Definition
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the discipline of structuring your brand and content for the generative-AI search layer. Unlike classic SEO, which targets a ranked list of links, GEO targets the generated paragraph itself - making sure the model recommends your brand, cites your URL, and represents your facts accurately. GEO sits on top of classic SEO; it does not replace it.
Why it matters
GEO sits in the "Core concepts" layer of the AI search stack. Teams that handle it well get cited more, recommended more, and earn more of the AI-mediated revenue in their category. Teams that ignore it spend a year wondering why their content investment never moves the needle inside ChatGPT or Perplexity.
Related terms
- LLM SEO - Optimizing for Large Language Models - making sure ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity, and Grok know about, cite, and recommend your brand.
- AEO - Optimizing content so answer engines (Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT Search) quote it as the direct answer to a query.
- AI search optimization - The umbrella term for optimizing for any AI-powered search surface - including ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and AI Mode.
- Mention rate - The percentage of prompts in a defined panel where an LLM names your brand. The headline metric of LLM SEO programs.
- Citation share - Percentage of cited sources in an LLM answer that come from your domain. Only meaningful on grounded surfaces (Perplexity, ChatGPT Search, AI Overviews).
Apply it
The LLM SEO playbook ties every concept in this glossary into a single operating model. If you want to see how your brand performs across all the LLMs at once - mention rate, citation share, sentiment, rank - start with the free GEO audit or skip straight to a free Livesov account.