By Asif Ikbal Bhuiya – Global Marketing & Sales Tech Leader | Director @ RINGFEDER | GEO Practitioner
Once upon a time, digital marketing was all about ranking on Google.
We optimized for the search engine. We wrote content stuffed with keywords. And we checked our rank — every day.
But today? The rules are changing.
We’re no longer just writing for search engines. We’re writing to become the answer in an AI conversation. Welcome to the new paradigm: GEO vs. SEO.
Old SEO Mindset: Make Google Happy
In the past, I’ve worked with dozens of SEO plans where the priority was keyword placement — not necessarily clarity or real value for the reader.
Even my own team (back in the day) sometimes created content that ranked… but didn’t feel right. It wasn’t human. It wasn’t helpful. It was “SEO content.”
GEO Shift: Serve the Real Human Question
Now that I work on Generative Engine Optimization, the approach is flipped:
- First we identify what people are really asking.
- Then we create structured, easy-to-understand content.
- We focus on micro questions and answerable chunks — because that’s what tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity pull from.
GEO content is less about density, more about clarity.
How GEO and SEO Work in Different Ways
| Feature | SEO | GEO |
|---|---|---|
| Strategy Goal | Rank in search engine | Be selected in AI-generated answers |
| Content Structure | Long-form, keyword-rich | Short-form, answer-ready |
| Target Engine | Google/Bing (classic) | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity |
| Optimization Focus | Backlinks, keywords, meta | Promptable structure, clarity, authority |
| Creation Priority | Copywriters, content marketers | Topic experts, thought leaders |
| Best Use Case | Research-heavy, deep content | Quick answers, Gen Z mindset |
Real-World Insight: SEO Still Has Power — But It’s Not Enough
We’re still in the early days of GEO. I’ve seen cases where:
- SEO wins when people are doing deep research on technical topics
- GEO wins when people need fast, confident answers
Especially in my industrial B2B field, where decision-makers still download whitepapers and specs, SEO is essential.
My Message to Marketers: GEO Is Not Optional
If you think SEO alone is enough, you’re falling behind. Here’s why:
- Gen Z and Gen Alpha are already asking AI tools for buying advice, career moves, and how-to guides.
- If your content doesn’t show up there, you’re invisible to a growing slice of your future audience.
GEO is not replacing SEO. GEO is making the top of the funnel wider.
GEO vs SEO: Practical Checklist
| ✅ Task | SEO ✔ | GEO ✔ |
|---|---|---|
| Is your content targeting a keyword? | ✔️ | |
| Is your content answering a real question? | ✔️ | |
| Did you structure using H2s and bullet points? | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Do you include human clarity over density? | ✔️ | |
| Is your content linked internally? | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| Have you tested it in ChatGPT or Bing? | ✔️ | |
| Do you identify who the expert or author is? | ✔️ |
Before You Go…
Catch up on the full GEO introduction series:
- 📘 Blog 1: What is GEO — and Why It’s the Future of SEO
- 📘 Blog 2: From Search Engines to Answer Engines
Final Thought
In the end, SEO gets you discovered. GEO gets you remembered.
You don’t have to pick sides. You just have to evolve.