Will Everett
Jun 11, 2025
Why SEO is Being Replaced by GEO—and What Startups, Brands, and Agencies Must Do About It
Why SEO is Being Replaced by GEO—and What Startups, Brands, and Agencies Must Do About It
Search as we know it is changing.
For years, SEO focused on ranking links on Google. But today, AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google SGE don’t return a list of links—they generate answers. This means if your brand isn’t part of the answer, it’s invisible.
Welcome to the era of GEO—Generative Engine Optimization.
What is GEO?
GEO is about optimizing your content not just for traditional search engines, but for generative AI models. These models don’t index websites in the old-fashioned way. Instead, they synthesize responses based on what they “know”—which is built from structured data, credible sources, and repeated context across the web.
If your brand isn’t semantically rich, well-structured, and contextually authoritative, you won’t appear in AI-generated responses—even if you dominate Google.
Why It Matters Now
Startups can get early traction by being the answer to niche questions in AI tools, even before ranking on Google.
Big brands risk brand dilution if generative engines prefer competitors in their output.
Agencies offering SEO must adapt or fall behind. Clients are asking, “Why doesn’t ChatGPT recommend me?” GEO is the answer.
What GEO Involves
To succeed with GEO, you need to think differently about content and structure:
LLM-Optimized Content: Write in ways large language models prefer—clear formatting, FAQs, TLDRs, and bullet points.
Entity Building: Your brand must be a recognizable node in the AI’s internal knowledge graph.
Structured Data: Use Schema.org and semantic HTML so AI engines can fully understand your pages.
Prompt Testing: Ask AI engines the questions your customers do. Are you mentioned?
Monitoring: Track your brand’s presence across AI tools—not just in Google Analytics.
This isn’t just SEO 2.0—it’s a new game altogether.
The Future of Discovery Is Generative
As AI tools become default assistants for product recommendations, B2B research, health decisions, and more, brands must ask:“Am I part of the answer?”
If you’re not, your competitors will be.
How Gigatags Helps
At Gigatags, we’re the first SEO agency built entirely around GEO. We help companies:
Get mentioned in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other LLMs
Create content structured for generative comprehension
Build brand entities that AI trusts
Monitor and improve generative engine visibility
We don’t just get you ranked. We get you recommended.
GEO isn’t optional—it’s the new standard.Want to know how your brand performs in generative search?👉 [Request a Free GEO Audit Today]
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