What is GEO? And How to Show Up in AI Search as a Small Business Owner

You’ve probably heard the term GEO tossed around lately, but what exactly is it, and how can it help your business show up in tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity?

You used to optimize your website for Google. Now, people are asking questions directly inside AI platforms. Should you still care about SEO… or has everything changed?

Welcome to the world of GEO: Generative Engine Optimization.

GEO isn’t brand-new, but it’s still evolving fast. Most small business owners aren’t thinking about it yet, which gives you an edge.

If you’re a service provider or creative business owner, this post is your down-to-earth guide to what’s happening, why it matters, and what you can actually do to show up when someone types a question into a tool like ChatGPT.

Interested in joining me on my next GEO Sprint with live support? Sign up for the waitlist here.

Why I’m Talking About GEO

Hey, I’m Galen. I’m a website designer and creative strategist at my company, Local Creative. I’m also a Showit Design Partner and one of the first-ever Squarespace Authorized Trainers. I work with small business owners and creative entrepreneurs across the globe, in places like New Zealand, California, British Columbia, France, and New York. I’m based in Vermont now, and I love working with local clients too, especially when I get to bring in photography and videography alongside web design.

As an SEO strategist, I’ve been quietly watching how AI is changing the way people find businesses online. I haven’t talked much about GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) until now. Not because I don’t believe in it, but because I wanted to explore the landscape myself. No hype. Just real-world testing.

Now that I’ve seen how it’s affecting my own traffic and visibility as well as my clients, I’m ready to share what I’ve learned.

Because the way people discover service providers is shifting. Your next client might not start their search on Google. They might ask ChatGPT instead.

Let’s talk about what that means, and how to make sure your business is showing up when it matters most.

Want help showing up in Google and AI tools like ChatGPT?
My one-hour SEO and GEO strategy session will help you improve your visibility with practical, personalized steps you can actually use.

What Is GEO? (And Why It Matters)

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. It’s not a trend or a buzzword. It’s about how your business shows up when someone asks a question in ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity.

Unlike traditional SEO, which is focused on ranking in Google’s search results, GEO is about being included in AI-generated answers. These tools don’t serve up ten clickable links. They respond with full sentences, curated lists, and summaries. And they choose which businesses, ideas, or articles to reference based on what they trust.

That trust is built from your presence across the web: your content, your reputation, and how often you’re mentioned in relevant spaces.

Here’s the thing. ChatGPT doesn’t prioritize your Google ranking. But the things that help you rank (like strong content, backlinks, and online authority) can still improve your chances of being mentioned.

Not everything you do for SEO will help with GEO. But most things you do for GEO will support your visibility on Google. The overlap isn’t perfect, but it’s worth paying attention to.

If you’re a small business owner who relies on organic traffic, or if your work depends on clients discovering you online, GEO isn’t optional. This is where visibility is headed.

Visibility leads to mentionability.

What Is Mentionability?

Mentionability is your brand’s likelihood of being mentioned by AI tools like ChatGPT when someone asks a question related to your niche. It’s based on how visible you are across the internet, how often you’re referenced, and how clearly your expertise shows up in all the right places.

In other words, if your name keeps showing up in blog posts, directories, interviews, or helpful how-to content, AI takes notice.

I don’t want to call myself a trendsetter… but I did make this word up. Like, just now. While typing this at my local Starbucks and trying to ignore the guy next to me loudly taking a Zoom call without headphones. 😉

But seriously, it fits. Because showing up in AI search isn’t just about ranking or clicks anymore. It’s about becoming mentionable—by name, by reputation, by the value of your content.

GEO vs. AEO: What’s the Difference?

You might’ve also heard the term AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) floating around and wondered how it compares to GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). Are they the same thing? Not exactly.

AEO is about optimizing for answer engines like Google’s Featured Snippets or People Also Ask boxes — spots where short, concise answers are pulled into the search results page. It focuses on formatting your content so it can be quoted or highlighted directly in response to a search query.

GEO, on the other hand, is about optimizing for generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity — tools that don’t just pull a snippet. They generate full responses, summarize articles, or curate lists based on what they’ve read and trust across the internet.

Both are helpful. But if you’re a service provider, GEO is where your future clients are likely headed, especially if they’re skipping Google entirely.

And what about AI optimization? What does AIO mean?

