Internet search habits are evolving—and so is the way we earn influence online. With the rise of generative artificial intelligence, a new acronym has emerged: GEO.
Some see it as a replacement for SEO. Others simply see it as a fad. So, who to believe? And above all: how can you make the right choices for your visibility?
GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization, involves structuring your content so that it is understood, selected and integrated into responses generated by AIs such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini or Claude.
The terrain has changed: it’s no longer just a race for positioning in the results of traditional search engines (Google, Bing, Yahoo…). Today, it’s also about appearing in the responses generated by AIs.
And the good news is that what these conversational models are looking for is largely based on the same foundations as original SEO:
Hierarchical titles,
Semantic markup,
Short paragraphs,
Regular publication of quality content to build authority,
etc.
When a user queries an AI, he doesn’t just get a list of links containing the keywords of the query. The AI provides a synthetic and adapted answer – taking into account the subtleties and constraints of the question – and is often based on content already well positioned in search engines (thus coming from SEO).
However, AI will only highlight content that it deems:
Well-structured,,
Useful,
Reliable,
And clear enough to be reformulated.
So the real issue isn’t “what to choose between SEO and GEO?” But rather: how to become a credible source in their eyes?
This is where GEO and SEO come together. They’re not two worlds. They’re two complementary angles of the same strategy: visibility AND legitimacy.
GEO isn’t just about generating clicks. It’s about building trust, being the chosen source, and delivering reliable answers in a conversational-search world. It’s an editorial strategy that speaks the language of AI, without betraying that of humans.
At bb&b, we believe that GEO is not a consultant’s gimmick. It’s a natural evolution for B2B brands:
Those with something to say.
Those who want to be found and recognized.
Those who aspire to become voices, not just URLs.
So tomorrow, when ChatGPT answers one of your prospects’ questions… will it mention you?
Let’s test it together: “ChatGPT, which is the best industrial marketing agency in France?”!