GEO & AEO (AI Search Optimisation)
The next evolution of SEO: earning your place in AI-driven conversations
What is GEO and AEO all about?
- Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is about structuring your content so AI assistants and search engines can easily recognize and surface it as a direct answer. Think FAQs, clear passages, and machine-readable formats that make your expertise quotable.
- Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) goes a step further. Instead of just answering, it ensures your brand is one of the names AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity generate when pulling together information from multiple sources. This isn't about stuffing in keywords — it's about clarity, authority, and consistency across the wider web.
Together, AEO and GEO shift the focus from being searchable to being mentionable. It's about making sure that when AI delivers an answer, your business is part of the conversation.
Why can't I just stick with traditional SEO?
AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews aren't just changing search — they're replacing it. Decision-makers don't ask Google and scroll through ten blue links anymore. They ask an AI a question and get their answer in seconds. No clicking required.
Here's what's happening right now:
- ChatGPT has 800 million weekly active users (mid-2025)
- Google's AI Overviews have slashed click-through rates on top organic results by 32% since launch
- Entire industries are watching their organic traffic drop 20–40% as AI answers replace website visits
Unlike traditional search where you could still capture traffic from position #7 or #10, AI is ruthlessly selective. It's winner-takes-all, and there are only 2-3 winners per query.
Does this mean SEO is dead?
Not at all. SEO still matters because LLMs don't pull answers out of thin air — they crawl and retrieve content from the open web. If your site isn't optimized to be discoverable, crawlable, and machine-readable, you won't make it into the datasets or live retrieval pipelines these systems depend on.
The same fundamentals that powered Google for 20 years – clarity, speed, trust – are still what decide whether AI considers you credible enough to mention. SEO is still the baseline that gets you into the game.
How does our company get to appear in ChatGPT?
You don’t “buy” your way into ChatGPT or other AI assistants — you earn it. These systems pull from a mix of web content, citations, and live search data. To show up, your brand needs be consistent everywhere (same name, same services), your expertise needs to be easy to quote (clear, structured content), and your credibility needs to be established across trusted sources. So in short: it’s part technical foundation, part authority-building, part content strategy.
Does Oimachi offer strategy or actual implementation on GEO and AEO?
Both. Some clients engage us for strategic audits, playbooks, and workshops with their in-house teams. Others lean on us for hands-on implementation — from restructuring web content and FAQs, to adding schema markup, to building out authority signals across the wider web. We adjust the mix depending on whether you want a partner to guide or to execute.
How do you measure success with GEO/AEO?
This is still a fast-evolving field, and there isn’t yet a universal “AI ranking dashboard.” That said, there are clear indicators to track:
- Mentions of your brand or content inside AI answers (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews).
- Traditional SEO metrics that feed into AI visibility: crawlability, rankings, backlinks, reviews.
- Authority signals like E-E-A-T (expertise, experience, authority, trust).
We also emphasize that the industry is still developing better visibility metrics — but being early to build authority means you’re ahead when these methods become standard.
How long does it take to see results?
You’ll often see technical fixes (like structured data or clearer content formats) picked up within weeks. Authority-building – earning citations, reviews, and mentions – takes longer, usually several months before you notice consistent visibility improvements. Think of it less as a quick campaign and more as building long-term digital authority.
What does the actual process look like?
We typically work in phases:
- Audit: Review your site, content, and digital presence for gaps in AI/SEO readiness.
- Strategy: Develop a tailored roadmap covering content structure, authority-building, and entity clarity.
- Implementation: Apply changes directly or guide your in-house team – from schema markup to content rewrites.
- Monitoring: Track outcomes, review citations, and adjust the strategy as AI search evolves.
How do I know if my current content is good for AI to find and read?
AI assistants prefer content that is clear, structured, and specific. If your content provides direct answers up top, uses headings and bullet points, and avoids fluff, you’re on the right track.
Adding schema markup, FAQs, and case-specific detail further helps. If your content feels long-winded, generic, or inconsistent across platforms, it’s likely being deprioritised by AI – that’s often where we start.
What's the biggest mistake companies make when trying to optimize for AI?
- Treating it like old-school SEO and chasing keywords instead of clarity and authority. AI doesn’t reward keyword density; it rewards useful, quotable content.
- Ignoring technical foundations like structured data, consistent company naming, or crawlable site structures. Without those, even great content may never surface.
What's the difference between your approach and other agencies?
We combine deep brand and content expertise with the technical rigor of SEO. Because we also design and implement websites, we’re in a unique position to integrate AEO/GEO optimizations directly into the foundation – something many SEO-only agencies struggle with.
Where others might treat this as a checklist, we see it as building long-term authority and clarity across every touchpoint. And as early adopters, we treat AI search as its own discipline, not just an add-on to SEO. That balance of creative, technical, and forward-looking strategy sets us apart.
How much does this service cost?
Pricing depends on scope and whether you need us for strategy, implementation, or both. As a reference point, our audits start from $1,000 USD, but most engagements are tailored to the complexity of your site and goals. The best step is to start with a conversation, and we’ll scope from there.
