GEO: the next phase of search visibility
Search is changing fast.
Instead of showing ten blue links, search engines and answer engines increasingly generate summaries, recommendations, and step by step guidance directly in the results. Google has expanded AI features such as AI Overviews and AI Mode, and provides guidance for site owners on how content can appear within these experiences.
At the same time, platforms such as Copilot Search in Bing present summarised answers with cited sources, changing how people discover and choose providers.
This is where GEO, Generative Engine Optimisation, comes in.
What is GEO
Generative engine optimisation is the process of optimising content so it is more likely to be used, referenced, and cited in AI powered search experiences and answer engines.
Traditional SEO still matters, but GEO adds a new goal: making your expertise easy for AI systems to understand, trust, and quote, while still serving real people on your website.
Why GEO matters for small and medium businesses
If an AI summary answers a customer’s question before they click, the brands that get mentioned and cited will win more awareness and more trust at the earliest stage of the decision. Google’s AI experiences can also change click behaviour, and industry analysis and reporting has highlighted the impact AI Overviews can have on traffic for some query types.
For service based businesses, GEO is a practical opportunity:
- Be the business name that appears inside the answer
- Earn citations that act like mini endorsements
- Improve conversion quality by attracting better informed enquiries
- Reduce reliance on a single traffic source by strengthening visibility across multiple AI driven discovery routes
What AI engines tend to favour
While no platform guarantees inclusion, there are clear patterns that increase the likelihood of being used as a source:
Clear, direct answers
Pages that answer common questions early, with clean headings and concise summaries, are easier to quote.
Structured information
Schema markup and consistent page structure help search engines interpret your content. Google’s structured data guidance is explicit that structured data can enable eligibility for enhanced results, but does not guarantee they will show.
Evidence, expertise, and accountability
AI summaries can be wrong, especially on sensitive topics, which is why credible, well sourced content and clear author and business signals matter.
Freshness and consistency
Outdated service pages, conflicting pricing, or mixed messaging across pages make it harder for systems to confidently use your site as a reference.
Practical GEO improvements that work for real businesses
Here are the upgrades that typically make the biggest difference:
- Create “answer first” service pages
Service summary at the top, who it is for, what is included, pricing guidance, and a short FAQ. - Build a proper FAQ strategy
Not a single generic page, but FAQs embedded across the site where they are most relevant. - Add structured data and clean internal linking
Support key pages with schema where appropriate and link related pages together logically. - Strengthen trust signals
Clear about page, location and service area, policies, testimonials, case studies, and named expertise. - Publish content that AI can cite confidently
How to guides, checklists, comparison pages, and “what to expect” pages written in plain language. - Optional emerging standards
Some businesses are experimenting with files such as llms.txt to guide AI tools towards the most authoritative content, but it remains a developing idea rather than a universal standard.
How Macmillan Digital Services supports GEO
Macmillan Digital Services helps businesses prepare for AI driven discovery without losing focus on conversions.
Typical GEO support includes:
- A GEO audit of current pages and search visibility
- Restructuring priority pages into clear, quote ready answers
- FAQ mapping based on real customer questions
- Structured data review and implementation where relevant
- Content strategy for “citations and conversions”
- Reporting that tracks both traditional SEO and AI driven visibility indicators
Ready to improve visibility in AI search?
If your customers use search engines, they are already using AI tools to research services, it's time to make sure your website is ready to be referenced, cited, and chosen.
