Short answer

• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of optimizing websites and content so they are more likely to be retrieved, cited, and used by AI-powered “generative” search engines and LLM-based answer engines (e.g., ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini/SGE, Perplexity, Claude). It’s essentially “SEO for the AI era” — focused on being included in synthesized AI answers rather than just ranking in classic SERPs. (arxiv.org)

Why it matters (brief)

• Generative engines synthesize answers and often embed a small set of cited sources; being cited by those engines can replace or reduce click-throughs from traditional search and shape brand perception in AI-driven customer journeys. GEO therefore affects discovery, traffic, and conversions. (arxiv.org)

Common GEO tactics (examples)

• Provide machine‑friendly guidance to LLMs (e.g., llms.txt) and clear metadata. (llmstxt.org)
• Structure content for extraction: concise Q&A blocks, FAQs, headings, fact boxes, tables, and explicit quotations/citations. (arxiv.org)
• Use rich structured data (schema.org FAQ/Product/HowTo markup) and author/expert signals to increase trust. (wordwoven.com)
• Publish well‑sourced, authoritative content (citations, statistics, quoted passages) — the GEO paper found these elements increase the likelihood of being used/cited. (arxiv.org)

Tools and platforms that support GEO (representative list)

• Wix — AI Visibility Overview (Wix’s native “GEO” feature): lets site owners monitor how often their site is cited by LLMs, manage question/answer content, track AI-driven traffic and brand sentiment, and (for some e‑commerce tiers) manage llms.txt. (Wix announced this capability in July 2025.) (wix.com)
• Semrush — AI Optimization / AI Search features: Semrush added an “AI Search” category to Site Audit and launched an Enterprise AI Optimization (AIO) product to track and improve brand presence across generative engines (2025 rollout). Useful for auditing technical readiness and monitoring AI visibility. (semrush.com)
• Ahrefs — Brand/AI visibility tooling and guides: Ahrefs has published GEO-focused guidance and built Brand/AI monitoring features (Brand Radar, cited‑pages reports) to find AI citation gaps and competitor mentions. (ahrefs.com)
• llms.txt ecosystem — specification + integrations: the llms.txt proposal and community site document the format and list plugins & libraries (e.g., Docusaurus/VitePress plugins, parsing libraries) that help publishers provide LLM‑friendly site instructions. These developer tools make sites easier for LLMs to parse. (llmstxt.org)
• Specialized GEO/AI‑visibility vendors & startups: multiple companies and agencies now offer GEO services (brand‑mention/citation tracking, content restructuring, model‑memory work). Examples include Siftly, Geode, and dedicated GEO consultancies/SEO agencies promoting “AI engine optimization.” (These vendors have emerged or expanded offerings during 2024–2025.) (siftly.ai)

How to pick tools (short guidance)

• If you run a CMS/site builder: check for native AI visibility features (e.g., Wix AI Visibility Overview) and llms.txt support. (wix.com)
• If you use SEO suites: look for AI/LLM audit categories, citation‑tracking, and competitive “AI mention/citation” reports (Semrush, Ahrefs). (semrush.com)
• For developer control: implement llms.txt and structured data; use the llms.txt plugins/libraries for your docs/CMS. (llmstxt.org)
• For enterprise/brand control: consider specialized AIO/GEO platforms and agencies that monitor how multiple generative engines portray your brand. (semrush.com)

Sources / further reading (high‑value references)

• “GEO: Generative Engine Optimization” — original GEO paper (formal definition, GEO‑bench, tactics & measured gains). (arxiv.org)
• Wix press release + TechRadar coverage — AI Visibility Overview / GEO features (July 2025). (wix.com)
• Semrush announcements — AI Optimization (AIO) and Site Audit AI Search checks (2025). (semrush.com)
• Ahrefs guide and Brand Radar examples — GEO tactics and monitoring approaches. (ahrefs.com)
• llms.txt community/spec and integrations — practical developer tools and plugins. (llmstxt.org)

If you want a compact, prioritized checklist (e.g., exact structured fields to add to your pages, whether to add an llms.txt, or which platform to test first), tell me what platform or CMS you use and I’ll produce a 1‑page actionable checklist.