Five years ago, I Googled everything.
The best restaurant in town.
How to fix a WordPress bug.
Even how to boil an egg.
Google had the answers. Or at least, it had a list of websites that probably had the answers, after I scrolled through ads, skipped a few irrelevant blogs, and clicked on the one link that actually helped.
But things have changed.
Now, when I need an answer, I don’t always type it into Google. I ask AI. ChatGPT/Gemini. Even the built-in search on my phone. And it doesn’t give me ten blue links, it just… tells me.
I’ve noticed my friends do it too. My clients, who run their own small businesses, are skipping search engines entirely. They’re asking AI tools for marketing advice, technical fixes, and even which tools to buy.
It’s small, but it’s everywhere. The way people find information is shifting, and it’s happening faster than most of us realize.
That shift has a name: GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization.
If SEO was about convincing Google to put your website at the top of the search results, GEO is about convincing AI to mention you in its answers. And in a world where AI is quickly becoming the first stop for information, that mention might be worth more than any click you’ve ever gotten.
GEO is quietly becoming the new SEO. And if you’re a freelancer or a business owner, you can’t afford to ignore it.
Why this matters for you
If you’re a freelancer, you already know the hardest part of the job isn’t the work itself, it’s getting the work.
Your next client is out there right now, typing a question into ChatGPT.
It might be:
- “What’s the best way to design a portfolio site?”
- “How do I hire a developer for my e-commerce store?”
If the AI mentions you—your name, your business, your content, you’ve just skipped the competition. You’re not one of ten search results. You’re the answer.
For business owners, it’s just as important. Imagine someone asks an AI:
- “What’s the best coffee shop in town?”
- “Which local accountant is the most trusted?”
If your business shows up in that answer, you’ve already built trust before they even visit your site. It’s like getting a personal recommendation from a friend… except that friend is an AI that millions of people trust.
The thing is, most people aren’t even thinking about this yet. They’re still chasing SEO rankings like it’s 2015. Meanwhile, AI is shaping the buying decisions of their customers without them realizing it.
The good news? You’re not too late. GEO is still new. Which means if you start now, you can get ahead before it becomes crowded.
And the first step is understanding how GEO works, and how it’s different from the SEO you already know.
GEO vs. SEO in plain English
Let’s keep this simple.
SEO is about getting clicks.
GEO is about getting mentioned.
When you optimize for SEO, you’re telling Google, “Hey, my page should be at the top when someone searches for this keyword.” If you do it well, you show up on page one. People click your link. You get traffic.
With GEO, there’s no page one. There’s no long list of results. The AI just gives an answer… and hopefully, it includes you.Here’s an example:
- SEO world: Someone searches “best time management tools” → Google shows ten sites → they click yours → they read your list.
- GEO world: Someone asks an AI the same question → it gives them a short answer → “One popular option is X,” and that “X” is your product, your brand, or your name.
The difference might seem small, but it’s massive. In GEO, there’s no second chance if you’re not in that first answer. You’re either part of the conversation… or you’re invisible.
Think of SEO as winning a race to be seen. GEO is getting invited to speak.
And in a world where AI is answering more and more questions, being the one it speaks about is where the real opportunity is.
Why now is the time
AI isn’t waiting for you to catch up.
Every month, more people are swapping search engines for AI assistants. Google itself is rolling out “AI Overviews” that appear above the regular results. ChatGPT are answering millions of questions a day. And it’s not slowing down.
That means the way people discover information and make buying decisions is already shifting. They’re not browsing page two of Google. They’re not even clicking half the time. They’re trusting whatever the AI tells them first.
If you start working on GEO now, you’re early. You can claim your space before everyone else catches on. You can become the go-to answer for your niche.
But if you wait? You’ll be trying to break in after the conversation is already crowded. And unlike SEO, where you can climb up the rankings slowly, GEO is more binary, you’re either in the answer… or you’re not.
This isn’t about abandoning SEO. It’s about layering GEO on top of it so you’re visible in both worlds, the old way and the new way.
The sooner you start, the more AI will “learn” about you. And the more it learns, the more likely you are to show up when it matters.
So let’s talk about how to get started… without overthinking it.
How to start without overthinking it
The idea of “optimizing for AI” sounds big and complicated.
It’s not. At least, not when you start small.
Here’s how to start GEO without spending your whole weekend.
1. Pick one question your clients or customers always ask.
Make it specific. Not “How to build a website,” but “How to make a portfolio site that gets clients.” Specific questions make specific answers, and AI loves that.
2. Write the clearest answer you can.
No fluff. Plain and simple. Just short sentences, bullet points, or step-by-step instructions. The goal is to make it so clear that AI could literally copy and paste it into its answer.
3. Publish it somewhere public.
Your blog. LinkedIn. A guest post. Even a well-structured social media thread. The key is to have it online and easy to reference. AI learns from what it can find.
4. Bonus for the tech-savvy.
Use simple structure. Headings, bullet points, and schema markup (if you have a website). Think of it as putting neon signs around your content saying, “Hey AI, this is the good stuff.”
The best part? You don’t have to overhaul your whole website or marketing strategy. Start with one piece of content. See if it gets picked up. Then do it again.
GEO isn’t a one-time project, it’s a habit. The more valuable, clear answers you put out there, the more chances AI has to find you… and recommend you.
Wrap with a friendly push
You don’t need to master GEO overnight.
This isn’t about rewriting your whole website or spending thousands on a new marketing plan. It’s about noticing where the world is headed… and taking small steps now so you’re not left behind later.
Because the truth is, the shift is already happening. AI is answering questions your potential clients and customers are asking right now. And every time it does, it’s either mentioning someone like you… or it’s not.
The people who start showing up in those answers early will have a huge advantage. They’ll be seen as the trusted voices. The go-to experts. The default recommendations.
So start small. Answer one question. Make it clear. Put it out there. Then do it again next week.
In five years, you’ll look back and realize these small steps were the reason people found you, not through a list of links, but because an AI said, “Here’s someone you should talk to.”
That’s the future. And it’s happening faster than you think.
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