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Intermediate Time: 10 min
Step 1 of 7

Mapping the engines: what varies, what doesn't

Start with a shared model of the answer process before comparing individual products. This step gives you a consistent set of questions about retrieval, source selection, attribution, and access so later engine-specific differences can be evaluated on the same basis.

Core reading

  1. Answer Loop
    Wiki
  2. Generative Engine
    Wiki

Self-check

  • Which parts of the answer loop vary most across engines, and which remain relatively stable?
  • Which parts of GEO work can transfer across engines, and which depend on a specific engine?
  • Which difference matters most for your business: citation density, distribution scale, or crawler control?