How GEO works and the new rules you need to master

When we talk about SEO, we’re talking about Search Engine Optimization — the art of making Google (or any search engine) show your content first.

But GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — is the new frontier.

🧠 GEO = Optimizing for AI-powered discovery engines, not just keyword-based search.
Think: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Bing Copilot, Claude, and all the generative systems that summarize the web rather than list it.

Here’s the breakdown of how GEO works and the new rules you need to master 👇

⚙️ 1. The Core Shift: From Keywords to Knowledge Graphs

SEO: Optimized for queries and ranking signals.
GEO: Optimized for context and credibility signals inside language models.

➡️ AI doesn’t “crawl” in the same way. It synthesizes.
That means the system looks for:

  • Author authority (is this voice referenced, cited, or consistent across sources?)

  • Conceptual clarity (is this explanation structured in a way that the model can reuse?)

  • Structured markup (schema, metadata, references — things LLMs love).

💡 Rule: Your content must be machine-understandable and semantically rich.

🧭 2. Semantic Density Over Keyword Density

LLMs care less about “best ADHD book 2025” and more about the context around that idea.

So instead of repeating the keyword, you:

  • Build semantic clusters (related terms, analogies, subtopics).

  • Write in concept maps — how ideas connect to one another.

  • Use embedded meaning — words that signal relationships: “because,” “which means,” “this leads to.”

💡 Rule: Write to teach the model, not to trick the crawler.

🪞 3. Authority Comes from Consistency

GEO favors consistent, multi-platform authorship.
It doesn’t care if your content ranks — it cares if your voice is credible and coherent across sources.

So:

  • Use the same author bio, tone, and core narrative everywhere (LinkedIn, Substack, X, Medium, your site).

  • Build backlinks from yourself — link your ecosystem together.

  • Let AI systems recognize “Traian Burgui” as a known entity connected to topics like ADHD, psychology, brand strategy, and cognitive design (in my case). You got the point, you do you.

💡 Rule: Become a node in the AI’s knowledge map, not a random webpage.

📚 4. Source Trust & Citability

GEO engines don’t just read — they quote and cite.
To get quoted by AI search or Perplexity summaries:

  • Use structured claims (e.g., “According to a 2023 Frontiers study…”).

  • Include APA or MLA-style citations where relevant.

  • Add fact anchors (dates, data, author names).

💡 Rule: The more verifiable and reference-like your content, the more likely it becomes an AI source.

⚡ 5. Machine Alignment: Metadata, Schema & Format

AI crawlers thrive on structured data.
You can optimize by:

  • Adding schema.org markup (Person, Article, FAQ, Organization).

  • Using clean headlines (H1–H3 hierarchy) with semantic titles, not clickbait.

  • Including FAQs and summaries — AI loves digestible chunks.

  • Using plain English for clarity (no overcomplication).

💡 Rule: Think like a data architect and a storyteller.

🔗 6. Multi-Format Presence = Multi-Vector Optimization

GEO rewards multimodal footprints.
If your ideas exist as text, audio, video, and image — and all interlink — the model triangulates higher trust.

  • Text (blog, Substack, X threads)

  • Audio (podcast snippets, interviews)

  • Video (TikTok, YouTube, Shorts)

  • Visuals (Canva carousels, infographics with alt-text)

💡 Rule: The model trusts patterns — not one post. Spread the same truth across channels.

🧩 7. Contextual Cohesion Beats Clickbait

GEO doesn’t rank emotional triggers. It rewards clarity, relevance, and structure.
So:

  • Ditch the bait headlines.

  • Make your thesis crystal clear.

  • Align every paragraph with your central concept (the LLM will follow your logic tree).

💡 Rule: Be quotable, not viral.

🧠 8. Feedback Loop: Train the Engine with You

Every time you or your audience use ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc. and mention or paste your content, it subtly reinforces your authority node.

💡 Rule: Encourage interaction with your material via AI search.
Example: “Ask Perplexity: Who’s writing about ADHD as the post-industrial neurotype?”

🪙 9. GEO KPIs (Forget Page Rank)

Measure:

  • AI visibility: Are you cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini?

  • Mention density: How often your name or brand appears in AI answers.

  • Semantic influence: When AI systems echo your definitions or frameworks.

💡 Rule: The new PageRank is PatternRank — how recognizable your knowledge is inside the model.

🧨 10. GEO Copywriting Principle

Your writing must survive summarization.
Ask: if AI condensed my post into 2 lines, would it still carry my voice and core message?

💡 Rule: Every line must contain signal, not fluff.