A homeowner asks ChatGPT: "What's a good HVAC company in Charlotte?"
ChatGPT thinks for three seconds and names three companies. Not ten blue links. Not a map with 20 pins. Three names, with a sentence about each.
If your company isn't one of those three names, you just lost a customer. and you'll never even know they were looking. That's GEO. Generative Engine Optimization. It's what comes after SEO. And it's already happening.
What GEO actually is
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. It's the practice of making your business show up when someone asks an AI. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, or Siri. for a recommendation.
Traditional SEO targets Google's ranked list of links. You want to be #1 on the page. GEO targets AI engines that read those links, synthesize the information, and generate a single answer. You want to be the business the AI names. A user searching "best plumber Charlotte" on Google sees 10 results. A user asking ChatGPT "who should I call for a plumbing emergency?" gets one answer. If you're not in it, you don't exist.
Why it matters now
BrightLocal's 2026 consumer survey found that 45% of people use AI tools to find local businesses. For users aged 25-44, it's over 60%. Google now shows AI Overviews for roughly half of all local searches. This is not a future trend. It's happening right now, on every phone in your service area.
Check Your AI Visibility →
See if ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI can find your business. and what they say.
Check NowThe 5 things that actually move the needle
1. Structured data (schema markup). Code on your website that tells AI crawlers exactly what your content means. The types that matter: LocalBusiness, Service, FAQPage, AggregateRating, Article.
2. Consistent NAP across directories. NAP = Name, Address, Phone. If your Google Business Profile says "Smith Plumbing" but Yelp says "Smith Plumbing LLC," AI engines get confused. Audit your top 10 listings.
3. Review velocity and sentiment. AI reads review text, not just star counts. 10 new reviews per month beats 100 reviews from two years ago. Descriptive reviews ("They came out within an hour, fixed the leak") help AI; "Great service!" doesn't.
4. llms.txt file. A file in your website root that tells AI crawlers what your business does in plain, structured text. Think of it as robots.txt for AI engines. Boxi's site has one at /llms.txt.
5. Content that answers questions directly. AI engines love content that answers questions in a quotable format. Lead with the answer, then explain. FAQ sections and comparison tables are GEO-friendly formats.
SEO vs GEO: quick comparison
| Factor | Traditional SEO | GEO (AI Search) |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Google result page ranking | AI-generated answer mentions |
| Wins when | You rank #1-3 | AI names your business |
| Key tactics | Keywords, backlinks, speed | Schema, llms.txt, reviews |
| Timeline | 3-6 months | 1-3 months (less competition) |
GEO is currently the lower-competition channel. Most local businesses haven't improved for it yet. The ones that do now will have a significant advantage for the next 2-3 years.
What to do this week
1. Check your AI visibility. Run the AI Visibility Check.
2. Add structured data. If your website doesn't have LocalBusiness schema, that's step one.
3. Write an llms.txt file. 15 minutes. Describe your business in plain text. Put it at your site root.
4. Read the deeper guide. Our Answer Engine Optimization page covers the full system.
The businesses that show up in AI search today will be the ones customers call tomorrow.
Want the full picture? Read How AI Search Is Changing Local Marketing