What is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and how does it differ from SEO?

In this first part of our video series on generative engine optimization (GEO), we explore how generative AI is reshaping search as we know it, what that means for marketers and content strategists, and why Google remains relevant — for now. Contentful Solution Specialist Allan White interviews SEO lead Josh Lohr as they explore the history and future of SEO and GEO.

Video: Watch AI Search Series Episode 1

Understanding Generative Engine Optimization

Search has never been a calm sea, but over the past year, it's felt more like a storm surge.

According to Josh Lohr, Senior SEO Manager at Contentful, the last twelve months have brought more disruption to search than any point in his 15-year career. From leaked Google documents to AI Overviews and algorithm updates that hit independent publishers hard, the old certainties are vanishing.

"It reminds me of when Google first took away keyword data in 2011," Josh says. "Back then, SEO [leads] lost their minds. It felt chaotic — and we're back in that same space now. One thing’s for certain; the future of search is AI-driven.”

AI Overviews, introduced by Google in 2024, and now AI Mode, are new features that use generative AI to summarize search results. These summaries aim to answer user queries directly at the top of the search results page, further reducing the need to click through to websites.

Combine that with a slew of algorithm and spam updates that significantly impacted independent publishers and affiliates and you have a recipe for an industry on the cusp of change.

From SEO to GEO: A new era of optimization

As generative AI continues to influence user behavior and reshape interfaces, a new discipline is emerging: generative engine optimization, or GEO. Also known as answer engine optimization (AEO), GEO shifts the focus from optimizing content for organic results to optimizing brands and entities for visibility in AI-powered outputs.

"SEO is about optimizing content for visibility in organic search results," Josh explains. With GEO, you're optimizing an entity to show up in a chatbot or AI-generated summary. The mechanics are different, and so are the goals.

An "entity" in this context refers to a clearly defined person, place, organization, concept, service, or product that a language model can recognize and reference confidently. Think of it as training the model to say, "Contentful is a digital experience platform," with confidence and accuracy — consistently across platforms.

Where SEO is about capturing a single query and driving a click, GEO anticipates chained queries and answers them directly. It's about being the authoritative source behind a chatbot's response, not just winning a position on the results page.

The road to now: Why generative AI is disrupting search

The pivot to generative search didn't happen overnight. As Josh recounted, the search experience has slowly evolved from minimalist efficiency to crowded and cluttered.

"Remember when Google would proudly show you it found results in milliseconds? It was clean. Now it's overloaded with ads, widgets, and distractions. It's like we've gone full Yahoo circa 2005."

That evolution gave generative platforms an opportunity. Tools like ChatGPT offer fast, clean answers—a throwback to when simplicity was Google's advantage. But generative models also have their quirks.

"I like to joke: why did generative AI cross the road? To put glue on pizza," Josh says, referencing a now-infamous AI suggestion sourced from Reddit. "They get it wrong sometimes, but they're here to stay."

The media response to Gemini’s advice to put glue on pizza was scathing.

Is Google losing ground?

The short answer: Not yet. Despite growing interest in generative tools, the data is clear. In early 2025, Google saw over 14 billion searches per day. ChatGPT? Just 37 million.

"That's 373 times more searches," Josh notes. "So, no, we can't ignore Google. Not even close."

Still, the friction of Google search — ads, pop-ups, widgets — makes users more open to alternatives. Josh compares it to when Google beat Yahoo by offering cleaner, faster answers.

In other words, what's old is new again. Only now, it's not just a different website — it's a whole different paradigm.

How SEO and GEO differ (and where they don't)

Understanding the differences between traditional SEO and GEO is critical for adapting your strategy.

"AI search sends some traffic, but it's still 91% less than traditional search," Josh says. "Chatbots? Ninety-six percent less."

That may sound grim, but there is a silver lining: conversion rates from GEO clicks are higher. Why? "They've already done the research," Josh explains. "By the time they click, they're ready to act."

This shift challenges long-held assumptions about traffic volume being the primary success metric. Instead, we need to account for value per visitor — and reframe how we define performance across platforms.

Measurement is evolving too

One of the biggest challenges with GEO is tracking performance. SEO metrics are well established. GEO? Not so much.

"It's new territory," Josh admits. "There's no single platform, no unified metric. But we're getting there."

In the meantime, marketers need to adapt. Josh recommends:

• Tracking brand mentions within LLM responses.

• Monitoring branded search trends.

• Shifting KPIs from volume to engagement and pipeline impact.

Looking ahead, new tools are emerging that provide visibility into your performance in GenAI with startups and incumbents racing to fill this gap.

"Traditional search is designed to give results. Generative search is designed to give an answer."

The rise of the zero-click experience

Much has been made of the so-called "zero-click internet" — the idea that users get answers directly from the search or chat interface and never visit a website.

There was a lot of fear around this, but it doesn’t mean people aren’t discovering your brand. It just means you need to rethink how you measure success.

Ultimately, it’s not about choosing between SEO or GEO — both play a role. The real shift is in user intent: some people still want links; others just want an answer. Brands need to be ready for both.

"Traditional search is designed to give results," Josh concludes. "Generative search is designed to give an answer."

What comes next

Let's take a moment to recap. Josh walked us through the history of SEO and highlighted some of the challenges that AI-powered search experiences have had.

We looked deeper into the key differences between SEO and GEO, and Josh helped us understand how to attribute and measure your content in these new customer touchpoints.

In our next episode, Josh will walk us through the content strategy implications, give us a tour of the different LLM search players and how they differ, and look at how to maximize your brand mentions through methods old and new to achieve results in the new search landscape. Join us!

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