Home
Our Blog
Updated on:
Read time:
3 min
The digital landscape has undergone a seismic shift. With AI-powered search engines and generative platforms like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews, and Perplexity transforming how users discover information, business leaders are asking a critical question: Should I invest in traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO), or should I pivot to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
The answer isn’t as straightforward as choosing one over the other. Both strategies serve distinct yet complementary purposes in building your brand’s online authority and reaching international markets. Understanding which approach—or what combination—works best for your business requires a data-driven assessment of your goals, audience behavior, and competitive landscape.
At Liplyn IG, we specialize in helping businesses navigate this complex decision through our cross-border SEO and GEO marketing expertise. Our AI-driven approach ensures you don’t just follow trends but make strategic choices that deliver measurable ROI. Let’s break down everything you need to know.
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of enhancing your website’s visibility in traditional search engine results pages (SERPs) like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The core objective is to rank higher for relevant keywords, drive organic traffic to your website, and convert visitors into customers or qualified leads.
SEO focuses on several critical elements:
Despite the rise of AI-driven search, SEO remains vital. According to industry data, 53% of all website traffic originates from organic search results, and 67% of clicks go to the top five search results. For businesses with multiple products, services, or international locations, SEO provides the sustainable, long-term visibility needed to build brand authority and capture consistent traffic.
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the emerging practice of optimizing content to be cited, featured, or directly used in AI-generated answers and summaries. Rather than ranking in a list of blue links, GEO aims to position your brand as the authoritative source that AI platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity reference when answering user queries.
GEO strategies emphasize:
The numbers tell a compelling story. By early 2025, 16% of all U.S. searches displayed AI Overviews—more than double the rate from March 2025. In 2024, AI models answered over 1.8 billion queries directly, often without users clicking through to external websites. Retailers could see up to a 520% increase in traffic from chatbots and AI search engines in 2025 compared to 2024, according to recent projections.
Understanding the fundamental differences helps clarify why your business might need one, the other, or both:
| Feature | SEO (Search Engine Optimization) | GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Goal | Increase rankings in traditional SERPs to drive traffic | Get cited or featured in AI-generated answers |
| Target Platform | Traditional search engines (Google, Bing) | Generative AI tools (ChatGPT, Gemini, AI Overviews) |
| Key Focus | Keywords, backlinks, site performance, ranking signals | Factual clarity, comprehensiveness, citation potential |
| Content Strategy | Optimizing for human readers and search crawlers | Structuring content for AI understanding and extraction |
| Measurement | Click-through rates, rankings, time on page | Citations, brand mentions, visibility in AI responses |
| Traffic Impact | Drives visitors to your website | May result in “zero-click” answers but builds authority |
The distinction between these strategies highlights a fundamental shift: SEO guides users toward your destination, while GEO resolves their needs instantly within a conversation. Both have value, but they serve different stages of the customer journey.
Your business would benefit most from prioritizing SEO if you identify with these scenarios:
You Need Sustainable, Long-Term Growth: SEO delivers consistent organic traffic that compounds over time. While results typically take three to six months to materialize, the long-term ROI is substantial. Once you achieve strong rankings, maintaining them becomes more cost-effective than continually paying for visibility.
You Operate Across Multiple Markets or Locations: If your business serves different geographic regions, offers diverse product lines, or operates multiple locations, SEO provides the scalable framework to capture visibility for each segment. Cross-border businesses especially benefit from localized SEO strategies that target regional search behaviors.
Your Business Model Relies on Website Traffic: E-commerce stores, B2B service providers, recruitment agencies, and content publishers need visitors to explore their offerings, engage with content, and complete conversions. SEO drives this exploratory behavior by positioning your site prominently in search results.
You’re Building Brand Authority: Consistent visibility in search results reinforces brand recognition and credibility. Users associate top-ranking websites with industry leadership, making SEO essential for establishing authority in competitive markets.
