GEO and SEO, what’s the difference?
After understanding the definition of each term, you might be wondering: but what about SEO? Does it no longer exist? Isn’t it the same thing? What’s the difference? Let’s delve deeper below.
Focus on AI Algorithms
GEO focuses on optimizing content for the AI algorithms of generative engines. Meanwhile, traditional SEO aims to improve rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs) based on various criteria like keywords, backlinks, content quality, user experience, and page loading speed.
Multimodal Responses
As we’ve seen, generative engines produce multimodal responses, combining information from various sources and formats, contrasting with traditional SEO’s focus on link-based results most relevant to answering the query.
Complex Queries
When conducting searches with long and detailed queries, search engine results pages (SERPs) often couldn’t address the entire specific demand. Thus, they opted to provide content they deemed more generally relevant to the query.
However, with the evolution of Generative Engines (GEs), these platforms now generate responses considering more specific long-tail keywords, offering more precise solutions tailored to user needs.
This implies a shift in content creation approach, requiring greater attention to detailed and specific audience queries.
SERP Positioning Relevance
In the traditional search engine model, visibility is often measured by a site’s average ranking on search results pages.
However, this metric is less relevant for generative engines, which prioritize structured, rich responses over a simple list of links.
How do Optimization Strategies for GEO or SEO Work?
GEO strategies are designed to enhance content visibility on generative engines, which synthesize responses from various sources.
These strategies differ at times from traditional SEO practices as they focus on making content more relevant and appealing to the AI algorithms of these advanced search engines.
The research we mentioned at the beginning emphasizes the importance of adapting to this emerging paradigm, as traditional search engine optimization strategies may not directly translate into success in the context of AI-driven search.
In fact, the study’s findings suggest that the dominance and relevance of a brand on Google’s search engine results pages do not guarantee similar visibility in AI-driven search environments.
AI in SEO reshuffles competition, says Caltabiano. New startups using AI challenge established players. As AI algorithms become more sophisticated, understanding and optimizing content for these systems requires a more dynamic approach focused on natural language and contextual relevance.