AIO stands for AI Optimization, and it’s another term you might see floating around (Squarespace, for example, has been using it a lot). At its core, AIO is about making sure your website and content are easy for AI tools to understand, organize, and surface when they’re building answers.

For all intents and purposes, AIO and GEO are talking about the same shift. Different platforms prefer different acronyms, but the goal is identical: show up when people ask questions in tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity.

Don’t stress over the terminology… Focus on the strategy.

Two Ways to Show Up in AI Search Results

When someone asks a question in ChatGPT or Perplexity, there are two main ways your business can be included in the answer. I call them Brand Mentions and Content Mentions.

You want both.

Let’s break them down.

Brand Mentions

This is when your actual business name is recommended in response to a question.

Example:
Someone asks, “Who are the best interior designers in LA with a modern farmhouse style?”
ChatGPT responds with a curated list of designers, and your name is one of them.

Why this matters:
This is high-intent traffic. The person asking isn’t just researching a topic, they’re actively looking for someone to hire. And if your business name shows up, you’re already ahead of the pack.

What helps:

• Getting listed in directories, local roundups, or press features
• Earning mentions on other websites, blogs, or podcasts
• Clearly communicating your niche or specialty (think: “coastal minimalism” or “interior design for historic homes”)

Content Mentions

This is when your blog post, YouTube video, or other resource is used to answer a question—even if your business name isn’t the focus.

Example:
Someone asks, “What should I know before hiring an interior designer?”
ChatGPT pulls info from your blog post about design timelines, pricing, or communication tips. It might include a link, or just summarize what you wrote.

Why this matters:
These are the early-stage researchers. They’re not ready to book yet, but they’re starting to gather info. If your content helps them now, they’ll be more likely to trust you later.

What helps:

• Publishing helpful, specific content that speaks to real client questions
• Structuring your content clearly with subheadings and quote-worthy answers
• Using natural language that AI can easily understand and pull from

Why You Want Both Brand Mentions & Content Mentions

Brand Mentions and Content Mentions work best together. One gets your name in front of potential clients. The other builds trust before they even know who you are.

People ask:

• “Who should I hire?” → Brand Mentions
• “What should I know before hiring someone?” → Content Mentions

But here’s a crucial insight: Click-Through Rates Are Dropping. Here’s what you should do about it…

Recent studies confirm what many of us have suspected: AI-generated answers are changing how people interact with search results.

According to Ahrefs, Google’s AI Overviews reduce the click-through rate of the top-ranking organic result by 34.5%. That’s a major drop in traffic, even for pages that would normally perform well.

Amsive’s research backs this up. Their data shows that users often get what they need directly in the AI summary and don’t click through at all.

While these studies focus on Google’s AI Overviews, the same behavior is likely happening inside tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity. When someone asks a question and the AI provides a full, helpful answer, there’s little incentive to visit the original source.

In other words, your content might be mentioned… but not clicked (i.e. no one is heading over to that beautiful website you just launched).

That’s why brand mentions—where your actual business name is recommended—are especially valuable. People may not click every time, but when they do, they’re usually closer to hiring or making a purchase.

Do I Still Need a Website in 2025?

Yes. And here’s why.

Even if fewer people are clicking through from AI tools, your website is still the source of truth for your business. It’s where ChatGPT, Google, and other AI tools go to learn about who you are, what you offer, and whether you’re a credible recommendation. Think of it as your brand’s digital backbone.

But it’s not just for the bots.

The people who actually want to work with you? They’re the ones heading to your site. They’re reviewing your work, skimming your About page, and deciding whether you’re the right fit before they ever hit “inquire.”

So no, websites aren’t dead. They’re just working harder behind the scenes—supporting your visibility across search, AI, and real client decisions.

Need help with your website? Reach out about our GEO-friendly website design services.

What I’m Doing to Show Up in AI Search (For Myself and My Clients)

Everything I’m sharing here is part of my current strategy, not just for my own business, but also for the clients I work with one-on-one.

If you’re a service provider, a creative business owner, or a local brand trying to stand out, these are the exact moves I’m making to increase visibility across generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.

