Traditional SEO vs. GEO: How to Get Your Business Recommended by ChatGPT and Gemini

How do I get my business recommended by ChatGPT and Gemini? The short answer is to make your business easy for search engines and AI platforms to find, understand and trust. This requires a strong technical website, helpful and original content, consistent business information, credible third-party references and an established reputation across the web.

There is no button that guarantees your business will be recommended by an AI platform. However, improving these signals can increase the likelihood that your website will be discovered, cited or included when people use AI-powered tools to research products, services and local businesses.

For more than two decades, digital marketing largely focused on helping businesses rank in conventional search engine results. Companies researched the phrases potential customers entered into Google, optimized their pages for relevant topics, earned links from other websites and competed for prominent positions in the search results.

Those practices still matter.

In fact, Google states that its established SEO best practices continue to apply to its generative AI search features because these experiences are connected to Google’s existing Search ranking and quality systems. The difference is that businesses must now consider how information may be retrieved and presented within conversational answers, not only how a webpage appears in a list of search results.

This expanding discipline is commonly called Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO.

What Is Generative Engine Optimization?

Generative Engine Optimization is the process of improving how clearly and accurately AI-powered search platforms can discover, interpret and reference information about your business.

Traditional search results usually provide a list of webpages for the user to explore. Generative search experiences may instead summarize information from multiple sources, answer a question directly and provide citations or links that help the user investigate further.

A prospective customer might ask:

• “Which commercial HVAC companies in Toronto offer emergency repair?”
• “Can you recommend an accountant in Calgary who works with technology startups?”
• “What is the best website design company for a small business in Canada?”
• “Where can I find a dentist offering nightguards near me?”
• “Which local printing company can produce presentation folders?”

The AI system may interpret the question, search for relevant information and assemble an answer based on the sources it considers useful.

This means your website is competing for more than a click. Your content may also need to serve as a clear, credible source that an AI-powered search experience can use when building an answer.

Learn more about Generative Engine Optimization services from Bloomtools Canada.

Traditional SEO and GEO Are Not Opposing Strategies

Traditional SEO and GEO are sometimes presented as entirely separate approaches. In practice, they overlap significantly.

Google’s official guidance explains that optimizing for generative AI search remains closely connected to foundational SEO. A page generally needs to be accessible, crawlable, indexed and eligible to appear in Google Search before it can be included in Google’s generative search features.

Traditional SEO commonly focuses on:

• Improving rankings in conventional search results
• Targeting relevant commercial and informational searches
• Creating optimized service and location pages
• Strengthening internal linking
• Earning reputable backlinks
• Improving website speed, usability and mobile performance
• Writing effective page titles and meta descriptions

GEO builds on that foundation by placing additional emphasis on:

• Answering conversational questions clearly
• Establishing the business as a recognizable entity
• Publishing original, experience-based information
• Making important facts easy to locate and verify
• Maintaining consistent business information across the web
• Providing structured and context-rich content
• Increasing the likelihood of being cited or mentioned in an AI-generated response

Businesses should not abandon conventional SEO to pursue AI visibility. A more sustainable approach is to create a website and content strategy that works for conventional search engines, AI-powered search experiences and human visitors at the same time.

How ChatGPT and Gemini Find Information

AI platforms do not all discover and process web content in exactly the same way. Their systems and features also continue to evolve.

Some answers may draw on information learned during model training, while search-enabled experiences can retrieve current information from publicly accessible websites. Retrieval-Augmented Generation, commonly called RAG or grounding, allows an AI system to retrieve relevant sources before generating an answer.

Google explains that its generative search features can use its existing Search index and ranking systems to retrieve relevant webpages. It may also conduct several related searches—a process Google calls “query fan-out”—to collect enough information to answer a broader or more complicated question.

ChatGPT can also search the web and provide links to relevant sources. OpenAI uses a web crawler called OAI-SearchBot to help surface websites in ChatGPT search results. If a website blocks this crawler, its content may not be eligible to appear as a source in ChatGPT search answers.

You can review the official guidance from:

• Google Search Central on optimizing for generative AI features
• OpenAI’s overview of its web crawlers

These retrieval systems make crawlability and technical SEO important. If an AI search platform cannot access or interpret a webpage, it is less likely to use that page as a supporting source.

What Influences an AI Business Recommendation?

Neither Google nor OpenAI publishes a simple formula for earning a business recommendation. Different queries can also produce different results depending on the user’s wording, location, available sources and the freshness of the information.

Nevertheless, several signals can make a business easier to identify and evaluate.

