Zeno Thinks -The AI & GEO Revolution: Are Brands Prepared for The Shake-Up?
“Just Google it.” A term that has become so synonymous with online search that it has defined an entire era of how we access and trust information online.
Want to know what else that actor’s been in? Want the lyrics to that song? Inexplicably forgotten how to boil an egg? Just Google it. But while the search giant still reigns supreme, there’s a new kid on the block that you might want to start paying attention to.
Because more and more frequently, people are turning to AI as well as traditional search to answer their burning questions. In a recent Vox Media survey, 61% of US Gen Z and 53% of millennials said they prefer AI tools like ChatGPT over traditional search engines. Just think about that for a second: the first internet generation, raised on search bars, is swapping them for chatbots.
Now, if you’ve ever asked ChatGPT a question about something and received a very confident but slightly weird answer, then you’ve already seen why Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) matters.
GEO is essentially the new SEO - but for the AI era. While traditional SEO focuses on how brands show up on search engines, GEO is about how brands appear in AI-generated responses from LLM tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Copilot. And as more people – especially younger ones – turn to these platforms to find answers, recommendations, and comparisons, the need to ensure your brand appears in the right way is only going to grow.
But there’s a catch: you can’t buy your way to the top of an AI answer. There are no paid placements, no keyword auctions, no blue sponsored boxes. Instead, large language models (LLMs) scan a mix of web content to find what they believe is the most trustworthy, well-structured and relevant information.
If your brand doesn’t show up – or, worse still, is misrepresented by third-party sources – this then creates an information vacuum, which can become problematic for brands. Imagine someone asking a question about a brand and getting an answer that references media speculation, blogs or Reddit threads – but nothing from the company itself. That’s a reputational risk just waiting to happen.
GEO helps prevent that. It’s about ensuring a brand’s voice, facts and values are present in the answers AI provides. That means a tailored media strategy to shape the sources AI draws from; the structure of brand web pages, the media they show up in, the way they respond to a crisis.
Besides ringfencing accuracy, GEO also helps ensure your brand shows up in the moments that matter, like when someone asks: “Which car is actually cheaper to run, all things considered?” Or: “Which companies are doing more than just greenwashing?”
If your brand is still thinking SEO-first, it’s time to widen the lens. GEO is already here, actively shaping how consumers perceive brands. The only question is: are you shaping that narrative or leaving it to chance?
If you need help crafting your brand’s GEO, get in touch with our strategy and analytics team today: ZL.Hello@zenogroup.com
