AI search for South West businesses
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
When someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google who to call, your business needs to be in the answer. GEO is how we get you there.
Get cited in these AI platforms
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini
Claude
Copilot- Google AI Overviews
48%
of UK adults use AI-assisted tools to find information
SEOWorks, 2026
58.5%
of US Google searches ended without a click
SparkToro and Datos, 2024
Up to 40%
visibility boost from targeted content changes, in the original GEO research
Aggarwal et al., KDD 2024
The difference
GEO and traditional SEO, side by side
| Factor | Traditional SEO | GEO |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank high and win the click | Be named and cited inside the AI answer |
| Target | Search engine results pages | AI-written answers and summaries |
| Measured by | Rankings, organic traffic, enquiries | Citations, brand mentions, AI referral visits, enquiries |
| Primary platforms | Google, Bing | Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Copilot |
| Time to results | Typically 3 to 6 months | Structure fixes in weeks, authority and mentions in 3 to 6 months |
GEO does not replace the work you already do. Google says a page must be indexed and eligible to appear with a snippet before it can be used in its AI features, so a healthy, crawlable site comes first. New to the term? Our plain-English guide explains what GEO is and where it came from.
Why it matters now
Answers are being written before anyone clicks
The forecast
In February 2024, Gartner predicted traditional search engine volume would fall 25% by 2026 as AI chatbots and virtual agents take share. It is a forecast, and not everyone agrees with it.
The click drop
Seer Interactive found organic click-through rates fell by 61% on informational queries that show a Google AI Overview. Brands cited inside the overview did better than those left out.
How often AI Overviews show
Ahrefs measured AI Overviews on about one in five searches overall, while BrightEdge has reported close to half of the queries it tracks. Informational and question-style searches trigger them most.
Sources: Gartner press release, 19 February 2024; Seer Interactive study of informational queries (2025, updated 2026); Ahrefs analysis of 146 million results; BrightEdge as reported in early 2026. Figures change as Google changes its product.
Where you need to appear
One strategy, every AI platform
Get cited in these AI platforms
- ChatGPT
- Perplexity
- Gemini
- Claude
- Copilot
- Google AI Overviews
Each platform finds and picks sources in its own way, so we test your visibility on all of them. The shared foundations, clear information about who you are and what you do, carry across every one.
What we do
The five pillars of GEO we implement
1. Entity clarity
One clear identity for your business: the same name, address, phone number and description everywhere it appears. AI tools match entities, and inconsistency makes them hesitate. See how language models recognise businesses.
2. Structured data
Schema markup labels your pages so machines can read them without guessing. We add and test the types that matter in our guide to structured data for AI search.
3. Authoritative content
Pages that answer real customer questions directly, backed by facts and named sources. This is answer engine optimisation built on solid on-page SEO.
4. Citation signals
Reviews, directory listings, local press and a complete Google Business Profile. These are the places AI tools check to confirm you are who you say you are. Our local SEO work covers them.
5. E-E-A-T
Experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trust. Named authors, real qualifications and honest claims make you a source worth quoting. Read more about building E-E-A-T.
Not sure where you stand?
An AI SEO audit scores your business against all five pillars.
The process
From your business to a citation in AI search
Underneath it all sits technical SEO. If crawlers cannot reach or read your pages, no amount of clever content will get you cited. We fix that first, then build upwards. Our wider AI search readiness service covers the full picture.
The evidence
What early results look like
A client cited in 87% of tracked AI answers
OverthetopSEO reports lifting one client's citation rate from 12% to 87% over about four months, measured across a set of 50 tracked questions.
B2B software: 3x the citations
DigiBlazon reports roughly 3x AI citation growth and a 185% rise in AI-referred traffic over four months for an Australian B2B software company, tracked across ChatGPT, Claude and Perplexity.
The original academic research found targeted content changes could lift visibility in AI answers by up to 40% in its tests, with results varying by subject and tactic. You can read the GEO paper on arXiv.
Both case studies are published by the agencies that ran them and have not been independently audited. Treat them as examples of what is possible, not promises. We cannot guarantee a number of citations for any business.
Do you run a business in the South West? Let's talk.
Every project starts with a free SEO audit. We tell you what we find in plain English, with no obligation.
Closer to home
Why this matters for South West businesses
People now ask AI tools the same questions they used to type into Google: "who is the best electrician in Taunton", "which Exeter dentist takes new patients". For local questions, AI tools lean on the details that are easiest to verify: your Google Business Profile, your reviews and how consistently your business is described across the web.
That is good news for independent businesses. Competition for local citations is usually lower than for national terms, and the signals that win them are ones you can control. We start with Google AI Overviews, then extend to the wider set of AI platforms.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the work of making your content easy for AI answer tools to find, understand and cite. Where SEO aims for a high position in a list of links, GEO aims for a place inside the answer itself. The idea was set out in a 2023 research paper and presented at KDD 2024. Our plain-English guide to what GEO is covers it in more detail.
SEO is measured by rankings, clicks and enquiries from a list of results. GEO is measured by whether AI tools mention or cite you when someone asks a question. They share foundations, such as clear content, a fast site and real expertise, but GEO adds a focus on entity clarity, structured data and the places AI tools look for corroboration.
Structural fixes such as schema and clearer page layouts can be picked up within weeks. Building the authority and consistent mentions that AI tools rely on usually takes three to six months. We cannot promise a set number of citations, and nobody honestly can, because the AI platforms change how they choose sources without notice.
Yes, and often more than a national brand. People now ask AI tools questions like "who is the best plumber in Exeter". Local businesses with a complete Google Business Profile, consistent details across the web and genuine reviews give those tools something to work with. Competition for local citations is usually lower than for national terms.
We work with the platforms your customers actually use: Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude and Microsoft Copilot. They retrieve information differently, so we test your visibility on each one. The underlying work is the same: clear, well-sourced, consistent information about who you are and what you do.
No. Google says a page needs to be indexed and eligible to appear with a snippet before it can be used in AI Overviews, so the SEO foundations still come first. GEO is a layer on top of them. If your site has technical problems, we fix those first.
- GuideWhat is GEO?A plain-English guide to GEO: what it is and why it matters now.Read more
- ServiceLLM SEOShow up when ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity recommend a business like yours.Read more
- ServiceGoogle AI Overview OptimisationGet cited in Google's AI-generated answers at the top of the results.Read more
- ServiceAnswer Engine Optimisation (AEO)Structure your content so AI tools can lift your answers and cite you.Read more
- ServiceAI SEO AuditFind out whether AI tools can find, understand and recommend your business.Read more
Be the business AI recommends.
Start with a free audit. We will show you how AI tools describe your business today, and what it would take to change that.