SEO vs GEO: What’s the Difference and How to Optimize Your Website for Both

Most business owners are aware of SEO and how that improves your website visibility. By now, you've probably started hearing about GEO and, maybe, you aren't sure what needs to be done. Luckily both are related, but they serve different purposes for increasing visibility. In 2026, the best websites are optimized for both.

What is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of optimizing your website so it appears in search engine results like Google and Bing. The goal is to rank higher when users search for keywords related to your services.

SEO focuses on:

• Keywords and search intent

• Page titles and meta descriptions

• Website structure and speed

• Backlinks and authority

When done well, SEO helps your website get discovered by people actively searching for what you offer.

What Is GEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) focuses on making your content easy for AI-powered tools (ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, and voice assistants) to understand, summarize, and recommend.

Instead of just ranking in search results, GEO helps your business show up in:

• AI-generated answers

• Voice search results

• “Best of” recommendations and summaries

GEO prioritizes clarity, structure, and trust over keyword density.

Key Differences Between SEO and GEO

• SEO is about ranking on search engines

• GEO is about being referenced and recommended by AI

• SEO targets keywords

• GEO targets questions and natural language

• SEO brings traffic

• GEO builds visibility and authority in AI results

How to Set Up Your Website for SEO and GEO

The good news: many best practices overlap.

1. Create clear, helpful content
Write content that directly answers common questions your customers ask. Clear explanations benefit both search engines and AI tools. For example, a numbered list clearly states the information and key points.

2. Use strong headings and structure
Break pages into sections with descriptive headers. This makes your content easier to scan, index, and summarize. Use the header settings in your CMS to help your site crawl.

3. Focus on expertise and trust
Include author info, testimonials, reviews, and clear service descriptions. AI engines prioritize trustworthy sources.

4. Optimize for local searches
Add your city and service areas throughout your site, especially on your homepage and service pages. This supports local SEO and improves AI recommendations.

5. Keep your site updated
Fresh, accurate content signals relevance to search engines and generative tools alike.

Why You Should Care About Both

SEO helps people find your website.
GEO helps people hear about your business—even if they never click a link.

Businesses that optimize for both are more visible, more credible, and better positioned for how people search in 2026 and beyond.

Need help keeping your SEO/GEO optimized? Complete the form below and our experts will transform your site for 2026. ⬇️