Gary Illyes argued that GEO is a label invented to create a new field and is not needed. Understanding how SEO works is enough.
Gary Illyes · Day 1 · What's new in the world of Search
Thing · Concept
GEO
Generative engine optimisation (and its twin AEO): labels for optimising for AI answers, which Google says good SEO already covers.
- Claims
- 7
- In Google’s docs
- 0
- Said at the event
- 6
- Not in docs
- 0
- Kit items
- 4
Glossary · GEO and AEO
Labels for generative engine optimisation and answer engine optimisation. Google's answer: don't worry about the name, good SEO is good GEO and AEO.
Said at the event 6
Slide and stage claims that name it, the ones Google’s documentation does not cover first.
Consistent with docs 1
Confirmed by docs 1
Confirmed by docsD1-C050
Google's answer to 'SEO is dead, long live GEO' is not to worry about the name: good SEO is good GEO and AEO.
Nothing to verify 4
StageD1-C059
The opening keynote closed with the advice to think about UEO, user engine optimisation, next to SEO and GEO: focus on the user and the rest will follow.
Lino Cattaruzzi · Day 1 · Welcome and opening keynotes
StageD1-C296
A community speaker argued for adopting the GEO label as the industry's chance to leave behind the bad reputation SEO built, unlike Google's view earlier the same day that the new name is not needed.
Thiago Pojda · Day 1 · Lightning session A: Automation and AI
StageD1-C426
Asked whether optimising for AI search can hurt classic search or the reverse, a Google panelist said yes, pointing to questionable GEO advice published online that he declined to name.
StageD3-C496
Nik Vujic said his agency uses the combined data to test whether good SEO is good GEO, and that the answer is 'it depends': for one client it found pages that performed better in generative AI features and LLMs than in standard search.
Nik Vujic · Day 3 · Lightning session L: Understanding SERPs and your users
Press and analysis 1
AnalysisD3-C213
Tactics sold as AI visibility or GEO, such as hidden text aimed at AI answers, mass-produced pages for fan-out queries or keyword-stuffed passages, are judged under the same spam policies as classic ranking manipulation.
Ibrahim Anjro · Day 3 · How Google thinks about Quality
Built on these claims 4
Kit items about GEO: their own words name it, or several of the claims they rest on do.
Myths 1
- DocumentedM-001
Myth: SEO is dead: AI search needs GEO, a new discipline.
Rests on 4 claims, 1 of them naming GEO; its own words name GEO
Also inquote Q-001story angle A-001glossary term GEO and AEO
Connected things 1
Most often named with it
Things named in the same claim, with the number of claims they share.