In the era of AI search, brands must adapt to stay visible and trusted. The emerging practice of Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) can help brands take control of how they are showing up in AI responses.
Since ChatGPT was first launched to the public, generative AI has become one of the fastest growing and most disruptive new technologies in modern history. The pace of adoption of large language models (LLMs) is .
This is having a dramatic impact on long-established consumer behaviors; in particular, how people search for, consume, and act on information.
For decades, search engines have been the dominant starting point for anyone seeking recommendations for brands, products, or services. Experts are now predicting that traditional search will lose as people are turning to AI to answer their questions and inform their decisions. This trend has led to as the default search engine in Safari.
AI search changes the game for optimizing brand visibility
This new dimension in the search landscape brings new challenges for brands that want to optimize how they are showing up in AI-driven searches. There are three key differentiators that will have the biggest impact:
Opinions, not lists
The nature of LLM responses raises the stakes for marketers looking to ensure their brand is ranking highly in results. AI tools don’t return pages of links, they instead provide concise, curated replies that can be interpreted as opinionated recommendations. If you are not top of the field, you could effectively be invisible.
Reputations at risk
It’s not just about showing up, it’s how you show up. The conversational interface of AI tools make responses sound opinionated and authoritative. If LLMs are basing replies on false, outdated, or selective information, this can easily come across as fact.
Visibility can’t be bought
You can’t buy eyeballs in LLMs as you can with pay-per-click (PPC) in search engines. Up to 90% of citations that drive brand visibility in LLMs can come from earned media. Trusted media outlets and authoritative content are more influential than keywords and backlinks.
The emerging field of Generative Engine Optimization
Edelman’s AI team has been studying the new and emerging practice of Generative Engine Optimization that is becoming more and more critical for brands to understand and take control of their visibility in AI search. This practice helps them transform their presence inside LLMs and protect and elevate their brand by ensuring the right messages are surfaced prominently in responses in generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity, and Gemini.
Generative Engine Optimization requires three key stages:
Know what AI is saying
First, it’s important to develop a baseline report that allows brands to see inside the ‘black box’ and understand how AI platforms are talking about them, their competitors, and their market. This sets brands up with actionable insights into visibility and sentiment, breaking down the data by key focus areas. A brand may be ‘ranking’ well overall but completely ignored in specific categories. It is important to understand the full context.
Develop strategic content frameworks
Next, brands need a targeted content strategy based on this baseline reporting, elevating brand visibility and ensuring the right messages stand out. This stage should consider and apply a combination of best practices across earned media, SEO, and crisis and risk mitigation strategies.
Execute and optimize at scale
Similar to any marketing or communications function, you then execute, track performance, and optimize. The vastness of the AI landscape requires scale, so learning what works first, and then widening its application across topic areas will help maximize impact and desired outcomes.
How to succeed in the era of AI search
This is an emerging and evolving phenomenon. The rules of the game are being written (and will be re-written) as AI continues to advance and influence habitual behaviors. But three key principles are critical today:
- Early-movers have a huge advantage
Like the early days of SEO or social media, Generative Engine Optimization represents a huge whitespace opportunity for forward thinking brands to gain a significant advantage and ROI, while others play catch-up later. - Earned is king
Earned media is the single most important driver of brand visibility in AI-generated responses. Developing an AI-optimized earned media strategy is fundamental to influencing outputs. - It’s a team effort
GEO is not just about ‘ranking’. It’s about shaping the desired brand perceptions that elevate trust and amplify strategic business objectives. This requires a truly cross-functional approach.
At Edelman, we are investing in AI expertise and technologies to develop cutting edge new solutions to meet emerging challenges.
We are combining this with decades of experience in earned media strategy and trust analytics to provide an unmatched ability to shape authoritative narratives and surface them where LLMs look first.
And our premium advisory approach combines deep expertise across multiple specialties.
Nick Taylor is Vice President, Product Marketing, AI.
To learn more about Generative Engine Optimization on May 21.
