GEO: how to position yourself as the expert in your sector
People still google, but they also ask ChatGPT and Perplexity. Those models pick who gets mentioned. Five steps to become the answer they give.
And why you really do not want to be the last to pick this up.
There is a shift underway.
People still google, but they just as readily put their questions to ChatGPT, Perplexity or the AI in their browser. And those models decide for themselves who they mention in their answers. So whoever does not get named does not exist.
There are ways to make sure you become the answer.
What is GEO, and why should you take it seriously?
GEO is not about rankings in Google. GEO is about relevance in the mind of an AI.
If you ask ChatGPT “who is a good digital marketing partner in Antwerp?” and your company name does not come up, you are out of the picture.
Whoever does come up is handed expert status for free. AI is the new middleman. And you want to be top of mind.
Why GEO is so powerful for your position as an expert
You automatically become the reference. If AI names you as the answer, that radiates authority. People immediately assume you are the go-to.
You enter the customer journey early. GEO works above all on the questions customers ask in the orientation phase. If you get named there, you are in from minute one.
You get ahead of your competitors. Plenty of companies do not even know what GEO is. So you are early. And whoever is early, wins.
How you become the AI answer: our five-step formula
1. Give genuinely good answers to real questions
Not surface-level sales talk, but content an AI dares to quote:
- write blog posts in a question-and-answer format
- use clear headings
- be complete and be clear
Test it yourself: put your audience’s question to ChatGPT and see whether you appear. If not, time to write.
2. Use plain human language
AI likes clear language. So no SEO filler stuffed with keywords. Explanation, structure and value instead. Write as if you are helping a smart customer, not as if you are trying to please a robot.
3. Claim your niche and repeat your expertise, subtly
Want to be recognized as the expert in “marketing for installers”? Then that phrase has to sit on your homepage, come back in your cases, and live in your blog posts.
Consistency is authority.
4. Be a real source, not a gray mouse
AI models take information from sources they consider reliable. So put author names on blog posts, work in customer quotes, and use your company name and niche in your footer and your about page. The AI has to know this came from an expert.
5. Make sure other people describe you that way too
Your online authority grows when you are mentioned on other sites. Think guest posts, customers who name you, PR or niche mentions. More visibility means a better chance the AI takes you along.
GEO is the next chapter
SEO and GEO go hand in hand. SEO gets you found on Google. GEO gets you recognized by AI. And whoever plays both wins the game.
Want AI to drop your name when somebody asks a question in your field? Then GEO is your new content strategy, and we would be glad to help. Get in touch.
In short
What is GEO and why does it matter?
GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization, is about relevance in the mind of an AI rather than rankings in Google. People now ask ChatGPT, Perplexity or the AI in their browser, and those models decide which companies they mention. A company that gets named is handed expert status for free, while a company that is not named is out of the picture.
How do I get my company mentioned by ChatGPT?
Getting your company mentioned by ChatGPT follows five steps: give genuinely good answers to real questions in a question-and-answer format with clear headings, use plain human language, claim your niche and repeat your expertise consistently, be a real source with author names and customer quotes, and get mentioned on other sites through guest posts, customers, PR or niche mentions.
What is the difference between SEO and GEO?
SEO and GEO go hand in hand but serve different engines. SEO gets you found on Google. GEO gets you recognized by AI models such as ChatGPT and Perplexity, above all on the questions customers ask in the orientation phase. Companies that play both win, and because many companies do not know GEO yet, early movers get ahead of competitors.
Team Stigo, Stigo Digital Agency
Writes about what actually happens inside the campaigns we run from our own location in Antwerp. Questions about your own numbers? Book a call.
