Traditional SEO optimizes for ranking a blue link. GEO optimizes for being part of the answer the model generates. Front-load direct answers, structure content for extraction (headings, Q&A, schema), strengthen authority signals, and earn third-party citations.
As zero-click searches climb past 69% and AI Overviews appear on nearly half of queries, GEO is becoming the dominant discovery discipline for both content and commerce.
SEO earns a ranked link a user clicks. GEO earns a citation inside an AI-generated answer. They overlap on fundamentals (crawlability, structure, authority) but the KPI shifts from rank to citation.