Visibility is a key metric that is often used to determine the success of an SEO strategy, or the performance of your website online. From mobile first searches, to social media search, to voice search, to AI and generative search, there have been numerous changes to consumer behaviour online, and to channels for visibility. But the fundamentals remain the same. Your website and brand still need to be discoverable wherever your audience is looking for information. This now encompasses AI driven tools that generate answers directly. As a result of this, Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the latest buzzword online. But how do SEO and GEO work together? And what does every business need to know about this?

What is SEO?

SEO, or Search Engine Optimisation, is the practice of improving your website so it performs well in traditional search engine results. Its primary goal is to help your content appear prominently when users search on Google or Bing for relevant topics, products or services. There are a number of core pillars that make up the foundation of SEO, and these include:

Search intent and content quality- You create content that answers real user questions clearly and accurately. This means aligning your pages with what users are actually trying to achieve, not simply inserting keywords.
On-page optimisation- You structure content using logical headings, descriptive titles, internal links and concise meta information so search engines can understand the topic and relevance of each page.
Technical performance- Your site needs to load quickly, work well on mobile devices, and be easy for search engines to crawl and index.
Authority and trust- Signals such as backlinks, brand mentions and consistent expertise help search engines assess credibility.

Overall, SEO success is typically measured through rankings, impressions, organic traffic, engagement metrics and conversions. When done well, SEO drives sustained, intent-driven traffic from users actively seeking information.

So what is GEO?

GEO, or Generative Engine Optimisation, is also known as AEO. This focuses on visibility within AI-generated responses rather than traditional search results. These AI generated responses summarise information for users, instead of showing a list of website pages. As such, they operate differently from search engines:

They synthesise content from multiple sources.
They present answers directly, often without showing links prominently.
They prioritise clarity, factual accuracy and topical coverage.

GEO involves optimising content so it is easy for AI systems to extract, interpret and reuse. This typically means:

Writing clear, declarative statements rather than vague or overly promotional copy.
Structuring content into logical sections that answer specific questions.
Covering topics comprehensively so your content is recognised as authoritative.
Maintaining consistent brand information across the web.

While GEO is still developing as a formal discipline, its principles are increasingly relevant as AI-powered discovery becomes more common.

So which data should you measure?

To manage SEO and GEO effectively, you need to track data that reflects how users and platforms interact with your content.

The important SEO metrics include:

Organic impressions and clicks show how often your pages appear and attract attention in search results.
Keyword visibility indicates how well your content performs across relevant topics rather than isolated terms.
Engagement metrics such as time on page, scroll depth and bounce rate help you assess content quality.
Conversions and assisted conversions demonstrate business impact.

These metrics help you understand whether your content is discoverable and valuable in traditional search environments.

The important GEO-related indicators include:

Mentions or citations in AI responses, even when no click occurs.
Brand presence in summaries, comparisons or explanations generated by AI tools.
Referral traffic from AI platforms, where available.
Relative visibility compared to competitors in generative outputs.

Importantly, you should let your own data guide priorities. If AI-driven traffic or mentions are minimal for your audience, strengthening SEO fundamentals may deliver greater short-term value.

So how do SEO and GEO work together?

SEO and GEO are not opposing strategies. In practice, they share many foundations and reinforce each other. These shared principles include:

High-quality, helpful content that genuinely answers user needs.
Clear structure and logical organisation, which benefits search engines and AI systems alike.
Authority and consistency, supported by accurate information and trusted signals.

Content that performs well in SEO is often well positioned for GEO because it already demonstrates relevance, clarity and expertise.

How do SEO and GEO bring different outcomes?

SEO primarily drives users to your website through search results. GEO increases the likelihood that your content or brand appears within AI-generated answers, even if the user does not click through immediately. When combined, SEO and GEO offer:

SEO ensures long-term, measurable traffic and conversions.
GEO enhances brand visibility and influence across emerging discovery channels.

Together, they increase overall reach and resilience as search behaviour evolves.

This means that rather than creating separate strategies, you should focus on producing content that is clear, structured, authoritative and user-focused. These qualities will benefit both approaches.

Conclusion

SEO remains the foundation of online discoverability, while GEO reflects how that discoverability is expanding into AI-generated environments. You do not need to choose between them. By understanding how they work together, you can build a unified content strategy that supports visibility and adapts to how users will find information in the future.

Here at Pumpkin Web Design we are Preston’s leading web design and web marketing professionals. We provide a wide range of website solutions and SEO services across Preston and the North West, from Blackburn and Bolton, to Southport, Wigan, and even Manchester. We work with businesses of all sizes and across a wide variety of sectors, from local service providers to established commercial brands. So, for more information about SEO, content marketing, traffic growth and web design, get in touch with the experts at Pumpkin Web Design today.

How do SEO and GEO work together?