Clients today are asking a new question: “Are we visible in AI search?”
And for good reason. Google’s AI Overviews and other AI-driven search engines are reshaping the search landscape, cutting organic traffic by 30–70% for many businesses.
This is where GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) comes in. It’s the next evolution of SEO—focused on visibility inside AI-powered answers. Agencies that have already embraced GEO are charging premium retainers (some upwards of $4,000/month) for these services.
But here’s the truth: GEO isn’t about lofty strategies. It’s about field checks, clarity, and fast fixes. Skip the basics, and you risk solving the wrong problem.
Below, I’ll break down a step-by-step framework to help your agency transition from SEO to GEO—and position yourself as an authority in AI search.
SEO & GEO Checklist To Reclaim Visibility
Phase 1. Run An AI Visibility Audit
Start by auditing where your brand (or your client’s brand) stands in AI-driven search:
- Choose 5–10 business-critical key phrases.
- Search them in Google AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, Perplexity, and ChatGPT.
- Ignore the blue links—look at the AI-generated answers first.
- Check: Are you cited? Are your competitors mentioned? Where are the links pointing?
- Screenshot the results and document visibility (or the lack of it).
Pro Tip: Bring this audit snapshot into your next client call. It turns vague assumptions into hard evidence.
Phase 2. Interpret AI Visibility
Once you’ve got the data, interpret the results:
- Highly visible: Your brand is explicitly mentioned. Great—double down here.
- Partially visible: Your content is being used, but your brand isn’t cited. This weakens authority over time.
- Absent: Competitors own the space. This is your biggest opportunity.
Think of GEO as a new traffic channel. The question is simple: Are we present in the answers people actually read?
Phase 3. Communicate The Real Problem
Clients don’t just want to hear “traffic is down.” They need clarity.
Structure your audit presentation this way:
- Rule out technical issues (crawl errors, clicks dropping due to unrelated issues).
- Separate branded vs. non-branded terms (AI often clusters answers by intent).
- Use side-by-side visuals: left = AI answer with your visibility status, right = on-site metrics for the same topic.
This helps stakeholders clearly see why AI visibility matters—and why GEO should be part of their strategy.
Phase 4. Combine SEO & GEO For Maximum Impact
When you move into execution, the balance between traditional SEO and GEO becomes crucial.
Two new constraints define GEO:
- Speed (Time to First Token): AI crawlers skim fast. If your answer isn’t upfront, you’re ignored.
- Context Window: AI models compress information. They prefer clarity, straightforward headings, and clean entities.
If SEO is about ranking for keywords, GEO is about showing up for prompts.
Phase 5. Implement GEO Tactics
Here’s how to optimize for AI-driven answers:
1. Provide Answers Upfront
Lead with the clear, plain-English answer your audience needs. One or two sentences first, then the details. If users (or AI crawlers) have to scroll for answers, you’ve already lost.
2. Strengthen Entity Clarity
Make your content unambiguous with consistent product names, categories, specs, and schema. Think of it as labeling every shelf in your digital store.
3. Optimize For Technical GEO
AI crawlers care about speed and clarity. Tighten your H1s, move key facts above the fold, and minimize distractions.
4. Publish Honest Comparisons
If customers compare products/services, create clear tables and highlight only the differences that matter. AI tends to cite straightforward, no-fluff comparisons.
5. Manage Links & Sentiment
Link authoritative sources and monitor how your brand is mentioned in existing AI answers. If tone or facts are off, fix the original content being referenced.
Finally, review your AI presence, citations, and competitor share monthly. GEO isn’t “set and forget”—it’s an ongoing channel.
What Leading Agencies Are Seeing
Early GEO adopters are already reporting:
- 88% year-over-year increase in organic traffic
- 42% growth in unique pageviews
All by updating a handful of high-value pages with entity clarity, answer-first formatting, and comparison content.
The agencies winning today are those that position themselves as AI search authorities now—not those waiting for the dust to settle.
Final Thoughts
The shift from SEO to GEO isn’t optional. If your agency doesn’t help clients stay visible in AI search, they’ll find someone else who will.
By running visibility audits, interpreting results, and implementing answer-first strategies, you can establish your agency as a trusted AI search authority.
About the Author
Nivin Kallingal is a digital strategist helping brands and agencies navigate the evolving landscape of search, SEO, and AI-driven visibility.