A Clearly Defined Business Entity

Search engines and AI systems need to understand that your company is a distinct organization.

Your website should clearly communicate:

• Your official business name
• The products or services you offer
• Your address or service area
• Your telephone number
• Your hours of operation
• Your professional credentials
• The industries or customers you serve
• The geographic areas you serve
• How customers can contact or purchase from you

This information should appear naturally on relevant pages and remain consistent throughout the website.

Consistent Information Across the Web

AI-powered search systems may encounter information about your company on several websites. This can include your own website, Google Business Profile, professional associations, review platforms, government registries, social profiles and industry directories.

Conflicting addresses, phone numbers, business names or service descriptions can make your company more difficult to interpret.

Review your major online listings and ensure your essential information is accurate and consistent. This is particularly important for local businesses seeking visibility in location-based recommendations.

Helpful and Original Website Content

Generic content is easy to reproduce and may not give search systems a compelling reason to reference your website.

Stronger content demonstrates genuine knowledge and experience. Depending on your business, that may include:

• Detailed answers to customer questions
• Original research or company data
• Case studies and project examples
• Explanations of your process
• Professional insights
• Product comparisons
• Transparent service information
• First-hand observations
• Local market knowledge
• Staff qualifications and experience

Google recommends creating useful, reliable and “non-commodity” content that offers something beyond information already repeated across many other websites.

A plumbing company, for example, could publish a case study showing how it diagnosed a recurring drainage problem in a particular style of Toronto home. An HVAC company could explain how equipment selection differs for older Southwestern Ontario properties. A dental practice could answer common patient questions based on the procedures its team performs every day.

These examples provide specificity and experience that generic content cannot easily replicate.

Clear Answers to Relevant Questions

Conversational searches are often longer and more detailed than conventional keyword searches.

Rather than writing only for a short phrase such as “commercial HVAC Toronto,” consider the complete questions a prospective customer may ask:

• What causes a commercial HVAC system to shut down unexpectedly?
• How often should a commercial HVAC system be serviced?
• Which company offers emergency commercial HVAC repair in Toronto?
• What should an HVAC maintenance agreement include?

Use descriptive headings and provide a concise answer near the beginning of each relevant section. Follow that answer with supporting detail, examples and context.

This structure makes the page easier for people to scan while clearly establishing what question the content answers.

You do not need to force every possible query into your content word for word. Google’s systems can understand synonyms, related concepts and different ways of expressing the same intent. Focus on providing the most useful answer rather than repeating variations of a keyword.

A Strong Third-Party Reputation

Your website is only one source of information about your business. Reviews, professional memberships, reputable directory listings, media coverage and references from other established websites can provide additional context.

For local businesses, focus on earning genuine reviews from real customers and responding professionally. Keep your Google Business Profile complete and updated with accurate services, hours, contact information and photos.

Avoid purchasing artificial reviews, low-quality directory links or manufactured mentions. These tactics can undermine trust and may violate platform guidelines.

Technically Accessible Content

A high-quality article cannot contribute to search visibility if crawlers cannot access it.

Your website should have:

• Crawlable pages
• Indexable content
• Accurate canonical URLs
• Descriptive title tags
• Logical heading structures
• Mobile-friendly layouts
• Fast, reliable performance
• Working internal links
• An updated XML sitemap
• A properly configured robots.txt file
• No unnecessary noindex directives

For ChatGPT search visibility, your robots.txt configuration should allow OAI-SearchBot if you want your pages considered for inclusion in ChatGPT search answers. OpenAI treats OAI-SearchBot and GPTBot as separate controls, so a website owner can make different choices regarding search visibility and potential model training.

Does Schema Markup Help With AI Visibility?

Schema markup provides structured, machine-readable information about a webpage or business. Appropriate types may include:

• Organization
• LocalBusiness
• Service
• Product
• Article
• BreadcrumbList
• FAQPage, when the content qualifies under current search guidelines

Schema can clarify details such as your organization’s name, services, address, telephone number, author information and the relationships between pages.

However, schema is not a guaranteed route into an AI-generated answer.

Google specifically states that structured data is not required for its generative AI search features and that there is no special schema markup exclusively for AI search. Structured data remains useful as part of a broader SEO strategy because it can help search engines interpret page information and make eligible content available for supported rich-result features.

Use schema to accurately represent content that visitors can also see on the webpage. Do not add unsupported claims, hidden information or irrelevant markup solely to influence rankings.

