Have you noticed something weird? You made a great blog post. It ranks well on Google. But when you ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude about that topic, your site doesn’t show up at all.
Why is that?
In 2025, more people search with AI than ever before. They’re not clicking links anymore. They just read what AI tells them.
If AI doesn’t mention your brand, people won’t find you. Old SEO tricks—like meta tags, backlinks, or loading speed—don’t fix this.
So, what does?
There’s a new way to get seen by AI. It’s called Generative Engine Optimization—or GEO.
What Is Generative Engine Optimization?
GEO helps your content show up in AI answers. It’s not about ranking in Google. It’s about getting picked by AI.
GEO trains the AI to see, trust, and cite your content. It focuses on clear structure, real answers, and machine-friendly formats.
Think of GEO like SEO—but for AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini.
GEO vs. SEO: Which One Gets You Seen on AI?
Are you still only using SEO? That might not be enough anymore.
A 2025 study in Harvard Business Review, “Forget What You Know About Search. Optimize Your Brand for LLMs,” said:
- AI referrals grew 1,300% during 2024’s holiday shopping season.
- 58% of U.S. buyers now use AI to find products. That’s more than double from 2023.
That means people ask AI first—and trust what it says. If you’re not in the answer, you’re not in the decision.
Key Parts of GEO
Here’s what makes GEO work:
✅ Use Structured Content
Add headers, bullet points, and summaries. AI reads these better.
✅ Use Schema Markup
Schema helps AI know what your page is about.
✅ Be a Trusted Source
Use real data, quotes, and facts. Cite your sources.
✅ Add AI Metadata
Use files like llms.txt or author info to show your content is current and trustworthy.
How to Make Content That AI Can Find and Use
Step 1 – Use Clear Headings and Summaries
AI tools scan your headings to understand your content.
A helpful article by Matt Merrick (March 20, 2025) finds that: “AI uses heading structure to understand topics and make summaries.”
So, make sure your content has:
- One main title (H1)
- Subheadings (H2 and H3)
- Bullet lists
- Summaries after each section
It helps AI grab your ideas and quote you in answers.
Step 2 – Build Trust with More Than Schema
Schema helps, but it’s not enough.
In his 2025 article, “AI Results Don’t Rely on Schema — They Rely on Trust,” published on LinkedIn, David Bynon writes:
“Schema is a signal. But AI memory needs trust, citations, and structure.”
Instead of just using code tags, structure your page for AI memory.
Include:
- Defined terms (like a glossary)
- Author info
- Source links
- Easy-to-read formats (Markdown, XML, or simple HTML)
AI doesn’t crawl pages like Google. It remembers content it can understand and trust.
Step 3 – Use Q&As and Bullet Points
One of the best ways to show up in AI answers? Answer common questions.
A strong study by Nayoung Choi et al., titled “Trustworthy Answers, Messier Data: Bridging the Gap in Low-Resource RAG for Domain Expert Systems” (February 2025), found:
Q&A formats help AI systems give better, more accurate answers.
Here’s how you can use this:
- Write short Q&A blocks
- Use clear headings like:
Q: What is GEO?
A: GEO helps AI tools find and cite your content. - Add bullet points under each answer
It makes your content easy for AI to scan, trust, and use.
How Do You Track GEO?
You can’t just use Google Search Console anymore. Why? Because ChatGPT doesn’t show blue links. It just gives you answers.
You need new tools to track GEO.
Why SEO Metrics Don’t Work Alone
You might see your page rank #5 on Google. But that doesn’t mean AI will mention it.
A 2025 MIT study by Haiwen Li and Sinan Aral tested 80,000 AI answers.
They found:
“People trust AI answers more when sources are clear.”
Younger people (Gen Z and Millennials) prefer AI answers over Google—especially on their phones.
That’s why being in the AI answer is more important than just ranking.
