The Essential Components of a Successful Generative Engine Optimisation Strategy
The way in which people search for information online is rapidly evolving and if you want your business to be found by the majority of your target audience then you need to get to grips with the new way of searching for information online.
More and more people are asking AI to answer their questions and whether it is via chatbots such as ChatGPT and Gemini or the Google AI Overviews that provide in-depth answers to your search on Google Search then if your business is not in the answer then you might as well not exist for that large proportion of your target audience.
In a bid to get to grips with the new way of searching for information online, marketing has seen the discipline of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) become one of the hottest new topics of the year so far. This is exactly the space an AI Optimisation Agency operates in helping brands adapt before they get left behind.
It is not ‘SEO with a new name’. GEO is a whole new discipline that requires a complete change of perspective and the setting up of a whole new set of rules to get a brand found by AI models recommending products and services to users.
1. Structured, answer-first content
Information that can easily be lifted and repurposed from a page is far more likely to be used by a Generative Search Engine than well written and structured information on a page. This means that information that answers questions first and then goes on to supply even more information on the subject at hand is far more likely to be used by a Generative Search Engine than information that is written in a long winded introduction followed by three very good information packed pages.
Information that is written in a clear and structured format with proper headings for definitions and well organized sections of information is far more likely to be used by a Generative Search Engine than information that is written in a less than ideal format for information repurposing.
2. Topical authority, not just keyword density
The process that Generative Search uses to work out who is best to answer a question is to look for evidence of topical authority. This is essentially evidence of in depth knowledge of a subject. This can be shown by the presence of a cluster of content around a core topic.
The content does not have to be in the form of a cluster of pages, a single page of high quality content can be enough to show topical authority and achieve your goals in Generative Search. However, building out a cluster of related pages of high quality content that are all linked together is far more likely to achieve your goals.
3. Trust signals that machines can verify
When trying to confirm a brand’s trustworthiness, other signals that a machine can verify are those that establish a writer’s credentials, the quality of sources referenced in their content, a brand’s consistency of business information published online, and third party validation or endorsement of said brand.
These signals combine to prove a brand’s E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, trust) in SEO and, with case studies, customer testimonials, press coverage, and a clear About page that’s not PR puff, can be proven out in GEO strategies.
4. Structured data and technical readability
The AI Search Engine crawlers also have to be able to read your web pages and pull out the who, what and why from them as much as possible. Thus, including the necessary structured data, writing your web pages with clean HTML code and ensuring that your pages load up quickly will also ensure that your web pages are readable by these Search Engine crawlers.
5. Being mentioned where AI already looks
Your site may be the best place for an AI to find the answers that your site provides, but it is not the only place an AI may look for information on a topic. Thus, a complete GEO strategy includes visibility in places that an AI may consider when trying to provide the best answer to a question. This could include online forums, places where one would typically leave reviews, industry publications, etc. Online mentions of your brand can also help to affect an AIs AI-powered search results.
Conclusion
Luck is not enough. Getting recommended by AI involves quality content, sufficient authority and a continuously evolving approach. The LLOMA helps brands to bundle their dispersed activities and to develop and implement a sound strategy for Generative Engine Optimization. Before change happens to the AI platforms, we first need to establish a solid foundation for becoming ‘the answer’ that AI returns, rather than something it ignores.
