Is GEO taking over SEO's search traffic?
You may have noticed: it's getting quieter in your Google Analytics. Fewer clicks, fewer visitors while your SEO strategy is still as good as last year. Or not?
That's because of GEO. AI tools like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google's new AI overviews are not only changing how people search, they're changing how they search. who else they find. Your content is no longer just for people, but also for models. And they read and think differently.
So the question is not: how do I get to the top of Google? But How do I become the answer in an AI search result?
In this blog we explain what Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is, why it should be your new marketing tool, and most importantly: what you can do today to broaden your visibility.
What is GEO?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is about optimizing your content for AI search engines or models, not just for human readers or search algorithms. Where SEO is about being found by humans via search engines, GEO is about being understood by AI models. Think of ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google's AI Overview: systems that summarize, interpret and process your content into an answer.
Where SEO makes you findable in Google, Generative Engine Optimization ensure that AI models understand you and include your brand in their answers.
Think of tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overview. They don't just pull information, they build answers. And if you want to be in that, your content needs to be not just good, but also understandable, relevant and contextually smart.
You are no longer writing just for people, but also for models. That means:
- Creating content that AI understands: clear, structured and with enough context to summarize.
- Thinking like a prompt: What questions does your target group ask and how do you ensure that you are the logical answer?
- Claiming visibility in an AI-driven search environment: not only be found, but be chosen.
The three foundations of GEO:
-
Sharp input = better output
Optimize your content as you would write a prompt: clear, specific, targeted. -
Understanding how AI thinks
Different models react differently to the same input. What works for ChatGPT is interpreted differently by Google. GEO requires testing and learning. -
Building Strategies for AI Interaction
Not just findable, but functional: are you the answer AI wants to give? Then your content must be relevant to the question, and connect to the bigger picture.
What SEO looks at findability, looks at GEO to comprehensibility.
Keywords aren't gone, but AI is paying more attention explanation, context and relevance then on exact match. So: what is your unique contribution?
Why GEO is important now
Until recently, search traffic was fairly predictable. You optimized your pages for Google, scored for the right keywords, and watched the traffic roll in. But that game is changing. Faster than you think.
Recently, AI Overviews from Google also available in the Netherlands. At the same time, tools such as Chat GPT their influence with, among other things, a shopping feed and answers with source references. The result? People click less and are more likely to get their answer immediately.
In fact, analyses show that websites can 35% less click traffic since AI systems generate answers before anyone even sees a search result.
However, this does not mean that Google is out of the game. On the contrary: 33% of AI Overview responses still include Google Ads. So the question is not whether advertising makes sense, but whether you should adapt your strategy to the new playing field.
The new customer journey starts with a prompt
Keywords are replaced by questions. The user no longer types in individual terms, but complete prompts. And that changes everything.
Nowadays, users orient themselves just as well via ChatGPT or Perplexity as via Google. They ask a question, get an immediate answer, and often a summary with sources. Websites are no longer the starting point, but the end station if you are lucky.
AI determines which brands are visible. Which sources are reliable. And which input deserves to be answered. That means your website not only easy to find, but especially understandable for AI must be.
How do you ensure that AI understands and shows your brand?
1. Make your content machine-proof
Provide structured data. Use schema.org, JSON-LD or other forms of markup. Things like prices, reviews and product features should not be in a paragraph somewhere, but should be clear and structured. AI doesn't read, AI structures.
2. Write clearly and contextually
An AI model searches for meaning. Your tone of voice may be human, but the content must be sharp. Explain concepts, give examples and name the core in multiple ways. Context is your best friend.
3. Build your 'prompt readiness'
What does your target audience want in an AI tool? And are you the logical answer?
Tools like Prompt Watch help you understand what questions your audience is asking. Optimize your content not just for findability, but for relevance within those prompts.
How do you measure if GEO works?
Start at the beginning: where are you now?
- How often is your content mentioned in AI answers?
- What is your share of voice in this new search layer?
- What are your competitors doing?
Use GA4 to identify changes in search behavior. Measure the quality of your content based on search quality scores, AI listings and new traffic sources.
A tip: experiment with different formats, angles and prompt styles.
Conclusion: from hype to reality
GEO is not the end of SEO. It is a broadening, requiring sharper strategies, smarter content and a greater understanding of how AI thinks.
- Brands that experiment now will gain the edge later.
- Content that is understood, gets shared.
- Teams that measure and optimize are building a new kind of findability.
The question is not whether GEO will become important, but how quickly you will adopt it.