SEO vs GEO: why your online strategy needs to adapt now

GEO stands for generative engine optimization. While SEO focuses on achieving a high position in Google's search results, GEO is about something else. Simply put, it is SEO for AI models. You want AI tools to mention your company when they answer a question.

Imagine someone asks ChatGPT, "Which company can recycle my metal in the Rotterdam area?" You want your name to appear in that answer. That's exactly what a GEO specialist aims for.

AI models work fundamentally differently from search engines. They don't crawl pages and display a list of blue links. Instead, they analyze content, compare sources, and choose the best answer. That's what makes GEO so different. You don't optimize for a ranking, but to be chosen as a source.

And that choice is made based on context, reliability, and how well your content matches the question asked. Not based on how many backlinks you have or how often your keyword appears in your text.

The two strategies complement each other, but the rules of the game are different. This overview illustrates the difference:

The bottom line: SEO is about being found. GEO is about being chosen.

Another important difference lies in the type of content that works. With SEO, you can get away with a well-optimized page centered around a single keyword. With GEO, your content must provide the complete answer to a question. AI models do not scan entire websites. They pick the one piece of text that best answers the question. This requires a different way of writing: clear, direct, and complete.

Search behavior is changing rapidly. More and more people are asking their questions to an AI tool instead of typing them into Google. Or people who do ask their questions get answers in a Google AI Overview. Especially for informational searches ("what is the best material for a garden fence?"), people are turning to ChatGPT or Gemini. Google's market share has fallen below 90% for the first time since 2015. That trend is continuing.

We see this reflected in our customers. For Krommenhoek Metals, we rolled out a complete GEO strategy in 2025. The result: nearly 500 clicks from ChatGPT, Perplexity, CoPilot, and Gemini to their website. That's traffic you can't get with SEO alone. And these are often visitors with a specific search query, which increases the chance of conversion.

Companies that fail to respond to this trend are missing out on opportunities. A growing proportion of their target audience is simply looking elsewhere than Google. Waiting until it becomes mainstream? We've already passed that point.

At Reward, we don't believe the story that SEO is dead. That's too simplistic. SEO remains relevant for commercial and navigation-oriented searches. If someone types in "metal recycling company Rotterdam region," you want to be at the top of Google.

But for informational queries, the playing field is shifting toward AI. And that's where GEO comes in.

The smartest approach? Combine both. Build a GEO strategy on top of your existing SEO foundation. See which pages already rank well in Google and revise them so that they also provide complete answers to complete questions. Regularly test in ChatGPT and Gemini whether your company is mentioned in relevant questions.

This allows you to reach your target audience wherever they are searching, whether that's Google or ChatGPT. At Reward, we call this moving with the landscape. No panic, no complete change of course, just a smart expansion of what you're already doing.

A good GEO strategy starts with your content. These are the most important steps:

• Write in a question-and-answer structure. AI tools search for the piece of text that directly answers the question. Use question-form headings and provide the answer in the first two sentences.
• Use clean, semantic HTML. AI crawlers read your source code differently than Google. They look at headings, paragraphs, and the logical structure of your page.
• Add structured data, such as FAQ schema. This helps AI models understand your content faster and better.
• Ensure brand mentions on external websites. The more often your brand is mentioned somewhere, the greater the chance that AI will choose you as a source. These are the new backlinks.
• Sign up for Bing Webmaster Tools. ChatGPT gets a lot of its information from Bing. Yet many companies overlook this platform.
• Publish your own cases and research. AI values content that adds something that other sources do not offer. Your own customer story with real figures is worth its weight in gold.

This may sound like a lot of work. And to be honest, it's not a job you can just do on the side. It requires a well-thought-out strategy and consistent follow-through. Don't want to take this on yourself? Then you can outsource GEO to an agency that has experience in this area. We are happy to help you with an approach that suits your situation.

A few developments that we are already seeing and that you should take into account:

1. AI Overviews in Google are becoming increasingly common in the Netherlands. Google is displaying AI-generated answers at the top of the page for more and more search queries. This means that even Google itself is starting to play by GEO's rules.
2. Brand mentions are weighted more heavily than traditional backlinks. AI models do not look at links, but at how often and in what context your brand is mentioned on external sources. Reviews, guest blogs, and mentions in trade publications are becoming increasingly valuable.
3. Omnichannel visibility is no longer a luxury. AI tools extract information from multiple sources simultaneously. Your website, YouTube channel, social media, and even podcasts can all contribute to your GEO visibility. Those who focus solely on text are missing part of the picture.

Is GEO replacing traditional SEO?

No. GEO complements your existing SEO. You need both to be visible in all the places where your target audience searches.

How quickly does a GEO strategy yield results?

That varies depending on the situation. At Krommenhoek Metals, we saw measurable AI traffic coming in within a few months. Structural results are built up step by step.

Is GEO relevant for every type of business?

Especially for companies with a knowledge component. Does your target audience ask informative questions about your field? Then generative engine optimization is definitely relevant. Can I get started with GEO myself?
Absolutely. Start by answering frequently asked customer questions on your website in a clear question-and-answer structure. Want to take a bigger approach? Then a GEO specialist can help you with a complete strategy.

What does it cost to outsource GEO?

That depends on the scope and your current situation. Contact us for a no-obligation discussion about the possibilities. Share Project content Reward Created by you Add PDFs, documents, or other text to reference in this project.