GEO vs SEO: What the Terms Mean
GEO stands for generative engine optimization and concerns how information is represented in generated answers. SEO covers search discovery. The distinction is useful for measurement, but it does not require abandoning sound website practices.
Recognize the overlap
Both kinds of work can involve research, clearer documentation, crawlability and evidence. Industry definitions vary, and a generated answer may draw on search results as well as other context. Avoid assuming a fixed boundary between "search" and "AI."
Use research carefully
The GEO research paper introduced a benchmark for studying visibility in generative answers. A measured improvement in a research setting is not a promised effect on every live assistant. Describe the method and setting when citing research, rather than turning a reported percentage into a sales guarantee.
Read the original GEO paper for the study design and results.
Design one practical project
Choose a customer question, improve the page that should answer it and record the change. Evaluate the page's usefulness and observe search and answer results separately. Stable prompts, dates and original answers make the latter review more meaningful.
Sources and further reading
Google's guidance for AI features explains the requirements for its own search experiences. For a worked process, read our related practical guide. Apply engine-specific documentation to that engine, rather than treating it as a rule for every assistant.