Why Keyword Stuffing Is Not an AI Search Strategy

Repeating “best plumber in Vancouver” throughout a page does not prove that the company is the best plumber in Vancouver.

Keyword stuffing generally makes content awkward, less trustworthy and less useful. It may also violate search engine spam policies.

A stronger page would explain:

• The plumbing services the company provides
• Its licensing and insurance
• The specific communities it serves
• Emergency service availability
• Its diagnostic and repair process
• Relevant warranties or guarantees
• Examples of completed work
• Answers to frequent customer questions
• How customers can request service

Keywords still help establish a page’s topic, but they should appear naturally within genuinely useful information. Relevance, clarity and supporting evidence are more valuable than repetition.

How to Improve Your Chances of Being Recommended by ChatGPT and Gemini

If you want your business to become more visible in AI-powered search, begin with the following steps.

1. Audit Your Existing Search Visibility

Review whether your most important pages are indexed and appearing for relevant searches. Use Google Search Console to identify indexing problems, underperforming pages and queries that already bring visitors to your website.

2. Check Your AI Crawler Access

Review your robots.txt file and any server-level security settings. Confirm that the crawlers you want to access your content are not unintentionally blocked.

For ChatGPT search, this includes OAI-SearchBot.

3. Strengthen Your Core Service Pages

Every major service should have a dedicated page that clearly explains:

• What the service includes
• Who it is intended for
• What problems it addresses
• Where it is available
• Why customers should choose your company
• What the next step involves

Avoid creating numerous near-duplicate pages that provide little original value.

4. Publish Content Based on Real Customer Questions

Speak with sales representatives, customer service staff and technicians to identify the questions customers ask before purchasing.

Turn those questions into useful articles, FAQs, videos and service-page sections. Include details based on your company’s direct experience wherever possible.

5. Improve Your Local Business Signals

Complete and maintain your Google Business Profile. Confirm that your hours, services, address, phone number, website and business categories remain accurate.

Encourage customers to leave honest reviews and respond to feedback consistently.

6. Add Appropriate Structured Data

Implement accurate schema markup for your organization, services, articles and other eligible content. Validate the markup and ensure it reflects information visible on the page.

7. Strengthen Internal Linking

Connect related articles, services and location pages with descriptive anchor text. Internal links help visitors discover additional information and help search engines understand the relationships between your pages.

For example, an article about AI recommendations should link naturally to your GEO and AI search optimization services, relevant SEO resources and your contact page.

8. Earn Legitimate External Recognition

Build relationships with professional associations, local organizations, reputable directories, industry publications and community partners.

Genuine third-party references can strengthen your broader online presence and help prospective customers verify your business.

9. Measure More Than Rankings

Traditional keyword rankings remain useful, but they should not be your only measurement.

Monitor:

• Organic search traffic
• Leads from organic visitors
• Google Search Console impressions and clicks
• Branded search activity
• Referral traffic from AI platforms
• Business mentions and citations
• Google Business Profile interactions
• Conversion rates from informational content

OpenAI notes that referral links from ChatGPT search include a utm_source=chatgpt.com parameter, which can help website owners identify this traffic in analytics platforms.

Can GEO Guarantee a ChatGPT or Gemini Recommendation?

No reputable agency can guarantee that ChatGPT, Gemini or another AI platform will recommend a particular business.

AI-generated answers can vary according to the user’s question, location, system being used, available sources and changes to the platform. Search engines also make their own decisions about which pages to crawl, index and display.

GEO should therefore be approached as an ongoing visibility strategy, not a one-time trick.

The goal is to make your business:

• Easier to discover
• Easier to understand
• Easier to verify
• More useful as an information source
• More credible to prospective customers
• Better positioned across conventional and AI-powered search

Build a Website That Supports SEO and GEO

Successful AI visibility starts with a strong digital foundation. Your website should clearly explain what your business does, demonstrate real expertise and make important information accessible to customers and search platforms.

Bloomtools Canada helps small and medium-sized businesses develop integrated websites and digital marketing strategies designed to improve visibility, communicate authority and generate measurable opportunities.

Our approach can bring together:

• Custom website design
• Technical SEO
• Generative Engine Optimization
• Content development
• On-page optimization
• Schema markup
• Local search optimization
• Website performance
• Lead-generation tools
• Ongoing reporting and strategy

Whether customers find your company through Google, ChatGPT, Gemini or another digital channel, they should arrive at a website that answers their questions and gives them a clear reason to take the next step.

Learn more about Bloomtools Canada’s GEO services or contact our team to discuss how your business can prepare for AI-powered search.