For years, the Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) goal was simple: get your business as high up on Google Search as possible. There’s even a running joke in marketing that the best place to hide a body is on page two of Google!
Great SEO strategy increases online visibility, builds brand trust, and offers a cost-effective alternative to expensive advertising.
But now, with the rapid expansion of AI tools, people are no longer just typing a few keywords into Google and choosing from a list of links. They’re using ChatGPT, Gemini and other AI tools and getting responses in a much more conversational way.
Kantar’s 2026 Marketing Trends report found that 74% of AI assistant users regularly seek AI-driven recommendations. That means it’s no longer enough for your small business to show up in search – you also need to be considered when AI recommends businesses to its users.
This is where Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) comes in.
We’ve pulled together some key insights for small businesses and marketing professionals who want to better understand what GEO is, why it matters, and what you can start doing now to strengthen your digital presence.
does ranking high on Google still matter?
Absolutely! SEO isn’t suddenly irrelevant because people are increasingly using AI. Your website still needs to be discoverable by search engines, and a strong SEO strategy will continue to drive traffic to your website.
The difference is that Google rankings are no longer the only way people discover businesses online.
Someone looking for a marketing agency might once have searched for:
“Marketing agency near me”
Now, they might ask:
“What’s a good small marketing agency for a growing business in Ely?”
The second question gives AI much more context. It considers the type of business, location, needs and preferences before generating an answer.
To help AI to understand who you are and what you do, make sure your website clearly includes:
- What your business does
- Who you work with
- Where you operate
- What products or services you offer
- What problems you solve
- What makes you different
- What questions your customers regularly ask
how to make your content easy for AI to understand
If you’re used to writing website content primarily around keywords, GEO requires a slight shift in thinking. Instead of focusing solely on what people might type into Google, consider the questions your customers could be asking AI tools, and whether your website provides a clear answer.
AI tools are designed to understand natural language, so creating useful, straightforward content is best.
That could include:
- FAQs that answer genuine customer questions
- Service pages that clearly explain what you offer
- Guides that solve common problems
- How-to content
- Location-specific content where relevant
- Case studies that demonstrate your experience
- Clear pages about your team, expertise and credentials
For example, a small accountancy firm could create content answering questions such as:
“When should a small business register for VAT?”
“What’s the difference between a sole trader and a limited company?”
“How much does an accountant cost for a small business?”
These are the kinds of questions a potential customer might put directly into an AI tool, and the simpler your answer is to understand, the easier it is for both people and bots to find the information they need.
give people (and machines!) a reason to trust you
One of the most useful things you can do for GEO is to demonstrate that the information you’re providing is credible and worth referencing.
To build credibility with AI, your customers and your wider online audience, your website might include:
- Relevant qualifications and accreditations
- Awards and industry recognition
- Case studies and real results
- Customer testimonials
- Original research or data
- Expert commentary
- Information about your team and their experience
- Links to reputable sources when making factual claims
- Reviews
If you’re making a claim based on research, cite the original source. If you’re talking about your results, show the evidence. And if you say you’re an expert, give people some context about why.
need a hand getting your business GEO-ready?
If GEO is now sitting on your ever-growing marketing to-do list, don’t worry. You don’t have to tackle it all at once – that’s something we can help with.
At Unicorn Marketing, we can support you with GEO and AI Optimisation (AIO), from reviewing and optimising your existing website content to creating new content that helps your business stand out across search and AI platforms.
So, whether your website needs a refresh, your content strategy needs a rethink, or you’re not sure where to start with GEO, get in touch and let’s chat.
By Ari
By Jennifer