and check reputations before anyone picks up the phone.
The businesses named in those answers win the enquiry before a competitor gets a look in. The good news is that GEO rewards clarity and genuine expertise more than budget, so a well organised local business can be recommended ahead of a much larger rival.
Our GEO service
We start with an AI visibility audit: we ask the main AI tools the questions your customers ask and record whether you appear, what is said and which sources are cited. That becomes the baseline we report against.
Then we fix the gaps, on and off your website.
- Answer-first page content that AI tools can quote
- Structured data for your business, services, FAQs and reviews
- Entity consistency across Google, directories and social profiles
- Expert articles that cover the questions buyers ask
- Review and reputation signals that build trust
- Monthly prompt tracking across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and AI Overviews
GEO, AEO and SEO: how they fit together
GEO is not a replacement for SEO. AI tools lean heavily on pages that already rank well and load quickly, so strong technical SEO remains the foundation. Answer engine optimisation (AEO) focuses on concise answers to specific questions, while GEO looks at the whole picture an AI builds of your brand.
We run all three together so the same work lifts your Google rankings, your featured snippets and your mentions in AI answers. Our SEO packages start from £1,000 plus VAT per month, and GEO is built into every package.
How we measure GEO results
AI answers change, so we track a fixed set of prompts every month and report how often you are mentioned, how accurately you are described and which pages are cited. We pair that with organic traffic, enquiries and the referral visits that now arrive from ChatGPT and Perplexity in Google Analytics.
We only use white hat methods and we do not tie clients into long contracts, so you stay because the results are worth it.
Generative engine optimisation FAQs
What does GEO stand for?
GEO stands for generative engine optimisation. It means improving how AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews find, understand and recommend your business.
Is GEO different from SEO?
They overlap. SEO targets rankings in search results, while GEO targets mentions and citations inside AI generated answers. Good SEO is the foundation of good GEO, which is why we run them together.
How long does GEO take to work?
Quick fixes such as correcting business details and adding structured data can show up within weeks. Building enough authority to be recommended consistently usually takes three to six months.
Can you guarantee ChatGPT will recommend us?
No honest agency can guarantee what an AI tool will say. We can make your business the clearest, most trustworthy source available and track the improvement month by month.
How much does GEO cost?
GEO is included in our marketing packages, which start from £1,000 plus VAT per month. Enterprise and multi-location work is quoted individually. Every project starts with a free consultation.
Do you work with businesses outside the North West?
Yes. Our office is in Bolton, but we work with businesses across the UK, mostly through video calls and shared reports.
