Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the new buzzword making waves in digital marketing. But what exactly does it mean—and more importantly, how can you use it to grow your business?
The short answer: GEO is about getting your content to rank inside AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude—not just on Google. It’s the evolution of SEO, and if you’ve been wondering how to make AI recommend your content, this is where the future lies.
I’ve actually been applying the principles of GEO for over a decade, long before the term existed. Let’s break it down step by step so you know exactly how to use it for lead generation.
What Is Generative Engine Optimization?
Traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization) was about getting websites to rank on Google. You’d optimize meta tags, sprinkle in keywords, and build backlinks.
But that playbook stopped working around 2015. Google shifted from being a website search engine to a content search engine. Instead of rewarding websites with technical tweaks, it rewards content that answers people’s questions.
Now, AI search tools like ChatGPT are accelerating that shift. They don’t rank websites—they recommend content. And since AI tools pull from the best search engines available, your videos, blogs, and answers need to be structured in a way that AI recognizes as high value.
That’s GEO in a nutshell: creating content designed to be found, recommended, and trusted by generative AI.
Why GEO Matters Right Now
AI search has become the first real competitor Google has ever had. Microsoft tried with Bing. Yahoo tried years earlier. But ChatGPT is the one making Google nervous.
For business owners, coaches, consultants, and experts, this means two things:
- People are actively asking AI tools for advice—and they want the best possible answers.
- AI is already recommending people like you if your content aligns with those answers.
I’ve seen it firsthand. A woman in Australia once searched ChatGPT for YouTube strategy advice. The tool recommended me by name, she found my videos, and eventually booked a consultation. That’s GEO in action.
The Difference Between SEO and GEO
Here’s a quick comparison:
- Old SEO: Stuff keywords into content, build links, and manipulate search engines.
- Modern GEO: Answer real, specific questions your audience is already asking.
Instead of focusing on two- or three-word keywords, today you should focus on long, detailed questions. For example:
- Old SEO keyword: YouTube strategy
- GEO question: How do I get my YouTube videos to show up in Google search results?
The second question is highly specific. It tells you exactly who the searcher is and what problem they want solved. That’s the kind of question AI tools pull into their answers.
Why GEO Generates Better Leads
Here’s why I love GEO:
With traditional advertising, you interrupt people. You pay to put your promo video in front of them, hoping they’ll care.
With GEO, people search for a solution—and your content shows up. You’re not selling, you’re helping. That builds trust, authority, and real relationships.
Leads that come from AI recommendations feel more organic because they don’t feel marketed to. They feel like they discovered you on their own.
How to Implement GEO (Step by Step)
I use what I call the Leaf Strategy, a tree analogy for content creation. Here’s how to implement GEO using it:
- Do Keyword Research (Branch Selection)
- Identify broad topics (“branches”) that your target audience cares about.
- Within those, look for long, specific questions (“leaves”).
- Start With Long Questions
- Film videos that answer those specific questions.
- Make sure your video titles are the exact question people ask.
- Publish on YouTube First
- YouTube is the most powerful searchable content platform.
- Videos here rank on YouTube itself, on Google, and now even in ChatGPT.
- Turn Video Into a Blog
- Use the transcript to create a written article.
- Embed the video at the top and add the rewritten text below.
- Track Progress
- Create a spreadsheet of all your target questions.
- Mark which ones are ranking on YouTube/Google.
- Over time, you’ll move from a handful of rankings to dominating entire branches.
Final Thoughts
Generative Engine Optimization isn’t about gaming the system. It’s about understanding what people ask, creating content that answers those questions, and letting AI recognize your authority.
Right now, the best place to implement GEO is still YouTube plus blogging. But as other platforms catch up with search functionality, there will be more opportunities.
The good news? If you start now, you’ll be ahead of the curve.
And if you want to go deeper, I highly recommend checking out my video on the Leaf Strategy, where I walk through how to find the exact questions your audience is asking and turn them into content that dominates YouTube, Google, and ChatGPT.
Next up: What Content Format Works Best for Generative Engine Optimization?
