What GEO means and how it relates to SEO
GEO stands for generative engine optimization: work intended to make content discoverable in AI-generated answers. Google treats its generative search features as part of Search and points to established SEO fundamentals. A clear answer to a customer question and original, verifiable information are therefore useful starting points. Neither guarantees selection as a source.
This guide uses Google’s documentation for claims about Google. Other answer systems may retrieve, select and display content differently.
Choose a question your page should actually answer
Take a question from sales or support and assign it to an existing URL. A service page should explain whether the offer fits and what a prospective customer needs to begin. A guide should support a decision. A practical example should make a workflow understandable.
Read the title and first paragraph without the rest of the website: does the reader already get an answer? The example above replaces a generic AI promise with prerequisites, a concrete workflow and an alternative without AI. Only use claims supported by your actual services and experience.
Replace claims with information readers can check
Write the direct answer first. Then add only what readers still need to decide: suitable inputs, scope, exclusions and next steps. First-hand experience can be demonstrated through an approved workflow, an anonymised work product or a genuine reference.
Link external factual claims to the relevant primary source where possible. For your own operational details, identify the responsible person or role and review the page when the service, software or process changes. An updated date should reflect an actual review. For Swiss services, state the service area and available languages where these affect the decision.
Check that the answer is accessible and readable
Open the URL without signing in and on a smartphone. The essential answer must be readable and the relevant contact route must work. Link the page from a suitable service or overview page. Check that language versions describe the same scope and limits.
Inspect the specific URL in Google Search Console: can Google access it, and is it actually indexed? Being indexable only means that technical prerequisites are met. Google’s guide says a page must be indexed and eligible to appear with a snippet for its generative search features; also check the inclusion settings described there. Meeting the requirements still does not guarantee selection.
Measure four different outcomes
Record the URL, revised copy and date of the change. Compare suitable periods and account for campaigns, seasonality and other changes. For Google, use the available Search Console performance reports; the current guide also points to its report for generative AI features.
- Indexable and indexed: the URL meets technical prerequisites or is actually in the search index, respectively. Neither proves it has appeared in an AI answer.
- Selected as a source: an observed answer contains a verifiable reference to your URL. Record the question, date, system, language and link. A single observation does not demonstrate a lasting presence.
- Mentioned: your business is named. Separately check whether a source link is present and the description is accurate. A mention is neither a page visit nor an enquiry.
- Relevant enquiry: a prospect contacts you about a service you offer. Record the landing page and origin where they can be traced. If attribution is unavailable, leave it unknown rather than automatically crediting GEO.
Which GEO measures you can skip for Google
Google specifies no ideal page length and does not require artificial splitting into tiny sections. Google Search does not use llms.txt for visibility or rankings. Its generative search features also require no special schema markup. Structured data can still support suitable search appearances; it does not replace visible content.
Keep a page while it answers its reader’s question well. Do not create variants for every wording or place name when they add no distinct value. The useful improvement is a more reliable answer on the appropriate page.