Tools to Track GEO Visibility
There’s no single dashboard yet for GEO tracking. But you can try these tools:
- ChatGPT (with browsing) – Ask, “Who wrote about [topic]?”
- Perplexity.ai – See who’s getting cited in real answers.
- AlsoAsked / AnswerThePublic – Discover common AI-style questions.
- Browse.ai – Track mentions of your site in AI-generated content.
They’re not perfect—but they show where AI is finding your stuff.
What to Look for In Your GEO Performance Data
Look for:
✅ Times AI tools cite your content
✅ Mentions of your brand or page
✅ What types of pages get shown (e.g., Q&A vs. blog)
✅ Whether you’re mentioned more in AI or Google
✅ Are structured pages getting more AI visibility?
It helps you fix what’s missing.
How to Do GEO Keyword Research
SEO tools help find popular search phrases. But GEO tools help see how people ask questions in AI.
People don’t say: “best SEO tool” anymore. They say things like:
- “What tools help rank in ChatGPT answers?”
- “How to write content AI tools will cite?”
- “Best keyword tools for GEO”
A 2025 peer-reviewed study titled “Query Understanding in LLM-based Conversational Information Seeking” by Yifei Yuan and colleagues at Stanford and UC San Diego found:
“LLMs enhance conversational query interpretation by refining ambiguous or incomplete user questions through follow-up turns, providing context-aware retrieval.”
It means your keywords must match full, natural questions.
GEO isn’t about ranking higher. It’s about getting retrieved in the first place.
Best GEO Keyword Tools
Try these:
✅ Perplexity.ai – See follow-up questions and citations
✅ AlsoAsked – Visual maps of related questions
✅ AnswerThePublic – Long-tail question finder
✅ ChatGPT – Ask it how people would ask about your topic
✅ Keyword Insights AI – Focuses on how AI groups ideas.
GEO Keyword Tips
When doing keyword research for GEO:
✔️ Use full-sentence questions
✔️ Include tool names (ChatGPT, Claude, etc.)
✔️ Use comparison phrases (“GEO vs SEO”)
✔️ Focus on how-to and list formats
✔️ Think like a person asking AI—not just Google.
FAQs About Generative Engine Optimization
1. What is GEO?
GEO helps your content get seen and quoted by AI like ChatGPT.
2. How is GEO different from SEO?
SEO is for Google. GEO is for AI answers.
3. Why is GEO important?
More people trust AI answers. If you’re not in the answer, they won’t find you.
4. What kind of content works for GEO?
Clear, short answers. Bullets. Q&As. Definitions. Trusted sources.
5. Do I still need schema?
Yes, but also build trust with structure and clarity.
6. What tools help with GEO keywords?
Use Perplexity, ChatGPT, AlsoAsked, and Keyword Insights AI.
7. How do I track GEO?
Use tools that check AI citations—not just Google rankings.
8. Can I optimize old content?
Yes. Add structure, Q&As, and citations to boost GEO.
9. How long does GEO take to work?
It depends. But structured pages can show up fast in Perplexity and Gemini.
10. Is GEO only for blogs?
No. It works for product pages, help docs, and even transcripts.
GEO Isn’t a Trend—It’s the New Way to Get Found
If ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini don’t mention your brand, people won’t know you exist. That’s the new search for truth.
Old SEO was about clicks and keywords. GEO is about trust, answers, and citations.
To recap:
- Use full questions, not short phrases
- Add bullets and Q&As
- Build trust with citations
- Structure your content for machines to read and reuse
But learning GEO is just the first step. You need a partner who already knows what works.
That’s where Tower 25 leads.
We don’t just do SEO. We teach AI to know, trust, and mention you. We build your content to get cited—everywhere AI answers are shown. While others chase rankings, we train the engine.
📌 Don’t fall behind.
📈 Get visibility where attention is moving.
👉 Start your GEO journey with Tower 25 today.
Let’s make your content unforgettable — to people and machines.