GEO vs. SEO: When AI Becomes the New Channel of Influence
In the age of artificial intelligence, it’s entirely possible that your next client won’t find you on Google, but in an AI-generated response. GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization, is the newest trend—and for many, one of the most important—to stay relevant in this new era. Why, you ask? Well, let me introduce you to GEO’s older sibling: SEO, also known as search engine optimization. That same SEO that was once the life of the party now struggles to get into the algorithm’s inner circle. And that shift tells us everything about what’s coming next.
SEO isn’t the favorite anymore
It hasn’t been a great year for SEO. The love-hate relationship many people have with it borders on dysfunctional. You think it understands you and wants to help, until you realize it’s been cozying up to your competitors and boosting their visibility instead. Valentine’s Day rolls around and there you are, whispering sweet nothings to your traffic report and wondering, “Weren’t you supposed to be optimized?” Turns out, that older sibling was always easier to impress with backlinks and clickbait titles.
Fortunately for everyone, SEO now has some competition, and yes, you guessed it, it’s artificial intelligence. These days, those in the know (like you) aim to have their content included in the major LLMs (large language models). That process is called GEO, and in what follows, I’ll explain why it’s happening, why it should matter to you, and share a few quick tips to get your content into the leading models, if you choose to go down that road.
Naturally, you’re probably wondering: what’s behind all of this? Maybe you’re even worried that SEO will be pushed aside by less advanced systems, forgotten on the holidays, and left wondering what the future holds for your content. All fair concerns.
GEO speaks AI fluently
The main reason this is happening is that we’ve changed the way we search and process information (yes, you too). Today, it’s increasingly common to go straight to your favorite AI system, such as ChatGPT, Claude, Prepleixty, or Gemini, for answers. These tools respond using a combination of what’s already in their database and, in some cases, real-time web searches. For now, GEO helps you stay findable. But soon, it could determine whether an AI considers you a trusted source when negotiating deals, recommending products, or driving online traffic.
That’s why having your content inside AI systems is essential if you want people to find your name, your company, or your work in this new era of AI-driven search. The more of your content that lives inside the models, the better those AI-triggered searches will be at surfacing what you offer. Those who get GEO right won’t just be visible: they’ll be trusted. Their content will power answers, recommendations, and decisions across an ever-expanding ecosystem of AI agents, chatbots, and autonomous tools.
Your GEO plan, in five steps
So, what should you do to show up in these models’ results? Here are the five most important steps (right after you finish reading this and share it with all your WhatsApp groups):
Ask your preferred AI system: “Who is [your name or company] in the [specific] industry?” Check what comes up to see if you’re even on the map. It’s always good to know where you stand before you start making changes.
Make sure your website is accessible to AI crawlers. Many sites have this setting turned off.
Use structured, schema-rich content. You can find more information at https://schema.org.
Update your content frequently and make sure it’s original and high quality. I can’t stress this enough. Don’t let AI do all the writing; make sure your voice comes through. That’s what will set you apart in the GEO era.
Clearly define your niche. Models need a reference to classify you as an authority on a topic. If you write about everything, they’ll overlook you.
Let me leave you with this final thought. When your content is pulled into an AI model, you also run the risk of your ideas being used without attribution, or of your site receiving less traffic because everything’s already in the model and the person searching doesn’t need to click. That’s why I encourage you to write so beautifully, think so clearly, and create content so original that when someone comes across a reference to you, they say, “I want to know more about this person or company.”
Have fun searching for yourself, and don’t be shocked if the system claims you have a PhD in Non-Linear Weaving, were an Olympic athlete, and died in 1843. AIs will hallucinate, no matter how well-known or unknown you are. But, do yourself a favor: give the error a thumbs down and update your content. Maybe then you, too, can show GEO what SEO never quite saw in you, and finally take your rightful place in the new scene of AI-powered discovery.
Originally published in Spanish for Fast Company Mexico:
https://fastcompany.mx/2025/08/06/geo-generative-engine-optimization-seo-nuevo-canal-influencia-ia/
