The short answer
SEO (search engine optimization) helps your pages rank in regular search results and the map pack. GEO (generative engine optimization) helps AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews understand your business and name it in their answers. The two share most of their foundations: crawlable pages, consistent facts, structured data, and a well-kept Google profile. Neither can be guaranteed.
| SEO | GEO (AI search) | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank in regular results and the local pack, so people click or call. | Be described correctly and named or cited when people ask an AI assistant. |
| Where it shows | Google and Bing results pages, Google Maps. | ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode. |
| Main levers | Technical health, service and city pages, Google Business Profile, reviews, links. | Clear entity facts, answer-style pages, structured data, mentions on other credible sites. |
| Shared work | Crawlable pages, schema markup, consistent name, address, and phone, useful FAQs. | The same. Most GEO work also helps SEO. |
| How it is measured | Rankings, impressions, clicks, calls, and forms from search. | Whether assistants name you and cite your pages. Answers vary from one ask to the next. |
| Guarantees | None. No one controls rankings. | None. No one controls what an assistant says. |
Where they overlap
AI assistants read the same web that search engines crawl. A fast site with clear service pages, schema, and consistent business details helps both.
Google has said its AI features do not need special files like llms.txt. Good, crawlable pages come first.
Where GEO adds work
GEO puts more weight on being an unambiguous entity: one plain facts page, the same details on every profile, and pages that answer questions in a quotable way.
It also means checking what assistants actually say about you and fixing wrong facts at the source.
Which to start with
For most local businesses, the technical base and Google profile come first, because both channels depend on them.
If customers in your trade already ask AI who to call, add GEO early rather than later.
What it costs with us
Search (SEO) starts from $3,500 / mo. AI search (GEO) starts from $2,500 / mo. Scope and a fixed price are agreed in writing before work starts.
Is GEO replacing SEO?
No. Regular search still sends a lot of local customers, and AI assistants rely on much of the same information. Most businesses need both, built on one foundation.
Can anyone guarantee I show up in ChatGPT or AI Overviews?
No. Assistants decide what to say, and answers change from one ask to the next. Credible work builds the foundations that make you easy to understand and cite.
Do I need an llms.txt file?
It is optional. Google has said its Search and AI features do not require it. Crawlable pages, structured data, and consistent facts matter more.
How do I know if AI assistants mention my business?
Ask them the way a customer would, from your area, more than once. Our free AI check runs that question through two assistants with live web search and shows the full answers.
Does schema markup help with AI search?
It helps machines read your facts correctly, which supports both search and AI answers. It should match what is visible on the page, and it is not a shortcut on its own.
How long does it take to see changes?
It depends on competition, site history, and how often engines recrawl you. Technical fixes can show quickly. Trust signals like reviews and mentions build over months.