What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and why does it matter for local businesses?

"Which plumber in The Hague is fast and reliable?" People used to type that question into Google. Now more and more of them ask an AI assistant like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or Claude. The difference: Google shows a list of ten links, an AI assistant gives one answer with a few names. If you are not among them, you do not exist for that customer.

What does GEO mean?

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. It is the work that makes AI assistants know, understand and recommend your business. Where SEO is about ranking high in search results, GEO is about being mentioned in the answer itself.

How is GEO different from SEO?

Much of the foundation is the same: a good website, clear information and a trustworthy reputation. But there are a few important differences:

• One answer instead of ten links. An AI assistant usually names three to five businesses. There is far less room than on a results page.
• What others say about you weighs heavily. AI assistants combine information from many sources: review sites, comparison sites, news articles and business directories. Your own website is only one of them.
• Answers vary. Ask the same question twice and you will not always get the same answer. A single check says little; you need to measure across several questions and several weeks.
• Every model works differently. ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude use different sources and search techniques. You can do well in one and be invisible in another.

Why does this matter for local businesses now?

For a local business, one recommendation is often a customer. Someone asking "which hairdresser in Utrecht is good with curly hair?" wants a name, not a research project. Whoever gets mentioned gets the call.

At the same time, the field is still open. Many businesses do not know this is happening, let alone what to do about it. Starting now gives you a lead that is harder to catch up with later.

What determines whether AI mentions your business?

There is no secret switch, but a few things make a clear difference:

1. Clear information on your website: what you do, where you work and for whom. Ideally also as structured data (schema.org) that AI and search engines can read directly.
2. Mentions on trusted sites: review platforms, industry directories and local news sites that AI assistants often use as sources.
3. Reviews: not just the rating, but what customers actually write ("arrived quickly", "tidy work").
4. Accessibility for AI: if your website blocks AI crawlers, a model cannot read your information.
5. Consistency: the same name, address and services in all of those places.

Where do you start?

Start by measuring. You want to know which questions you are and are not mentioned for, by which model, and who gets recommended instead of you. Only then do you know where your opportunities are.

The free AI check asks real customer questions to ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude. You get a PDF report with your score, your competitors and the most important improvements. Want to keep following it? GEO tracking measures it automatically every week.