GEO 101
Beginner — what GEO is and why it matters.
- For
- Anyone new to GEO who can already use Google / ChatGPT.
- You should already know
- None.
- After this path
- You can define GEO, distinguish it from SEO / AEO / LLMO, and pick which deeper path to take next.
- What is GEO
GEO is the new optimization layer for generative engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews). Nail the two core definitions before going deeper.
- How AI answers actually work
See the pipeline a generative engine assembles an answer from, and what 'zero-click' means for the traffic you used to get. The mental model later optimization decisions plug into.
- SEO vs GEO (and AEO, LLMO)
Which SEO skills carry into GEO, which get retired, and how the two adjacent acronyms (AEO, LLMO) actually differ. The bridge from old optimization to new.
- How AI credits you — citation, mention, link
An AI answer can credit you three non-equivalent ways: a citation (with reference), a mention (named, no link), or a link (a source, maybe unused). They're different currencies — not better-or-worse versions of the same thing.
- Choosing your next path
Vocabulary done. Pick your next path by role, let a first audit point you at the weakest area, and keep the glossary as backup for any term that comes up later.