You Have Complex Offerings: If your products or services require education, comparison, or customization, SEO guides users to detailed landing pages, blog content, and resources that facilitate informed decision-making.
Certain sectors see particularly strong returns from SEO investments:
For international businesses targeting multiple demographics, SEO provides the foundation for cross-border growth by optimizing content for regional languages, cultural nuances, and local search behaviors.
Your business would benefit most from prioritizing GEO if you encounter these situations:
You Want to Capture AI-Driven Search Queries: With 71.5% of people now using AI for search activities and global AI tool usage projected to reach 378.8 million users in 2025 (a 131% increase from 2024), positioning your brand within AI-generated answers ensures visibility where your audience is increasingly searching.
Your Industry Thrives on Direct, Immediate Answers: If your business answers specific questions—such as “What’s the best cross-border marketing strategy for European markets?” or “How do I optimize job postings for international talent?”—GEO ensures your expertise is featured in AI responses.
You’re Competing in High-Competition Niches: In saturated markets where traditional SEO rankings are difficult to break, GEO offers an alternative path to visibility. Being cited by AI platforms as an authoritative source differentiates your brand without requiring top-three rankings.
Your Target Audience Uses AI Assistants: If your customers frequently interact with ChatGPT, voice assistants, or AI-powered research tools, GEO makes your content discoverable in these contexts. B2B decision-makers and tech-savvy professionals increasingly rely on AI for preliminary research.
You Want to Future-Proof Your Strategy: Search behavior is evolving rapidly. Over 50% of Google searches now result in zero clicks, with users finding answers directly on the results page. GEO prepares your brand for this shift by ensuring visibility even when users don’t visit websites.
Forward-thinking sectors are already investing in GEO:
The Generative Engine Optimization market was valued at $886 million in 2024, with a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 34% through 2031. Early adopters are gaining competitive advantages that will compound as AI search continues to expand.
The most effective digital strategy doesn’t choose between SEO and GEO—it integrates both. Here’s why:
Expanded Reach Across All Search Platforms: SEO ensures visibility in traditional “click-based” search results, while GEO captures attention in “zero-click” AI-generated answers. Together, they cover the full spectrum of how users discover information.
Stronger Foundation and Authority: Strong SEO creates the technical and authority signals that GEO builds upon. Websites with high domain authority and existing rankings are more likely to be recognized and cited by AI models. In essence, SEO lays the groundwork that makes GEO more effective.
Future-Proofed Marketing Strategy: Search technology continues evolving at an unprecedented pace. Businesses that adapt to both traditional and AI-driven search remain visible regardless of how user behavior shifts. This dual approach protects against disruption and ensures sustained discoverability.
Enhanced Brand Trust and Credibility: Being visible in both traditional search results and AI-generated answers reinforces your position as an industry authority. Users who encounter your brand across multiple channels perceive you as more credible and established.
Improved ROI Through Strategic Efficiency: When executed together, SEO and GEO create synergies that maximize resource efficiency. Content created for SEO can be optimized for GEO with additional structuring, while GEO research reveals content gaps that SEO can address.
Studies show compelling advantages for businesses combining these strategies:
For international businesses targeting cross-border growth, this integrated approach is particularly valuable. Different markets may be at varying stages of AI search adoption, meaning comprehensive coverage ensures visibility regardless of regional preferences.
At Liplyn IG, we don’t believe in one-size-fits-all solutions. Our approach begins with a comprehensive analysis of your unique business context:
Business Goals and Growth Objectives: We start by understanding what you’re trying to achieve. Are you focused on immediate lead generation, long-term brand building, international expansion, or a combination? Your goals determine the optimal balance between SEO and GEO investments.
Market and Competitive Analysis: We analyze your competitive landscape to identify where opportunities exist. In some industries, traditional SEO rankings offer clear paths to growth. In others, AI visibility presents untapped potential. We assess both to recommend the highest-impact approach.
Audience Behavior Assessment: Understanding how your target personas search for information is critical. We examine search patterns, query types, and platform preferences to determine whether your audience is more likely to find you through traditional search or AI-powered tools.
