The short answer
SEO, or search engine optimisation, is the work that helps your website appear higher in Google's results when people search for what you do. GEO (generative engine optimisation) is the newer work of getting your business mentioned and recommended by AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews. Both help more of the right people find you, without paying for every click.
What SEO is
When someone searches on Google, they see a mix of adverts, map listings and ordinary results. The ordinary results are free, and the websites at the top get most of the clicks. SEO is how you earn a place there.
It isn't a trick or a one-off job. It's making sure your website is the clearest, most useful and most trusted answer to what your customers are searching for, and then keeping it that way as your competitors and Google change.
How Google decides who ranks
Google doesn't publish its exact recipe, but the main ingredients are well understood.
- Relevance. Your pages clearly match what people search for, in the words they actually use.
- Quality. Your content genuinely answers their question and is better than the alternatives.
- Trust. Other reputable websites link to you or mention you, and customers leave good reviews.
- Technical health. Your website loads quickly, works well on phones and is easy for Google to read. Good hosting and an SSL certificate both help here.
- Location. For local searches, Google favours businesses near the person searching.
Local SEO and Google Maps
If you serve customers in a particular area, local SEO is where the quickest wins usually are. When someone searches for a plumber, an electrician or a café near them, Google shows a map with three businesses before the ordinary results. Getting into those three depends mostly on your Google Business Profile, your reviews and how consistently your business details appear across the web.
What GEO is
More and more people now ask AI tools for recommendations instead of scrolling through search results. Ask ChatGPT for a good local accountant, or read Google's AI Overview at the top of a search, and you'll get an answer that names specific businesses. GEO is the work of making your business one of them.
AI tools build their answers from what they can find and trust about a business online, so GEO focuses on a few things.
- Clear facts about you. What you do, where you work and who you help, stated plainly on your website.
- Consistent details everywhere. The same name, address and services on your website, Google profile and directories.
- Content that answers questions. Pages that answer the questions your customers actually ask.
- Reviews and mentions. What customers and other websites say about you.
- Structured data. Behind-the-scenes code that labels your business details so machines can read them.
SEO and GEO compared
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you appear | Google's search results and maps | Answers from AI tools such as ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews |
| What people see | A list of links to choose from | A short answer that names businesses |
| What it relies on | Relevant, trusted, fast pages | Clear, consistent, trusted information about your business |
| How they fit | They overlap heavily. Most of the work that helps one helps the other, so it makes sense to do both together. | |
Where to start
There's plenty you can do yourself, even with no technical knowledge.
- Set up and complete your Google Business Profile, with photos, opening hours and every service you offer.
- Ask happy customers for Google reviews, and reply to the reviews you get.
- Give every main service its own page, and say clearly where you work.
- Write a page title and description for each page that says what it's about.
- Make sure your website loads quickly and works well on a phone.
- Answer the questions customers ask you most, in plain English, on your website.
For competitive searches, or if you'd rather spend your time running your business, it's worth getting help. Our SEO and GEO services start from £400 a month, and a one-off SEO audit from £80 shows you exactly what to fix first.
Questions
How long does SEO take to work?
SEO builds over months rather than days. Some fixes show results quickly, while stronger rankings for competitive searches take longer. If you need enquiries straight away, Google Ads can bring them in while your rankings grow.
Can I do SEO myself?
Yes, the basics above are a great start and cost nothing but time. As your competitors get stronger, the technical and ongoing work is where professional help usually pays for itself.
Can anyone guarantee a number one ranking?
No. Google decides its own rankings, so be wary of anyone who promises the top spot. What good SEO can promise is steady, honest work and clear reporting on how your rankings and enquiries are moving.
Is GEO replacing SEO?
No. Plenty of people still search Google the traditional way, and AI tools often draw on the same websites that rank well. GEO adds to SEO rather than replacing it.
