SEO (Search Engine Optimization) gets your business found on Google. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) gets your business recommended by AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity. They share some DNA but work in fundamentally different ways, and in 2026, you probably need both.
The quick comparison
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you appear | Google search results | ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, AI Overviews |
| How results look | List of 10 links, you pick one | 1–3 direct recommendations with reasons |
| What matters most | Backlinks, keywords, page speed | Third party mentions, citations, structured data |
| How it updates | Google recrawls pages constantly | AI models retrain periodically (weeks to months) |
| Competition level | Extremely competitive, decades old | Wide open — most businesses aren't trying yet |
| Typical cost | £500–£3,000/mo for an agency | £150–£997/mo depending on scope |
How SEO works (the version you need to know)
Google sends bots to crawl your website, reads the content, and decides where to rank you based on hundreds of factors. The big ones are: how many other sites link to yours (backlinks), whether your content matches what people are searching for (keywords), and whether your site is fast and mobile friendly (technical SEO).
SEO is a mature, competitive field. For popular search terms, you're competing against businesses that have been investing in SEO for years. It works, but it takes time and often significant budget.
How GEO works (and why it's different)
AI tools don't rank a list of websites. They synthesise information from across the web and give a direct answer. When someone asks ChatGPT for a plumber recommendation, it doesn't show ten options — it names one or two businesses and explains why it's recommending them.
To get that recommendation, your business needs to appear in enough trusted sources that the AI feels confident mentioning you by name. That's why 68% of AI citations come from third party sites rather than business websites. The AI is looking for consensus across independent sources.
The other big difference: SEO changes in real time as Google recrawls your pages. GEO changes more slowly because AI models are retrained on a schedule — sometimes weekly, sometimes monthly. This means a press release published today might take a few weeks to influence AI recommendations, but once it does, the effect persists.
Where they overlap
Good news: a lot of what helps SEO also helps GEO. Having a well structured website with clear content, schema markup, and strong third party mentions benefits both. If you're already doing SEO well, you have a head start on GEO.
Reviews are a perfect example. Google uses reviews as a ranking signal. AI tools use reviews as a confidence signal. Building your review profile helps you on both fronts simultaneously.
Content that answers specific questions also works double duty. A blog post titled "How much does a loft conversion cost in 2026?" can rank on Google and be cited by ChatGPT.
Where they diverge
The biggest difference is what drives results. SEO is heavily dependent on backlinks — other websites linking to yours. GEO is more about mentions and citations — being talked about across the web, even without a direct link.
A press release that mentions your business across 100 news sites might not give you a single backlink (most press release sites use nofollow links), but it creates exactly the kind of widespread mentions that AI tools pick up on. For SEO, that press release does little. For GEO, it's the most powerful single action you can take.
Another difference: keywords. SEO requires you to target specific phrases and optimise your content around them. GEO cares less about exact keywords and more about whether your content clearly and specifically answers questions. Natural, informative writing beats keyword stuffing for AI visibility.
Do you need both?
Short answer: yes, if you can. Google still drives the majority of web traffic. But 64% of consumers now use AI tools to discover businesses, and that number is climbing fast.
If you had to pick one and you're starting from scratch, GEO arguably gives you more bang for your budget right now. The competition is virtually nonexistent for most local trades and services. Getting into AI recommendations today is like getting onto page one of Google in 2005 — it's achievable with modest effort because almost nobody else is trying.
That won't last. As more businesses catch on, the bar will rise. The ones already established in AI recommendations will have a significant advantage.
The practical approach
Don't abandon SEO. Do keep investing in good content, reviews, and a solid website. But add GEO to your strategy now while the window is open.
Start by checking whether AI tools already recommend you — our guide walks you through exactly how. If you're invisible, a single press release and some basic website fixes can start changing that within weeks.
Or if you'd rather someone else handle it, drop us a message. Our GEO Starter is £150 and it's the fastest way to get your AI visibility sorted while you focus on running your business.