Definition
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of making a business legible to generative AI search engines, the ones that write an answer rather than return a list, so they surface and cite it accurately. In practice it is used almost interchangeably with Answer Engine Optimization.
Why it matters
As more searches are answered by a generated paragraph instead of a results page, a business that the generative engines cannot resolve as a clear entity simply does not appear. GEO is how a small business stays present on the surface that is replacing classic search for a growing share of queries.
How we think about it
We treat GEO and AEO as one job: clean entity, accurate local-business and organization schema, answer-shaped content, and a directory of real, crawlable proof. The facts a generative engine quotes, price, speed, what is included, come from one source so they are always consistent.