For the last two decades, the answer to being found online has been to invest in SEO to climb Google’s rankings and attract more visitors to your business’s website.

And that remains true.

However, with the advent of artificial intelligence, AI-powered search tools have started to become a regular feature of the business-to-business (B2B) buying process.

To remain visible, businesses are now looking to ensure they feature in AI-generated answers too. And they are achieving it through a new digital marketing discipline – Generative Engine Optimisation or ‘GEO’.

So, what is GEO? How does it differ from SEO? How important is it to B2B marketing? What is the best way to apply GEO to B2B?

Introducing AI search

Google and Bing are no longer the only place potential customers are searching online for products, services or information.

Today, business decision-makers are increasingly likely to turn to AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot or Claude to provide answers.

Instead of returning a page of links, these tools generate a complete response using information gathered from multiple trusted sources.

Statistics on the scale of this shift from traditional to AI-powered search are quickly outdated – but an estimated 50% of online searches already no longer result in a click as the user is satisfied by an AI-generated answer.

These answers contain information, links and citations from websites which help provide the information. As such, by being mentioned, businesses can maintain or boost their online profile.

That’s where Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) comes in.

However, just like AI hasn’t replaced traditional search, neither is GEO replacing SEO.

Over the coming years, the most successful B2B marketing strategies may be those who best appreciate how GEO and SEO work strongest together.

What is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of improving your website so that it appears prominently in traditional search engine results.

The goal is straightforward: when someone searches for a product, service or question related to your business, you want your website to be one of the top results they see.

If your SEO is effective, your website appears on page one of Google’s search results, increasing the chances that someone clicks through to your website to learn more.

Traditional SEO tactics include:

• Keyword research
• Content targeting key search terms
• Technical website optimisation, including fast page speeds
• Backlinks from quality third-party websites
• Good website User Experience (UX)

For more than two decades, this has been the primary way businesses have grown their visibility online – and it remains very important.

What is GEO?

‘Generative engines’ is the name given to AI tools which use large language models (LLMs) to provide answers and other outputs.

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation. As it’s new, it can also be referred to as AEO, AIO, AI SEO, LLMM, GSO and GAIO. Whilst some differences arguably exist, they essentially all refer to the same objective and actions.

Rather than helping your website rank on a traditional search engine, GEO helps your business become a trusted source that AI platforms use when generating answers.

For example, a user may ask an AI assistant “How can a manufacturing company generate more leads?”

Instead of listing ten website links, the AI produces a detailed response that will likely combine information from industry experts, trusted websites, research reports and recognised businesses.

The aim of GEO is to ensure your website is included as one of those trusted sources.

Why does GEO matter to companies working business-to-business?

The business-to-business (B2B) buying journey is relatively slow.

Unlike consumer purchases, B2B decisions often involve multiple people, significant budgets and weeks, months or even years of research.

Before speaking to potential suppliers, B2B buyers typically seek to better understand:

• The problem or need they are experiencing
• The available solutions
• Typical costs
• Implementation challenges
• Industry best practices
• Potential suppliers

Increasingly, businesses are using AI-powered search tools to conduct this research. Instead of searching Google twenty times, they can ask one detailed question and receive a comprehensive answer in seconds.

If your company’s expertise helps shape that AI-generated answer, you’ve influenced a potential buyer before they’ve even visited your website.

That can be very valuable.

SEO and GEO have different goals

Although two sides of the same digital coin, SEO and GEO aim to achieve different outcomes.

1. SEO focuses on helping your website pages appear in search results
2. GEO focuses on helping your expertise appear in AI-generated responses.

Here’s a simple comparison.

One isn’t better than the other – they’re simply addressing different challenges!

Isn’t SEO enough?

Sometimes – but not always.

Because of a shared focus on good content, SEO will likely increase a website’s chances of appearing in AI-search.

However, traditional search engines are looking for relevance and authority. AI tools are looking for answers. An excellent article that ranks third on Google may never feature in AI results.

To understand the difference in the mechanisms of SEO and GEO, it’s important to consider how AI search tools work.

