In One Sentence
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) refers to tactics for getting your company cited within the answers when someone asks generative AI such as ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini a question. It is easiest to think of it as the "AI-era version" of SEO.
What does this look like in practice?
For example, suppose someone asks ChatGPT, "What are some recommended B2B SaaS sales-enablement tools in Japan?". ChatGPT might respond:
The main options include Sales Cloud from Company X, e-Sales Manager from Company Y, and Senses from Company Z.
It "cites" several companies in the answer.
Getting your company onto that "cited side" list is the goal of GEO.
Another example: a dental clinic working to be cited by AI for a query like "Which orthodontic clinics near Tokyo Station have good reputations?" is a typical GEO use case.
Why GEO matters now
- AI search usage is exploding: Especially in B2B / specialist domains, users are shifting from "Google search" to "ask an AI"
- Not being cited by AI is equivalent to not existing: Users increasingly read only the AI's answer and never click through to lower links
- Once a competitor takes the spot, it's hard to overturn: AI tends to repeatedly cite trusted sources, so being first carries an advantage
Difference from SEO
| Aspect | SEO (traditional) | GEO (new) |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Top ranking in search results | Citation in AI answers |
| Targets | Google / Bing | Claude / ChatGPT / Gemini |
| Key metrics | Rank, CTR | Citation count, citation context |
| Main tactics | Link acquisition, on-page SEO | Structured data, llms.txt, FAQ |
A key caveat: top-ranking SEO sites are not automatically cited by AI. From GEO Meter's own observations, it is not uncommon for the #1 Google result to go uncited by AI.
What counts as a GEO tactic
The four main moves are:
- Deploy
llms.txt: Surface your key content to AI crawlers - Implement structured data with Schema.org / JSON-LD (Article, FAQPage, etc.)
- Increase FAQ-style body structure
- Publish first-party data (proprietary research, industry reports, observation data, etc.)
In GEO Meter's Smoke analysis (2 topics x roughly 20 domains), the gap between top-cited and bottom-cited companies correlates strongly with implementation rates of these tactics.