What is SEO and GEO?

Search engine optimisation (SEO) is a technique that seeks to improve the ranking of online material on search engines such as Google or Bing. If
you have ever searched for something on Google, you’ve likely noticed that even the simplest search can yield millions of results. Yet, you
probably rarely go past the first few suggestions, let alone the next page.

In such a highly crowded space, digital marketers use SEO marketing to ensure that potential customers actually find their products or services online. Generally, SEO marketing targets organic search terms, meaning marketers create content that naturally aligns with and ranks for top search terms related to their product.

Some common ways to go about SEO include: 

• Creating quality content that meets searcher intent
• Using keywords to help search engines identify relevant material
• Using long-tail keywords (specific phrases that searchers use) to help content reach its target audience
• Ensuring that content loads quickly and is compatible with mobile devices.

If you take a moment to look at the search engine results pages (SERPs) on Google - has it occured to you why one website is showing above another? Why are certain businesses listed on the first page, whereas others are showing up on the second and third pages? This is all due to SEO. Search engines use crawlers, bots and algorithms that determine your website's worth and then position (or rank) it accordingly on their results pages.

Although the Google search page appears as a standard website, much more lies behind it. There are numerous bots that crawl your site, which scope out the meaning and value behind your website’s content and then indexes them. Consider indexing like adding a new book into a library’s database. If your website page, isn’t indexed, your target market won’t be able to find you and for the bots to properly index your pages, you need to implement the right SEO practices - because of algorithms.

While the bots build databases of web pages for search engines, search engines look at your site and use algorithms—a combination of rules and signals —to rank it.

Here are a just few ranking factors

• Keywords/search intent: Are you targeting your audience’s needs and questions?
• Content: Are you communicating valuable information to your audience?
• User engagement: Does your site encourage people to stay and explore your business, or are they just leaving for your competitor’s site?
• Page speed: Does your site load quickly, or does it take a few seconds?
• Backlinks: Are there other authoritative/credible sites that link to your site?
• Domain authority (DA): How relevant is your site for a specific topic or industry?

The greater online visibility and rankings you have over your competitors, the more likely you will win more customers, improving your bottom line..By incorporating good SEO practices, you will win the trust of users and search engines, snag a VIP spot on the results pages, and most importantly, get found by the right people.

• The single most important thing you can do to increase your local SEO ranking is to claim and optimise your Google Business Profile. Several ranking signals are related to not just having a GBP listing, but optimising it by choosing the correct categories, adding pictures, getting reviews, responding to reviews, and so forth.
• The second most important thing you can do for local SEO is to focus on a holistic SEO strategy for your website. Build a solid link profile, create useful content with both local and key terms, and make sure your meta descriptions are optimised.

The first important step web-aviso would underdake for you would be a local SEO audit which would help identify any issues, areas for improvement, or quick fixes.

PRO-TIP : We recommend Google's reference pages How Search Works which are frequently updated - and help put the complexities of the 'why' of SEO into context.  

The landscape of online discovery is shifting, and it's happening at warp speed. For years, the holy grail of digital visibility was securing a coveted spot at the top of Google's search results. But as Large Language Models (LLMs) rapidly integrate into how users find information and make decisions, a new frontier in online presence has emerged: Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) - also known as AISO (AI Search Optimisation)

This isn't just another buzzword; it's a fundamental re-evaluation ofhow your brand gets seen. GEO is all about ensuring your content and brand are
not just present in traditional search but actively showcased within those AI-generated answers that are becoming increasingly prevalent.

GEO - The Dawn of Search Everywhere

We're no longer just talking about Google's traditional search results pages (SERPs). Discovery is now a multi-faceted experience, unfolding across every platform where users seek trusted information and recommendations. Think beyond the blue links – imagine your brand being the authoritative voice in an AI's conversational response or a trusted source cited in a generative summary.

The data underscores this monumental shift. New research from SEMrush boldly predicts that LLM traffic will surpass traditional Google search by the end of 2027. This isn't a distant future; it's practically tomorrow. And our own internal data echoes this sentiment, revealing an astounding 800% year-over-year increase in referrals from LLMs in just thelast three months alone.

We're witnessing tens of millions of additional impressions in Google Search Console as AI Overviews reshape the way Google delivers answers. If your brand isn't adapting, the stark reality is you could soon become invisible online.

What Exactly is GEO and Why Does it Matter?

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the strategic practice of creating and optimising your content so it consistently appears in AI-generated answers across platforms like Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity etc. But GEO is far more than just content tweaks. It's a holistic, interconnected approach that encompasses:

* Strategic Publishing: Placing your content on the platforms where AI tools are most likely to discover and value it.

* Brand Authority Through Mentions: Cultivating positive brand mentions across the web, even those without direct links, as AI systems recognise and prioritise these signals of trust.

* Technical Accessibility: Ensuring your site is technically robust, allowing AI crawlers to effortlessly access, understand, and index your valuable content.

Forget simply striving for a top traditional ranking. With GEO, your primary goal is to embed your brand as a core component of what AI tools recommend when users pose questions.

These tools "generate" responses in natural, conversational language. While they can include links, their ultimate aim is to deliver a complete, satisfying answer within the response itself. This means with GEO, your content needs to be so compelling and authoritative that it actively shapes the AI's conversation, rather than just vying for a click.

How SEO and GEO Work Together

"Isn't this just SEO with a fancy new name?" Well, you're not entirely wrong. There's a reason terms like GEO, AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation), and AIO (AI Optimisation) have seen an explosion in interest - they reflect a very real and significant shift in how discovery functions. Let's be clear: GEO doesn't replace SEO. Instead, its erves as a powerful reframing of your entire search strategy for the modern era, one where discovery unfolds across AI tools, social platforms, and myriad new surfaces beyond traditional search. (See Chart Above)

The good news - If you've invested in a robust SEO strategy, you're already well on your way. GEO builds directly upon the bedrock of great SEO:

* Crafting high-quality content tailored for your specific audience.

* Ensuring content is easily accessible and understandable by search engines.

* Earning credible mentions and authority across the web.

These same fundamental elements are precisely what AI engines leverage to decide which brands and content to reference. However, here's the crucial distinction: AI engines don't operate exactly like Google's traditional algorithm. This means some of your tactical approaches – and what you choose to track – need to adapt and evolve.