Instead of counting keywords and links like a traditional search engine, AI looks for evidence that information is relevant, useful, accurate and trustworthy.

The signals it looks for are:

• Clear explanations – can complex ideas be easily understood?
• Depth of knowledge – does the source genuinely understand the industry?
• Original insight – is the information new or simply regurgitated?
• Authority – does the business appear elsewhere online?
• Consistency – does the expertise and messaging align across the website, social media, articles and external publications?
• Expertise – can the author demonstrate real-world experience?

The more consistently these signals appear, the more likely AI systems are to trust your content.

The good news is that much of what makes good SEO also supports GEO, such as:

• Well-written content
• Clear headings
• Logical page structures
• Fast websites
• Strong technical SEO
• Schema markup
• High-quality backlinks
• Internal linking
• Helpful FAQs

However, GEO goes further…

The ways in which GEO goes further than SEO

There are several areas where GEO places greater emphasis than SEO. 

1. Natural answers to questions

Traditional SEO revolves around targeting specific search terms or ‘keywords’

However, AI provides answers. Within GEO, the more naturally and conversationally you answer questions, the more useful your content becomes.

2. Topical authority

In SEO, a single blog can help a website rank highly in search results.

However, AI tends to favour businesses that demonstrate depth rather than isolated expertise.

GEO encourages you to think of content as building a library of articles and expertise. Publishing twenty or thirty genuinely useful pieces of content begins to position you as an expert.

3. Original experience and real expertise

Though SEO is competitive, traditional search engines do not overtly consider uniqueness.

As anyone can rewrite information found elsewhere, AI is more interested in unique knowledge and genuine expertise.

Successful GEO content can include:

• Case studies
• Customer success stories
• Survey data
• Industry research
• Lessons learned
• Practical frameworks
• Real campaign results

You can explain how projects worked, discuss mistakes, share lessons, offer opinions and provide context.

4. Mentions beyond your own website

In SEO, authority is largely demonstrated by third-party links to your website.

Within GEO, authority emanates from your brands wider profile across the internet. This can include mentions in:

• Industry publications
• Podcasts
• Trade associations
• Business directories
• Guest articles
• News websites
• Partner websites

Practical ways to improve both SEO and GEO for B2B marketing

You can go a long way to succeeding in SEO and GEO by adopting one objective – to produce the best content in your industry!

Some practical actions include:

• Answer your customers’ most common questions
• Expand thin website pages into comprehensive resources
• Publish detailed guides, rather than superficial blogs
• Keep content regularly updated
• Include statistics and evidence, wherever possible
• Add FAQ sections to key service pages.
• Write comparison articles
• Produce case studies
• Share expert opinions
• Build relationships with respected industry publications
• Encourage customers to leave reviews and testimonials
• Ensure your technical SEO remains strong

These activities improve your visibility regardless of whether someone searches on Google or ChatGPT!

Does SEO or GEO matter more to B2B marketing?

In reality, you need both.

AI-search volumes are growing rapidly – but traditional search remains the more popular (for now) in terms of volume and likely conversion to sales.

SEO helps people discover your website. GEO helps people discover your expertise. SEO drives traffic. GEO drives trust (critical for B2B!).

Increasingly, the two reinforce each other.

In sectors operating business-to-business, firms with strong brands, excellent content and genuine authority will continue to perform well in both traditional and AI-generated search – however our online behaviour evolves!

Get help with GEO for B2B

Search is evolving, fast.

Google continues to matter enormously. Organic rankings still generate valuable traffic which turns into opportunities and sales. In the short- to medium- term, this is unlikely to end.

However, AI-powered search is becoming another important route that businesses are using to research suppliers, compare options and answer questions – and it could end up dominating.

At Full Mix Marketing, we specialise in delivering the full mix of strategic, digital and creative marketing for companies and organisations who provide products or services business-to-business (B2B).

We’ve over a decade of experience in successful SEO for clients in key sectors including manufacturing, engineering, business services, technology, industry, construction and logistics.

And we’ve developed cutting edge skills in GEO – creating content which ensures your company is mentioned when your potential customers ask AI for answers.

For more information, visit here