GEO Basics
What problem does GEO solve that traditional SEO doesn't?
Updated January 12, 2026GEO Expert Team
Summary
SEO primarily optimizes for rankings and clicks in link-based search results. GEO optimizes for being selected as source material inside AI-generated answers—often without a click—where the 'winner' is the page that's easiest to extract, trust, and cite.
Detailed Answer
SEO primarily optimizes for rankings and clicks in link-based search results. GEO optimizes for being selected as source material inside AI-generated answers—often without a click—where the "winner" is the page that's easiest to extract, trust, and cite.
The key differences:
- SEO Goal: Rank higher in search results, drive clicks
- GEO Goal: Become the cited source in AI answers
In the AI-first search landscape, users often get answers directly without clicking through. Your content needs to be:
1. Easy for AI to parse and extract
2. Authoritative and trustworthy
3. Comprehensive enough to answer the question fully
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