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Run a quick test. Open ChatGPT and ask: "Which providers for [your service] in [your region] do you recommend?" Ask the same question on Perplexity and see what Google says in its AI Overview. If your company doesn't show up, but your biggest competitor does, you've found the reason why you need a GEO strategy.
Big brands now have dedicated teams and agencies for this. Small marketing teams of two or three people have to choose what's worth the effort. That’s exactly what this guide is for: seven steps, a 90-day plan, and the things you can safely skip at the beginning.
What is a GEO strategy?
A GEO strategy is your plan to ensure that AI systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google's AI Overviews know your company, mention you, and link to you as a source. GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. The strategy defines which questions you want to own, what content is needed for them, and how you measure progress.
The difference from SEO lies primarily in the result. With SEO, you want to rank as high as possible in a list of links. With GEO, you want to appear in the answer itself, as a recommendation or a cited source. The fundamentals overlap significantly: those who rank well on Google also have better chances with AI systems. A GEO strategy therefore builds on your existing SEO work.
Want to ensure AI crawlers can seamlessly parse your content? Check out our technical checklist to learn what truly makes a website AI-ready.
Step 1: Measure the status quo
Before you optimize anything, you need a baseline. Write down 20 questions that your customers would ask an AI when looking for a solution like yours. Mix in three types:
- Recommendation questions: "Which agency for HubSpot implementations in Hamburg is good?"
- Problem questions: "How do I automate invoice verification in a small business?"
- Comparison questions: "What is better for small teams, provider A or provider B?"
Ask all 20 questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google, and record the results in a simple table:
Use a browser window without logging in or use incognito mode so that your previous chats don't skew the results. Additionally, the free AEO Grader from HubSpot gives you an initial assessment of how AI systems perceive your brand. For ongoing measurement, there are specialized tools; you can find an overview in our article on the best AI SEO tools.
Step 2: Set goals that a small team can achieve
GEO can be measured on three levels: You are mentioned in answers mentioned, your site is cited as a source, or you get visitors to your website via AI platforms. For a small team, one or two of these goals are enough.
Make them concrete and based on your baseline measurement, for example: "In six months, we will be mentioned in 6 of our 20 prompts; today it's 2." This gives you a number you can measure yourself against.
Step 3: Collect your customers' questions
People ask an AI differently than they search on Google. They type full sentences into an AI, including context: industry, team size, budget, and the specific problem. You can find these questions in four places:
- Sales calls: What questions do prospects keep asking during the initial consultation?
- Support and emails: Where do customers ask for clarification after purchasing?
- Google: The questions under "People also ask" for your most important search terms
- Search Console: Search queries containing question words like "how," "what," or "which"
By the end, you'll have a list of 30 to 50 questions. Rank them by how close they are to a purchase. Questions asked right before a decision should be tackled first.
Step 4: Check the technical side
This step takes an afternoon and is often overlooked. If AI systems can't read your pages, even the best content won't help.
- robots.txt: Check to make sure you aren't accidentally blocking AI crawlers. Key ones to watch for include OAI-SearchBot for ChatGPT, PerplexityBot for Perplexity, and the standard Googlebot for AI Overviews.
- Indexing: Make sure your important pages are indexed on Google and Bing. You should also register your site with Bing Webmaster Tools, as several AI assistants rely on the Bing index for their web searches.
- HTML content: Many crawlers struggle to read text that is loaded via JavaScript or embedded in images. Your core content should always be placed directly in the page source code.
- Structured data: Add schema markup for your business, articles, and FAQ sections. This helps machines categorize your content correctly.
Step 5: Writing content that AI will cite
AI systems love to pull sections that answer a question clearly and completely. For your content, this means:
- Answer first: Start every section with two or three sentences that answer the question directly. Explanations and examples should follow afterward.
- One idea per paragraph: Short paragraphs with descriptive subheadings are much easier to cite than long blocks of text.
- Tables and lists: Prices, comparisons, and step-by-step instructions belong in a table or a numbered list.
- Original data and experience: Results from your own projects, original surveys, or concrete examples make you a unique source that can't be found anywhere else.
- Highlight freshness: Add a date and update important pages regularly, especially when it comes to pricing and features.
- Who is writing this? Author bylines with genuine expertise build trust with both readers and machines.
Start with the five questions from step 3 that are closest to a purchase. For each one, create either a dedicated article or a clear section on an existing page. Also, revise your most important service pages using the same pattern. That is where it’s decided whether an AI recommends you as a provider.
