The Great GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) Grift

Scary new paradigm? Evolution of SEO? Something else? Let's get to the bottom of this once and for all.

David McSweeney

October 16, 2025

You’re being sold a lie.

And in some cases, a lie that may end up damaging your business.

That lie is that “GEO” (generative engine optimization) is a discipline fully distinct from—or even a replacement for—SEO.

In this article I’m going to argue that GEO, at least in its most widely presented form, is:

1. nothing new
2. possibly a waste of your time
3. definitely a waste of your money
4. polluting the web
5. potentially harming your business

Why should you listen to me?

Well, you should make your own mind up. After all, I’m just some guy on the internet. But, I’ve been around the block.

• Involved in SEO since 1997.
• Ran my own Ecommerce business from 2006-2012.
• Consulted for 15 years
• Former head of content for Ahrefs and Seobilty

I’m also an AI obsessive and an early adopter.

So, make no mistake: I don’t write this from a position of ignorance regarding the tech, or a fear for my own position.

Indeed, if the latter was the case it would be simpler for me to simply pivot to selling “GEO” services like half of my peers.

But here’s why I don’t.

Part 1: Some “GEO tactics” are solid. But they don’t need a new acronym; they’re just SEO.

Gaslighting (noun): psychological manipulation of a person usually over an extended period of time that causes the victim to question the validity of their own thoughts, perception of reality, or memories and typically leads to confusion, loss of confidence and self-esteem, uncertainty of one's emotional or mental stability, and a dependency on the perpetrator.

— Merriam-Webster Dictionary

There’s a fair amount of rewriting of history going on at the moment.

An attempt to reframe best practices that have been part of any well-executed SEO strategy for at least 10 years as shiny new “GEO” tactics.

Let’s gather some information.

We’ll start by looking at the top “geo tactics” recommended by Google’s AI mode. Seems appropriate?

• Google’s AI Mode: Create expert-led, authoritative content, prioritize user intent, optimize content structure, implement structured data, use an omnichannel strategy, monitor and iterate.

Next, let’s do some deep research with GPT5.

• GPT5: Allow and optimize AI crawling, create definitive content on your topic, optimize key pages (About, Home, Services) for AI recommendations, get featured on authoritative “best of” lists, encourage reviews and address feedback, use schema and structured data, incorporate multimedia and alternative formats, engage in industry conversations (forums/social), monitor AI mentions and refine content accordingly, avoid black-hat or over-optimization tricks.

Moving on to Semrush’s AI Visibility tips:

• Semrush: brand mentions, content quality and originality, citations quotes and statistics, structured data, content freshness.

Now let’s boil this down a bit and extract the core “GEO tactics” from these four sources.

1. Ensure AI crawlers can access and parse your content

“AI-oriented crawling is a different problem than search-engine crawling…” This is probably the “tactic” that has the strongest argument for being distinct. But I will also argue that it’s evolution, not revolution.

2. Add structured data and schema

“Structured data for answer engines functions less like “rich result markup” and more like an API contract…”

3. Expert, definitive, original content

“The editorial bar shifts from “help the user on-page” to “be a source of record assistants can reuse safely…”

4. User intent and topic research

“Research shifts from volumes and SERP features to prompt archetypes and constraint frames…”

5. Answer-extractable structure (H2, H3, lists, tables)

“This isn’t just “good formatting.” In answer engines the atomic unit isn’t a page—it’s a chunk…”

6. Proof on key brand pages + reviews

“Answer engines don’t just match text to queries; they justify recommendations…”

7. Off-site authority & PR (lists, mentions, citations)

“In answer engines, off-site work isn’t primarily about link equity or referral clicks—it’s about cross-source corroboration…”

8. Multimedia/Repurposing

“Answer engines don’t just read pages—they mine video, audio, slides, and images…”

9. Social/Community Engagement

“Answer engines don’t just read your site; they sample public discourse…”

10. Monitoring & Iteration (inc. freshness)

“Answer engines are moving targets with opaque feedback loops…”

Part 2: You’re optimizing for the current state of LLMs

So, now we’ve covered what “GEO” is. But even if you disagree with my take, all of this chunking, slicing, and robotic rewriting is optimizing for the current state of LLMs.

Part 3: The illusion (and/or moral ambiguity) of “prompt tracking” and “AI visibility”

Keyword and search visibility tracking is dead. Prompt and AI visibility monitoring is the present and the future.

Part 4: many of the new GEO service providers are polluting (and further enshittifying) the web

While I would perhaps be more skeptical these days of whether or not Google actually care, it’s not inconceivable that at some point they will take action against sites that have been taking advantage of current weaknesses.

PSA: Not all GEO providers are bad actors

It’s unfair for me to tar every GEO service provider with the same brush.

Part 5: why grubby GEO tactics may harm your business

If you have a load of listicles on your own site that claim you’re the best X for Y don’t be surprised to see them lose rankings or be completely deindexed at some stage.

Part 6: search is evolving, but despite what GEO bros may say, it’s here to stay

If you’ve read this far it may surprise you to learn that I’m not actually anti-GEO. What I’m against is the grift. The reframing of SEO tactics as GEO. The half-baked prompt trackers. The spam.