Real Strategies I’m Using Right Now

• Getting listed in relevant directories: Whether it’s Showit’s Preferred Designers, designer directories, or curated lists in a specific niche, directory mentions can influence what AI tools pull in.
• Pitching myself for “best of” roundups (and helping clients identify them): I actively pitch myself for features in roundup-style posts, and for clients, I help uncover opportunities they may not know exist. You can also write your own roundup post and include yourself (it should always be genuinely helpful and curated with care). I use specific ChatGPT prompts to find the best directories.
• Identifying PR opportunities in local and niche publications: While I don’t pitch for clients, I do help spot feature-worthy opportunities. These might include quotes for industry blogs, contributor spots, or being included in expert interviews. A single mention in the right context can go a long way.
• Auditing and updating blog content: We clean up formatting, improve headline structure, and add clear subheadings. I also make sure key phrases and questions are easy for AI tools to interpret and quote.
• Creating long-form blog posts and YouTube videos: These are based on real client questions and frequently searched topics. This content builds topical authority and gives AI something to work with.
• Clarifying niche and services across the entire site: I help clients define who they serve, what they offer, and how they stand out. We add supporting phrases like “known for,” “trusted by,” and “recognized as” to help signal relevance and authority. The copy on your website is extremely important because AI tools only learn what they read about you across the internet starting with your own website. That’s why I offer copywriting support alongside web design—to make sure your content is doing the work of positioning you as the expert AI tools want to mention.
• Adding or improving schema markup: I use WordPress plugins for basic schema setup and manually fine-tune it when needed to make the structure even more bot-friendly. For Squarespace users, you can add this manually with the help of ChatGPT if you’re new to schema.
• Tracking AI-related traffic in Google Analytics: I filter for sources that reference tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity so I can see which pages are getting picked up.
• Using ChatGPT to reverse-engineer competitors: I prompt ChatGPT to list who shows up for certain niche searches, then study what those brands are doing to get mentioned. This helps shape my strategy moving forward.

Other Tactics I’m Testing and Refining

• Writing like we’re answering a real person: I use short, direct answers at the top of each post or section, followed by deeper explanations. The goal is to make the content easy to quote and useful at a glance.
• Using ChatGPT to audit structure and clarity: I run my content (and my clients’) through prompts that highlight confusing parts, missing subtopics, or weak headlines.
• Strengthening internal links: Connecting related content across blog posts and service pages helps both people and bots find what they need more easily.
• Embedding evergreen video content: I embed YouTube videos into key blog posts and pages. It adds depth, increases time on page, and gives AI tools another signal that this content is trustworthy.
• Adding personal credibility markers: Things like author bios, contact pages, real location info, and social proof help reinforce authority and show that there’s a real person behind the business.
• Sharing content in communities where AI tools crawl: I post in forums, Reddit threads, and industry-specific communities. Sometimes it’s a casual comment, sometimes it’s a link. Either way, these mentions can show up later in generative answers.

How Do I Get My Small Business to Show Up in ChatGPT?

To keep it simple, focus on doing three things to increase your mentionability:

Get listed where it counts.
Add your business to trusted directories, vendor platforms, and relevant roundup posts. Look for places where your competitors are already listed, or where your ideal clients are already browsing. These build the kind of authority that AI tools look for when recommending businesses by name.

Create content that answers real questions.
Create blog posts or videos that directly answer the kinds of questions your clients are Googling—or asking ChatGPT. Use clear headings, natural language, and structure your content so it’s easy to pull from.

Keep your website specific and up to date.
Say exactly who you help, what you do, and where you’re located. Add credibility boosters like testimonials, an author bio, and phrases like “known for” or “trusted by” to give AI more to work with.

Getting Started with GEO

You don’t need to game the system. You don’t need to go viral. You just need to be visible in the places that matter, especially as more people start using AI tools to make buying decisions.

GEO isn’t a passing trend. It’s already changing how people find and evaluate service providers. Whether someone is looking for a wedding photographer, an interior designer, or a website strategist, there’s a decent chance they’ll ask ChatGPT before they ask Google.

This isn’t about overhauling your entire marketing strategy. It’s about being intentional with the content you already have and how your brand shows up online. Think of it as laying the groundwork now so your business keeps showing up later.

Want Help With This?

If you want an extra set of eyes on your site, your content, or your visibility strategy, I offer one-on-one Power Hours where we can audit what’s working, spot what’s missing, and make a plan to increase your mentionability. Book me for a power hour here and let’s map out your strategy together.

Or feel free to follow along. I’ll be sharing more of what I’m learning as I keep testing this for myself and my clients.