SEO (search engine optimization) optimizes for ranking a page in a list of links; GEO (generative engine optimization) optimizes for being named and cited inside an AI-generated answer. They share the same content foundation but define success differently.
In plain terms
SEO succeeds when a user sees your link high on a results page and clicks it. GEO succeeds when an assistant includes your brand in the synthesized answer it gives before any link is clicked.
For example, ranking first for "best CRM for small teams" is an SEO win; being one of the three CRMs ChatGPT names when asked the same question is a GEO win.
The two are complementary, not opposed. The structured, authoritative content that ranks well also tends to be the content models extract and cite, so most brands pursue both rather than choosing.
Why it matters
As more research happens inside AI answers, ranking without being cited leaves you visible to search crawlers but invisible to buyers who never scroll past the answer.
Understanding the difference keeps teams from assuming their SEO investment automatically buys AI visibility — it helps, but it is not the same metric.