Step 6: Get visible outside your own website
AI systems form their picture from many sources, and your website is just one of them. If you appear in several credible places, you are more likely to be mentioned. For small teams, these are the most effective levers:
- Review platforms: Ask satisfied customers for reviews on Google and on industry-specific platforms, such as OMR Reviews or G2 for software.
- Industry directories and partner sites: Listings with associations, chambers of commerce, or partner programs for your tools.
- Trade media and podcasts: One guest post or interview per quarter is realistic for a small team.
- Forums and communities: Answer questions where your target audience is discussing things, honestly and without sales copy.
- Consistent company data: Your name, description, and services should be the same everywhere. Contradictions make it difficult for AI systems to categorize you correctly.
Step 7: Measure and adjust
Repeat the test from step 1 once a month using the same 20 questions. AI system responses fluctuate, so the trend over several months counts for more than a single result.
It’s also worth taking a look at Google Analytics. Visitors from ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini usually appear there as referrals from domains like chatgpt.com or perplexity.ai. Create a custom group in your reports for this. Then you can see at a glance whether the channel is growing and which pages visitors are landing on first.
A 90-day plan for small marketing teams
After 90 days, repeat the entire measurement process from step 1 and compare it with your baseline. Use these results to determine your focus areas for the next quarter.
What you don't need at the start
A GEO agency: A small team can easily handle the first three months on their own. An agency is worth it if you have many markets or products, or if you simply don't have the internal capacity for content creation.
Considering external support? Check out our breakdown to learn when hiring an agency pays off and discover the best GEO agencies in Germany.
An expensive monitoring tool: For the first few months, a manual prompt spreadsheet and Google Analytics are enough. A tool becomes worthwhile once you want to track more than a few dozen prompts regularly.
Mass-produced AI content: Publishing dozens of generic articles gives AI systems no reason to cite you specifically. A few pieces of content that feature your own experience and concrete answers will get you much further.
Bottom line: GEO for small teams is all about setting priorities
A GEO strategy doesn't have to be complicated for a small marketing team. If you measure your starting point, know your customers' most important questions, set up your technical foundation properly, and then regularly publish content worth citing, you will become more visible in AI responses. The biggest impact comes from focusing on questions asked right before a purchase decision and on your own service pages.
The best way to start: Take an hour this week to write down your 20 prompts and test them in ChatGPT and Perplexity. The table from step 1 will show you exactly where you stand and which competitors are being mentioned instead of you.
If you would like support with this, such as with the technical side or setting up your tracking, feel free to reach out to us for an AI consultation.
FAQ: Frequently asked questions about GEO strategy
What is the difference between SEO and GEO?
SEO aims for high rankings in traditional search results. GEO aims to get mentioned and linked to in the responses of AI systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google's AI Overviews. Both are built on the same foundations: technically sound pages, helpful content, and trust established through other sources.
Is SEO still worth it?
Yes. Many AI systems base their answers on search indices, so if you rank well on Google and Bing, you have a better chance of appearing in AI responses. GEO complements SEO and builds upon it.
What does the abbreviation GEO stand for?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. It refers to optimizing for generative AI systems that formulate their own answers while citing sources. Similar terms include AEO for Answer Engine Optimization and LLMO for Large Language Model Optimization.
How do you optimize for GEO?
With four building blocks: your site's technical setup must allow AI crawlers access, your content should answer questions directly and in a clearly structured way, your brand needs to appear on credible external platforms, and you should regularly track which AI responses feature your brand.
How long does it take for GEO to show results?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer. New or updated content needs to be crawled and indexed before AI systems can use it. Plan for at least one quarter and track your progress monthly using the same prompts to spot any changes.
Do I need a GEO agency?
Not to get started. A small team can handle the first steps—like tracking, technical checks, and creating initial content—on their own. An agency is worth considering if you’re operating in many markets or don't have the internal capacity for consistent content creation.
Posted by:
Jens is the co-founder of bakedwith, a boutique consultancy firm specialising in smart automation and AI. He helps medium-sized companies and corporations to optimise processes, reduce manual work and achieve growth through efficient workflows. Previously, he was Growth Lead at OMR and worked as a freelancer, helping numerous companies optimise their CRM and automation systems. Jens is passionate about combining growth and efficiency to enable teams to focus on what matters most.
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