Current Digital Footprint Evaluation: We audit your existing online presence, including domain authority, backlink profile, content quality, and technical SEO health. This baseline assessment reveals whether you’re positioned to compete effectively through SEO, GEO, or both.
Geographic and Regional Considerations: For cross-border businesses, we factor in regional differences in search behavior and AI adoption rates. Markets with high AI tool usage may warrant greater GEO investment, while emerging markets may still prioritize traditional SEO.
Once we’ve assessed your needs, Liplyn IG delivers tailored strategies that combine the best of both approaches:
Advanced SEO Techniques: We implement comprehensive SEO strategies including technical optimization, content development, link building, and digital PR. Our cross-border expertise ensures your content resonates across international markets while maintaining strong search visibility.
AI-Driven GEO Optimization: Our team structures your content to maximize citation potential in AI-generated responses. This includes clear formatting, authoritative data inclusion, schema markup implementation, and E-E-A-T signal enhancement.
Smart Content Strategies: We develop content that serves both SEO and GEO objectives. By creating comprehensive, well-structured resources that answer specific questions while providing deep expertise, we position your brand for visibility across all search platforms.
Proprietary Matching Technology: Our AI-driven platforms enhance discoverability by understanding how search algorithms and AI models evaluate and select content. This technological advantage ensures your content meets the criteria that both traditional crawlers and AI systems prioritize.
Cross-Border Optimization: For international businesses, we implement geo-targeted strategies that adapt to regional search behaviors, language nuances, and cultural preferences. This ensures consistent visibility whether your audience searches in London, Dubai, Singapore, or any other market.
Continuous Monitoring and Optimization: Digital visibility requires ongoing refinement. We track your performance across traditional search rankings and AI citation frequency, adjusting strategies based on real-time data and emerging trends.
Our clients partner with us because we deliver measurable results through:
If you’re still uncertain whether to prioritize SEO, GEO, or both, consider these questions:
For E-Commerce Businesses: Start with strong SEO fundamentals to drive product discovery and transactions, then layer in GEO for informational queries that build trust (e.g., “How to choose the best…” or “What’s the difference between…”).
For B2B Service Providers: Prioritize GEO for thought leadership and authority building, while maintaining SEO for detailed case studies, whitepapers, and service pages that facilitate deeper exploration.
For Recruitment and HR Agencies: Implement SEO for job listing visibility and candidate sourcing, complemented by GEO for employer branding content that answers common candidate questions.
For International Brands: Invest in both from the start. Cross-border success requires visibility across diverse search behaviors and platforms, making integrated SEO and GEO strategies essential.
For Startups and Emerging Businesses: Begin with SEO to build foundational authority and traffic, then progressively incorporate GEO as you develop expertise-demonstrating content that AI systems can cite.
The debate shouldn’t be SEO versus GEO. The real question is how to integrate both strategies to maximize your brand’s visibility, authority, and reach across the evolving search landscape.
Search is no longer a single channel; it’s a hybrid ecosystem where traditional results coexist with AI-generated answers, where users toggle between Google and ChatGPT, and where visibility requires presence on multiple platforms simultaneously. This complexity demands strategic expertise, cross-channel optimization, and continuous adaptation.
Liplyn IG specializes in guiding international businesses through this transition. Our AI-driven approach to cross-border SEO and GEO marketing ensures you don’t just keep pace with change—you stay ahead of it. Whether you’re expanding into new markets, optimizing talent acquisition, or building global brand authority, we help you determine the right mix of strategies for your unique business context.
The future of discoverability is here. The question isn’t whether you need SEO or GEO—it’s whether you’re ready to leverage both effectively. At Liplyn IG, we make that decision simple, strategic, and successful.
Ready to determine what’s best for your business? Connect with Liplyn IG today for a comprehensive assessment of your digital visibility opportunities. Let’s build a strategy that positions your brand for success across traditional search engines and AI-powered platforms alike.
