GEO in a sentence
GEO in a sentence: it’s about writing and structuring your website content so AI-powered search tools can clearly understand what you do and share your work when someone asks a relevant question.
If that sentence feels close to SEO, that’s because it is.
GEO doesn’t replace SEO. It builds on it. And for many creatives, coaches, and local businesses, it’s already something you’re doing.
Ok, maybe that’s longer that a sentence but I hope it gives a clear intro to GEO and, if you’re ready to dive deeper, you can continue to read below
What does GEO stand for?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation.
Put simply, it’s about helping generative AI tools — like Gemini search results or ChatGPT — understand your content well enough to reference it when people are looking for answers.
The way people search online has and is changing, instead of someone scrolling through pages of links, they might now ask:
What’s a good example of a day-long yoga retreat?
How do I keep fresh flowers alive for longer?
How far ahead can you make a cheese and charcuterie board?
GEO is about making sure your website content is clear enough to help answer those kinds of questions.
How GEO is different from traditional SEO
Traditional SEO has often focused on:
keywords
page titles and meta descriptions
backlinks
technical setup
Those things still matter, having a strong SEO foundation is a recipe for success and one that just continues to grow over time.
What’s changed is how information is used.
AI tools look less at individual keywords and more at:
whether a page clearly explains a topic
how well it answers a specific question
how easy the content is to read and summarise
That’s why structure, clarity, and plain language are such a big part of GEO.
A simple example of GEO in action
Let’s say you’re a yoga teacher offering local day-long retreats.
A traditional SEO approach might focus on keywords like:
yoga retreat near me
day-long yoga retreat
yoga retreat Washington
A GEO-friendly approach still uses those ideas, but it also asks:
does the page clearly explain what happens during the day?
does it answer common questions someone might ask out loud?
can someone understand the experience in the first few paragraphs?
For example, a section titled:
What does a typical day-long yoga retreat include?
Followed by a clear, human explanation of movement, rest, meals, and time for reflection.
That kind of content helps both people and AI understand what you offer.
GEO works best when your content answers real questions
One of the most practical ways to apply GEO is to think about the questions your clients already ask you.
That might be:
What should I expect when I work with you?
How far in advance should I book?
Do you work with people outside this area?
When those questions become headings on your website — and you answer them clearly — you’re doing GEO.
Structure matters more than clever writing
This is often a relief to hear.
GEO works best when:
headings clearly describe what’s underneath
paragraphs are short and focused
the main point appears early in each section
If someone skims your page and still understands what you do, you’ve structured it well.
You don’t need to change your voice
One concern I hear a lot is: “Will this make my writing sound generic?”
It doesn’t need to.
Your voice comes through in:
the examples you use
the way you explain things
the reassurance you offer
GEO isn’t about stripping that away. It’s about organising your content so your voice is easier to follow.
How GEO fits into your existing website
You don’t need a brand-new website to “do” GEO.
Often, it looks like:
adding clearer headings to service pages
answering one or two missing questions
refining introductions so they’re more direct
Small, thoughtful changes can make your content much easier to understand — for your audience and for AI.
To Summarize
GEO is not a trend you need to chase.
It’s a shift towards clarity.
If your website clearly explains what you do, who it’s for, and how it works — using real questions and simple structure — you’re already on the right path.
And if you want help applying this to your own site in a way that feels natural and grounded, that’s exactly what I do at clareashbrook.com.
Hi I’m Clare Ashbrook
I work alongside creatives, coaches and small businesses helping to drive more traffic, and the right traffic (your ideal clients) to your website. If you have any questions regarding SEO - or GEO - feel free to drop me an email below.
Wishing you all of the success!
