Google has dominated the search engine market for over a decade, and that likely will not change any time soon. However, AI large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, because they offer a more efficient search experience, recently started to cut into Google’s market share. As a small business owner, you must adapt by integrating generative engine optimization (GEO) into your digital marketing strategy. GEO is the practice of optimizing your online content, website, and other platforms so that LLMs can find, understand, trust, and cite your small business.
GEO vs Traditional SEO for Small Businesses
Both GEO and traditional SEO are intended to increase your small business’s online visibility, but they target different search experiences. Whereas traditional SEO involves optimizing your website and content to rank in search engine results, GEO involves optimizing your small business’s online presence to appear in LLM answers.
| GEO | Traditional SEO | |
| Primary Objective | Get cited or included in AI-generated answers | Rank your business website high in search engine results |
| Platforms | LLMs like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity | Search engines like Google and Bing |
| User Behavior | Users get answer without leaving (zero-click) | Users browse links and click to visit websites |
| Key Strategies | Conversational language, authority signals, website structure, expert content | Keywords, backlinks, on-page optimization, technical SEO |
| Success Metrics | Brand mentions and citations | Keyword rankings, website traffic |
| Outcomes | Brand awareness, trust, indirect (dark) traffic | Website traffic |
Nevertheless, small businesses should view GEO and traditional SEO as complementary parts of an online marketing strategy. Optimize for traditional search first and then incorporate GEO tactics within your website and other platforms.
What Are the Key Platforms for Small Business GEO?
The most important GEO platforms for small businesses are AI LLMs.
- ChatGPT: ChatGPT is the top platform for GEO because of its brand recognition and market share. In fact, over 80% of AI referral website traffic comes from ChatGPT. No other AI platform even has 1% of referral traffic. ChatGPT is best when you need research with follow-up tasks.
- Perplexity: Perplexity does not boast ChatGPT’s user base, but it offers a compelling alternative because its generative answers include more citations and links. As such, Perplexity behaves almost like a search engine with synthesized answers.
- Google Gemini/AI Mode: Gemini supports Google’s AI search mode. Because it connects to traditional search, Gemini provides real-time information and news better than other LLMs.
- Grok: Grok combines real-time web search with X access, so it offers fast and direct generative answers. Like Perplexity, Grok includes many citations and links.
- Claude: Claude excels in long-form analysis, but its search capabilities do not match Perplexity and Grok.
What Are the Benefits of GEO for Small Businesses?
GEO matters to small businesses and offers many benefits related to online performance.
- Increased AI search visibility: GEO helps your small business appear more frequently in AI results – especially if your competitors have yet to incorporate GEO best practices.
- More brand recognition: Appearing in generative answers is a tremendous branding opportunity. People will consistently see your brand name, even if there are not any links to your website.
- Qualified website traffic: AI referral traffic is more qualified because it comes from users who are ready to engage and convert. Also, AI brand visibility often leads to direct website visitors.
- Better trust and authority: People will trust your small business more and more if they see you in AI results. Think of AI search as virtual “word-of-mouth” marketing.
- Resilience to search trends: Implementing GEO now means that your small business will be more resilient to changing search trends.
Actionable GEO Strategies for Small Businesses
Are you ready to improve your small business’s visibility in generative engines? Here are some action able, proven ways small businesses can improve GEO performance:
- Structure your website content: Keep in mind that LLMs function like robots when they scan your website. Make it easy for these robots by using clear headings (H1, H2, H3, etc.), bullet points, numbered lists, short paragraphs, and tables whenever possible. These features are easier to understand than long paragraphs.
- Include actual questions in on-page headers: A quality product page or blog post references subtopics in the on-page headers. Try to include questions in these headers that align with actual search queries. For example, consider something like “What Are the Benefits of GEO?” as opposed to “Benefits of GEO.”
- Publish pillar content on your website: Regardless of your small business’s industry, there are likely 3-5 core topics that are especially relevant. Publish in-depth pillar pages that cover these topics in detail. Then, you can publish additional blogs that relate to these pillar topics. Pillar page examples are guides and state of industry reports.
- Add employees bios to website: Add website pages that showcase the experts who work at your small business. These bios prove your knowledge and expertise to LLMs and to potential customers.
- Create case studies: Do you have examples of your best work? Turn them into case studies and publish them on your website. You can anonymize these case studies to protect any customer data.
- Optimize Google Business Profile: If your small business is local, then you need to claim and optimize your Google Business Profile. LLMs, including ChatGPT, heavily rely on Google data for local queries.
How to Track and Measure GEO for Small Businesses
Measuring small business GEO performance can be a little tricky. While traditional SEO metrics are helpful, the truth is that there are a lot of unknowns with GEO visibility. AI platforms like ChatGPT are not as transparent as Google when it comes to impressions, clicks, and other data. However, there are some ways that small businesses can track and measure GEO performance:
- AI brand mentions: how many times your small business’s brand name appeared in an AI result
- AI brand citations: how many times one of your website pages appeared in an AI result
- AI referral traffic: how many users came from an AI platform to your website (unfortunately, sessions from some platforms like Grok do not appear as referrals)
- Direct website traffic: how many users went directly to your website from their browser, bookmark, etc. (more direct traffic often indicates greater AI brand recognition)
- Brand search volume: how many times people search for your brand name in Google (more brand search volume often indicates greater AI brand recognition)
AI brand mentions and citations are most important because, according to a SEMrush report, about 60% of searches end without a click.
Is GEO Different from AEO for Small Businesses?
GEO is related to AEO for small businesses, to the point at which strategies and tracking are basically the same. However, there are some key differences that you must consider. While the objective of AEO is to be the one-shot answer in Google and other search engines, GEO is all about becoming the trusted source in search engines. Beyond that, AEO focuses mainly on search engines like Google, whereas GEO focuses on AI LLMs like ChatGPT.
With that said, it is clear that GEO and AEO are complementary. By improving AEO performance, you set yourself up to improve GEO performance down the line. Consistently appearing as the go-to source in answer engines certainly builds authority with LLMs.
A good gameplan for small businesses is to start with AEO for some quick wins. Optimize your website and Google Business Profile and start to increase AI Overview visibility. Then, layer on GEO for lasting impact. Create detailed content and build additional citations to be the top source in AI.
CORE Search and GEO for Small Businesses
ChatGPT and other generative engines are here to stay, so as a small business owner, you must take advantage before your competitors do. Connect with CORE Search and ask about our AI search marketing services. Our services combine GEO with traditional SEO to create a for long-lasting impact.