# What Is GEO?

**GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)** is the SEO practice of [creating and structuring content](/content/blog/how-to-get-found-in-ai-search-a-geo-playbook/index.html) so AI-driven search experiences (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and [Google’s AI Overviews](/content/blog/how-to-optimize-for-google-ai-overviews-and-aeo/index.html)) can **find, interpret, and cite** your content in their generated answers.

- **Goal:** show up as a **source** (mention or citation) inside AI-generated responses.

- **Where it shows:** AI chat/search answers and AI summaries that include links to publishers.

## Does GEO replace SEO?

No - most brands do **both**: [SEO is for rankings](/content/blog/what-is-seo/index.html) (to [understand how SEO works](/content/blog/understanding-seo-how-it-works-and-why-it-matters/index.html)) + [GEO for AI answer visibility](/content/blog/how-to-optimize-for-ai-search-generative-engine-optimization/index.html).

## Why is GEO important?

Because AI answers can be a “first stop” that summarizes sources and sends users to selected links. Understanding [how GEO works](/content/blog/how-does-geo-work/index.html) is essential for maintaining visibility in these results.

## Where did the term GEO come from?

Researchers formalized “Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)” in work on generative search engines and visibility optimization.