How to Get Referrals from AI: GEO Best Practices Guide
2024 marked a fundamental shift in search optimization and digital marketing with the introduction of generative searches taking over traditional search engines. If you've done a Google search recently, you know exactly what I mean. The rise of generative AI has taken small businesses by storm. While plenty of therapists and small business owners still don’t even quite understand traditional SEO (search engine optimization) – you now have to start figuring out GEO (generative engine optimization) if you want your business to stay competitive with organic search. If you’re confused as to what that even means, don’t worry I’ll explain.
SEO--traditional search--is how you get found on search engines (if you’ve ever wondered about your website “rank” in search results--that’s SEO). GEO--generative search--is how you get quoted, used as a source, or referred to by AI like ChatGPT, AI Overview, Claude, and other generative engines.
Why do I need to improve my website GEO?
As more people turn towards (or are forced towards) interacting with generative AI searches and suggestions, coming up with a GEO strategy becomes increasingly more important. Gone are the days where we could do some simple keyword research, throw up some bullet points, and show up in search engine results. As the way consumers are finding services changes, so too must we change. And since I know most of you know very little about this subject, I’m going to break it down for you.
How can I improve my content and website GEO?
1) Write for Comprehension, Not Clicks
Remember all that stuff you learned about grabbing a reader's attention when writing for content marketing? Yeah... Generative engines don’t care about clever hooks or cliff-hangers. They care about clarity, structure, and complete answers. Content that clearly defines concepts, explains cause-and-effect, and answers follow-up questions in the same page/article is much more likely to be used. If your content feels like it could be turned into a confident, solid answer without extra interpretation, you’re doing it right. Basically, click-bait without substance isn't going to win you any extra points in this new digital marketing era.
2. Be Explicit and Avoid Ambiguity
AI search engines hate vagueness. This means you should state things directly and define terms in plain, natural language. Avoid metaphor-heavy or poetic explanations unless they’re paired with a clear, literal meaning. Something like “This helps calm anxiety” is more usable than “this transforms your relationship with fear and panic.” For my fellow neurodiverse folks out there this is a happy shift, but for a lot of people it means we'll have to get more direct and concise.
3) Structure Matters
This one has always mattered, but we're going to get even more clear on it now. You want to focus on how the structure of your page is set up. Use logical headings, short explanatory paragraphs, and clear sections. Generative systems take in content hierarchically. That means well-labeled sections like “What it is,” “Why it matters,” “Common mistakes,” and “Best practices” make it easy for models to extract and recombine your content accurately. I know it feels weird to think about how we can most easily "feed" our content and knowledge to these systems, but that is the search world we're living in.
4) Demonstrate Authority
Generative AI favors content that shows lived or applied experience and knowledge. Think about giving concrete examples, nuanced distinctions, and realistic scenarios (“this works best if…”, “this fails when…”) which shows real-world knowledge. Generic advice will get ignored or blended into the same old recycled gunk of the internet. So many of the therapists and professionals I work with are highly skilled in their field and their specialty areas, let that experience shine in the copy on your website.
5) Optimize for Questions People Actually Ask
Unlike SEO, GEO tracks natural language queries, not keyword fragments. Because we’re not just keyword stuffing, you want to write in a way that mirrors how someone would ask a follow-up question in conversation. If your content answers “Yes, but what about…?” inside the same page, you’re increasing your odds of being picked up by generative AI responses. Think of it as a well-rounded, intelligent conversation focused on the user experience and search intent.
6) Consistency Across Platforms
Something that shocks many people is that generative AI cross-references. It’s not just looking at one piece of material to see if it should reference you–it’s looking at everything. If your website, blog posts, podcast descriptions, and social media content all reinforce the same positioning and language, you’re easier to recognize and summarize correctly. Inconsistent messaging weakens your presence and decreases the likelihood of being picked up. Use this information during content creation and when planning out your content strategy to increase your brand visibility with generative AI. If you haven't checked in on that long-forgotten LinkedIn profile or haven't drilled down on "what you're known for"--now would be the time.
7) Avoid Fluff and Performative Insight
While SEO has cared more about quality rather than quantity in the past, GEO kicks it up another level. Point blank–Generative models don’t reward inspirational filler. They reward direct answers and usable information. If a sentence doesn’t teach, clarify, or differentiate, it’s dead weight. Keep your writing tight and focused.
This doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice the user experience on your website, but it does mean that we want to make sure we're staying on topic and helping them get their search queries answered in a way that feels complete and useful. AI search engines will not direct people to pages where the majority of the content is meaningless fluff.
8) Think About the Best Answer for the Question
Again, this is not about the quantity of words on the page, but how well we can answer a question (this actually goes into AEO or “answer engine optimization as well). Because the truth is that one excellent, deeply clear piece of content that fully answers a question is more valuable for AI search engines than ten shallow posts. Generative engines prefer fewer, stronger sources they can trust. So pack a powerful punch in how you answer those questions. Be the answer they're looking for.
What will harm my website's GEO?
Well, obviously doing the opposite of any of the things I listed above will lower your website's content value. But, another thing that will harm your website rank and quotability is having AI write your copy.
Why does AI written copy harm my website?
AI often does not like to quote and reference AI. These language learning models need real life experts in order to farm their information from (hint hint) the lived experience and expertise mentioned above. Meanwhile, the answers that AI can put out sometimes sound a bit weird or just downright wrong. Also, it's probably going to regurgitate the same information that's been put out over and over again to where it's practically cannibalizing itself. No one wants that. Since GEO and even SEO depend on the best answers from the most credible sources, AI generated content is not what they're looking for. If you don't take my word for it, feel free to look at the research Neil Patel's company did that shows while you may get a temporary boost from AI content, human generated content wins in the end.
In short: GEO is about being clear enough to be quoted, grounded enough to be trusted, and structured enough to be understood by machines without losing meaning. The funny part is that AI is wanting us to sound and write more human and less salesy--that’s something that we can do.
I hope these best practices help you feel more confident as you start to craft your GEO strategy. If you need more help strategizing a digital marketing plan though, reach out for an individual consultation or a website audit. You can also join our Facebook group or sign-up for information about new trainings, blogs, and services coming up.
