Leveraging GEO: Generative Engine Optimization for the AI Age

Generative AI is revolutionizing how we discover information. Instead of relying solely on search engines, users are increasingly turning to platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity for comprehensive answers and insights. This shift necessitates a new approach to brand visibility: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). GEO focuses on optimizing your brand's presence within the outputs of these AI models, ensuring you're surfaced accurately and positively in their responses.

The Rise of "Share of Model"

Imagine a world where a potential customer asks ChatGPT for the best accounting software for small businesses. Will your brand be mentioned? Will it be recommended favorably? This is where "share of model" comes in. "Share of model" represents the frequency and sentiment with which your brand is mentioned within the outputs of generative AI models. Companies like Ramp, Indeed, and Chivas Brothers are already recognizing the importance of this metric and partnering with tools like Profound, Athena, and Scrunch AI to actively track and optimize their position.

Auditing Your AI Visibility: A Crucial First Step

Before you can optimize, you need to understand your current standing. An initial audit should focus on these key areas:

• Brand Mention Frequency: How often is your brand mentioned in responses related to your industry, products, or services?
• Sentiment Analysis: When your brand is mentioned, is it in a positive, negative, or neutral context? What is the overall sentiment score assigned to these mentions?
• Competitive Analysis: How does your brand's share of model compare to your competitors? Which competitors are dominating the AI conversation?
• Contextual Understanding: What topics and keywords trigger mentions of your brand? Are there any surprises?

KPIs for AI Visibility: Measuring Success

Establishing clear KPIs is essential for tracking your progress and demonstrating the ROI of your GEO efforts. Here are some key metrics to consider:

• Brand Mention Volume (Overall): The total number of times your brand is mentioned across target AI models.
• Positive Sentiment Percentage: The percentage of brand mentions that are classified as positive.
• Negative Sentiment Percentage: The percentage of brand mentions that are classified as negative.
• Neutral Sentiment Percentage: The percentage of brand mentions that are classified as neutral.
• "Top 3 Recommendation" Rate: If your brand competes with others, track how often it's included in the top 3 recommendations provided by the AI model.
• Share of Voice (SoV) within AI: Your brand's mention volume relative to the total mention volume of all competitors within a specific category.

Tactical Workflows for Optimizing Brand Presence

Once you've audited your visibility and established KPIs, you can start implementing tactical strategies to improve your share of model. Here are some key workflows:

1. Digital PR & Reputation Management: Actively engage in public relations and reputation management efforts to ensure your brand is accurately and positively represented online. Focus on earning high-quality backlinks from reputable sources, as these sources are more likely to be used as training data for AI models. According to Go Fish Digital, proactive outreach is crucial.
2. SEO Enhancement: Optimize your website content and online presence for relevant keywords to improve your visibility in search results and influence the information that AI models are trained on.
3. Content Strategy Adjustment: Create content specifically designed to answer common questions and address potential concerns that users might ask AI models. Focus on providing clear, concise, and accurate information.
4. Data Enrichment and Correction: Identify and correct any inaccurate or outdated information about your brand that may exist online. This includes updating your website, social media profiles, and online directories.
5. Strategic Partnerships: Collaborate with influencers and other brands to increase your visibility and credibility within the AI ecosystem. Opinly can assist in identifying key influencers.
6. Technical Optimization: Ensure your website is technically sound and easily accessible to AI crawlers. This includes optimizing your site speed, mobile-friendliness, and schema markup.

Real-World Examples and Case Studies

While GEO is still in its early stages, several companies are already demonstrating its potential. For example:

• Ramp: By actively monitoring and optimizing their brand presence in AI-driven recommendations for corporate cards, Ramp can capture a larger share of the market.
• Indeed: Indeed optimizes content to ensure they are surfaced as a credible source for job search information within AI-powered career guidance platforms.
• Chivas Brothers: The company ensures accurate and positive representation of their brands, especially regarding flavor profiles and history.

Conclusion: Embracing the Future of Brand Visibility

Generative AI is reshaping the digital landscape, and brands must adapt to remain visible and relevant. By embracing Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and actively managing their "share of model," companies can ensure they are accurately and positively represented in the AI-powered future. The strategies outlined in this post, including digital PR, SEO, content adjustments, and technical improvements, represent the foundation for building a strong brand presence in the evolving world of AI-driven discovery. As Financial Times notes, proactive adaptation is the key to success in the modern business climate.