Generative Engine Optimization (II) - How AI Can Help SEO
Joe Kovacs, APR
20+ Years of Results-Driven Communications Leadership | Growth Professional | Content Creator and Strategist | Accredited PR Pro | Driving Customers to Loyalty-Building Brand Engagement
Google’s long-time goal for content creators and SEO has been to inspire content that is highly relevant to users, which can be enhanced and supported by GEO practices.
by Joe Kovacs, APR
In last week’s issue of Marketing Strategies 4 Growth (subscribe here), I discussed generative engine optimization (GEO), the benefits of which some digital marketers are positioning themselves to understand while the rest of us stay focused on optimizing our websites based on traditional search engine strategies.
SEO vs. GEO – What’s the Difference?
AI-driven search results now will occasionally appear at the top of traditional search engine results (SERPs). Following a user search, Google will introduce, for example, an “AI Overview” tag by way of introducing AI content generated by Gemini, its AI search engine. The integration of AI-generated results--the outcome of GEO--in search engines demonstrates a fundamental connection between SEO and GEO.
SEO is not going anywhere as a strategy for digital marketers. Google’s long-time goal for content creators and SEO has been to inspire content that is highly relevant to users, which can be enhanced and supported by GEO practices.
1.???? One Difference - Different Search Engines
If there is one clear difference between SEO and GEO, it is the type of search engine that responds to user queries and how they measure the value of content for its results. Traditional search engines have prioritized results based on keyword appearance including long-tail words and phrases that incorporate those keywords as well as, to the best of its ability, users' perceived intent. The “best” results come in the form of a list of websites (the SERPs) that the search engine believes could best serve the user's needs. Digital marketers strive to have their websites ranked high in the results.
AI search engines deprioritize keyword usage, instead focusing on the use of language in context of its users' search intent. In simpler terms, AI search engines try to understand what users really want. AI search engines generate responses from a large array of data (see "large language models") available to them online.
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Responses are presented as a summary (e.g. the above-mentioned AI Overview from Gemini) not as a ranked list of websites.??
2.???? GEO Informs SEO
Digital marketers who structure their websites based on keyword usage and who ensure their websites will load quickly and contain helpful links (that aren’t broken) to other content may succeed in generating a high ranking in the SERPs.
However, those marketers still need to contend with other metrics once users arrive on the ranked page.
Any web page that is unhelpful to the user, no matter how well it ranks in the SERPs, fails.
GEO can help with search engine optimization since it focuses on finding and delivering the most valuable and comprehensive information in response to the perceived intent of a user’s query. AI search engines also try to navigate, based on the user’s search term, what other information may be deemed helpful to users. Using a “predictive” model not only serves the informational needs of the user’s actual query but considers what needs or questions may be driving the question in the first place.
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Any web page that is unhelpful to the user, no matter how well it ranks in the SERPs, fails.
It offers a depth of customer-focused content that Google cannot, on its own, deliver since the SERPs rely on the work of digital marketers operating within Google’s system. The fact that Google’s search algorithm continues to evolve reflects nonstop opportunities to improve customer service. ?
From the Kovacs Communications blog: The Importance of Brand Voice in Content Marketing
Business owners and content marketers can take advantage of AI-generated content (content structured on sites through GEO) by running queries on topics relevant to their business and customers. The AI-generated results provide comprehensive details about consumers' current and potential needs. ?
Although no business should paste content verbatim from AI search engine results onto a web page (for reasons I’ll get into another time), the generated language and phrasing choices as well as the content structure delivered by the search engine provides immeasurable value--and does it in no time at all.
3.???? How Business Owners and Marketers Can Leverage GEO
Content marketing showcases value to attract customers. Shaping content grounded in understanding a user’s real needs (rather than just relying on keywords that might be used in a search query) can benefit from GEO. Those responsible for search engine optimization should incorporate AI’s value into content planning. Technical SEO (page speed, linking, avoiding broken links, etc.) remains valuable as well as some keyword research.
Content marketers should routinely research AI-generated content to ensure accuracy (which is helped by the citations provided by ChatGPT and AI Insights). But once accuracy is established, the language and structure of the AI content can serve as an excellent resource for generating fresh, original content for the content marketer's business to enhance its performance in the SERPs.?
Reviewing Your GEO-Influenced Online Content Performance
Above, I pointed to other metrics besides the SERP rank to determine the success of your content. Content marketers who opt to pay attention to content generated from GEO practices can shape or rewrite their own content in a customer service-friendly way. Once that is accomplished, it’s worth checking out those other metrics:
It would be great if your website content is ever cited by an AI search engine but the greater victory will be knowing you have created content those search engines have deemed on point and comprehensive enough to serve the user’s intent and predict future needs in an accessible and well-formatted context.
That could result in improved performance in the bulleted metrics above. Your SEO efforts can therefore benefit from generative engine optimization. ?
AI is here to help. ??
Are you a solo practitioner, a small accounting firm or the division leader at a larger firm struggling with your content to drive growth strategies? The Marketing Strategies 4 Growth newsletter offers weekly insights generated from nearly 20 years of professional services marketing experience. Subscribe here or visit the Kovacs Communications website for additional insights. I specialize in delivering content marketing solutions to help professional services firms get unstuck and back on course for growth.
Joe Kovacs, APR ([email protected])
#contentmarketing #contentplanning #digitalmarketing #growthstrategies #contentcreation
Strategic Management and Growth Professional | Chief Growth Officer
3 周Good stuff as per usual, Joe
Senior Managing Director
3 周Joe Kovacs, APR Very insightful. Thank you for sharing
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3 周Joe Kovacs, APR, the interplay between ai search engines and geo is fascinating. it’s incredible how content prioritization shapes our digital landscape! what do you think are the most crucial elements of effective content strategy in this context?