Key takeaways
- An SEO agency focuses on rankings in search results; a GEO agency focuses on mentions and citations in AI answers.
- They overlap: Google says pages must be indexed to appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode, so GEO needs an SEO foundation.
- GEO adds off-site work: about 82% of AI-cited links come from earned media (Muck Rack, December 2025).
- Be wary of any agency promising guaranteed AI placements; no one controls what AI assistants say.
A few years ago, "getting found online" meant hiring an SEO agency. Now a new kind of firm has appeared: the GEO agency, focused on generative engine optimization, which means getting businesses mentioned and cited in AI answers from ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews. Do you need one, the other, or both?
The difference in one table
| SEO agency | GEO agency | |
|---|---|---|
| Main goal | Rank pages in search results | Be named and cited in AI answers |
| Main work | Technical fixes, content, links, local listings | AI-readable content, earned media, consistency, AI tracking |
| Where the work happens | Mostly your website and listings | Your website plus trusted third-party sources |
| How it's measured | Rankings, organic traffic, leads | Mentions, citations, share of voice in AI answers, AI referrals |
Where they overlap
More than most agencies admit. Google says that to appear as a link in AI Overviews or AI Mode, a page must be indexed and eligible to show a snippet, with no special AI-only requirements. AI assistants that search the web still rely on crawlers and indexes. So any credible GEO work starts with a sound SEO foundation, and any modern SEO agency should be thinking about AI answers.
What a GEO agency should add
- Content AI can quote. The KDD 2024 study that named GEO found statistics, quotations and cited sources each raised visibility in AI answers by roughly 30-40%, while keyword stuffing didn't help.
- Earned media. Muck Rack's December 2025 analysis found about 94% of AI-cited links came from non-paid sources and 82% from earned media. A GEO agency should be able to get your business into credible coverage, not just tweak your pages.
- AI visibility tracking. Regular checks of what AI assistants say about you, which sources they cite and which competitors appear. (See AI visibility tools.)
- Consistency work. Making sure your business is described the same way everywhere AI might look.
Which do you need?
- Your site has technical problems or isn't indexed: fix the SEO foundation first. Without it, GEO has nothing to stand on.
- You rank well but AI never mentions you: that's a GEO gap, usually a lack of trusted third-party coverage.
- You're starting fresh: look for one partner that covers both, rather than two agencies working on overlapping problems.
Questions to ask any GEO agency
- How do you measure AI visibility, and can I see the actual prompts and answers?
- What off-site work is included? Where will my business actually be published or mentioned?
- Do you guarantee AI recommendations? The right answer is no. AI companies don't sell spots in organic answers, and OpenAI says even its ads don't influence ChatGPT's answers.
- How do you handle my SEO foundation? Indexing, crawler access and structured data should be part of the plan.
- What do I own if I leave? Published articles and site improvements should stay with you.
How AImpact works
AImpact combines both: an AI search optimization foundation for your site, monthly press campaigns on trusted news sites, cloud stacks and AI visibility tracking, month-to-month. Learn more about our generative engine optimization service or get a free AI visibility check.
Our team plans and writes press campaigns, builds cloud stacks and runs AI visibility tracking for businesses every month. We check every claim in our articles against the sources listed below.
Sources
- Aggarwal et al., "GEO: Generative Engine Optimization" (KDD 2024, arXiv 2311.09735)
- Google Search Central: AI features and your website
- Muck Rack (via MarTech Series): Earned Media Still Drives Generative AI Citations as Press Release Visibility Grows, December 2025
- OpenAI Help Center: Ads in ChatGPT
Keep reading
- How much does a press release cost?
- Best press release distribution services: how to compare them
- AI visibility tools: what they track and how to choose one
- ChatGPT ads vs earned media: which gets your business recommended?
- PR Newswire alternatives (and how Business Wire compares)
- PR agency vs press release service: which is right for you?
- How accountants and CPAs get recommended by AI
- How insurance agencies get recommended by AI
- How med spas get recommended by AI
- How auto shops and dealerships get recommended by AI
- How restaurants get recommended by ChatGPT and AI search
- Press release format: the structure editors and AI expect
- How to rank in ChatGPT: an honest guide
- How real estate agents get recommended by AI
- GEO vs SEO vs AEO: what's the difference?
- How contractors get recommended by ChatGPT and AI search
- How doctors and medical practices show up in AI answers
- How to write a press release (that AI will actually cite)
- How dentists get found in ChatGPT and AI search
- How law firms get recommended by ChatGPT
- What is generative engine optimization (GEO)?
- How to track what ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity say about you
- How to show up in Google AI Overviews
- Perplexity SEO: how Perplexity chooses what to cite
- How ChatGPT decides which businesses to recommend
- USA Today, TheStreet, Street Insider: what a premium placement does
- What is LLM SEO? Optimizing for ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity
- Why AI engines read the news: press releases in the age of AI search
- SEO isn't dead. It's how AI finds you
- Is ChatGPT good for SEO? What it can and can't do
- What is a cloud stack, and why 14+ platforms beat one
- The benefits of press releases for small businesses (in the age of AI)
