Plain-language explainer
What is generative engine optimisation (GEO)?
Generative engine optimisation (GEO) is the work of helping AI search tools such as Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity understand, describe and cite a business or page.
The work to plan together
A scope shaped around this requirement.
- Clear, quotable contentScope
- Consistent facts about the business across theReview
- Crawlable pages and structured dataCheck
The useful starting point
GEO focuses attention on how a business is represented in generated answers. It is not a substitute for a crawlable website or accurate public information. Agree which questions matter, record a baseline and distinguish a brand mention from a cited link.
What to review
- Clear, quotable content
- Consistent facts about the business across the web
- Crawlable pages and structured data
- Mentions on sources AI tools trust
- Regular measurement of AI answers
A practical example
Ask a set of service-comparison questions, then record the tool, date, answer and sources. Check whether the business description is accurate before concentrating on citation totals.
The numbers or scenarios in this guide are illustrative. They are not claimed Tangensys client results.
What to avoid or interpret carefully
Answers vary across tools and checks. A single favourable answer is not evidence of stable visibility or a guaranteed recommendation.
Turn the guide into a small action plan
Record the starting point
Use the example above to identify what is happening in your own website, campaign or process. Save the evidence before changing it.
Choose the first check
Start with the relevant items in the review list. Assign an owner, identify required access and write down what you expect to learn.
Review before expanding
Compare the result with the original evidence. Keep useful changes, explain uncertainty and investigate problems before increasing scope.
Turn a visibility question into a repeatable observation
Begin with the business decision behind the measurement. Are buyers being given wrong facts, finding no suitable sources or seeing competitors in a comparison? Each question suggests a different source review, so one overall score can hide the useful detail.
Choose real questions
Use questions that reflect the offer and buying stage. Record the market and language context. A set of prompts designed only to produce favourable answers does not represent useful monitoring.
Keep the answer record
Save the tool or interface, date, question, response and cited URLs where available. Record absent mentions as well as positive ones. That lets someone inspect the observation behind the summary.
Improve a source gap
If a page omits requirements or scope, add approved information. If public facts conflict, correct the sources you control. The action should address an identified issue, not simply repeat the brand more often.
How to interpret this guidance
Treat follow-up results as observations from a sample. Variability and source changes can affect answers. Original useful content supports the reader even when no assistant selects it.
Is a brand mention the same as a citation?
No. A mention names the business; a citation provides a source reference or link. Accuracy is another dimension. Record these separately so a favourable mention does not conceal an incorrect description.
Can Tangensys help with the next step?
Yes. Share your website, goal and the issue you are investigating. We can discuss the relevant service and provide a custom quote within 2 working days.
Further reading
Consult the relevant platform documentation for current requirements: official documentation. Examples explain an approach; platform interfaces and policies can change.
Related reading and services
Let’s agree the right next step.
Tell us your goals and current setup. We’ll recommend a practical starting point and provide a custom quote.
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