GENERATIVE ENGINE OPTIMIZATION

Why the future of SEO no longer speaks to search engines, but with them

by Francesca Rosselli, SEO Strategy Lead Intarget

When I started working in SEO, the golden rule was this: write for users, optimize for Google. Today, in the midst of a generative revolution, that’s no longer enough.
Content is no longer just read, but synthesized by artificial intelligence that guides choices long before the click. In a world where people don’t just search, but ask and receive an answer, the goal is no longer “to be visible,” but to be told.

SEO has changed. So has the context.

For years we thought of optimization as a set of rules: site structure, keywords, backlinks. Then came semantic updates, mobile-first, Core Web Vitals. Now the playing field has shifted again.
And the new referee is called AI.

Generative models like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity don’t just return links: they generate complete answers, interpret implicit needs, build narratives. If your brand is not present in their models, it won’t be recommended, mentioned, or considered.

In other words: it doesn’t exist.

From position 0 to conversation 1: new metrics, new challenges

The game is no longer played only on Google. It’s played wherever users seek answers, advice, inspiration. And often, those answers come from AI deciding autonomously which brands to include.

This revolution is not just about tech startups or digital giants. It concerns every business that wants to stay competitive in a crowded landscape, be credible in the eyes (and algorithms) of AI, and be considered at the moment of choice.

From fashion houses to B2B firms, from Italian SMEs to multinationals: if your audience asks “what is the best brand in my industry?”, you need to be there. And to be there, optimization alone is not enough. You need to tell your story.

A new grammar for being chosen

Being relevant in generative contexts means rewriting the rules of visibility.
It means working on:

Solid technical foundations, including clear architecture, structured data, and proper use of markup and JavaScript, so content is easily readable by AI
Semantic presence, to ensure your brand is associated with key topics and strategic values
Dialogue-ready content, that answers real questions in natural language
Authoritative sources, because AI learns from external signals: if you are not cited in credible contexts, you are excluded
Continuous monitoring, because AI-driven visibility is not static: it changes with trends, data and new interactions

You no longer climb a SERP. You enter, day after day, the generated answers.

SEO, AEO and GEO: what’s the difference?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization): traditional optimization for search engines. The goal is to rank high on the SERPs of Google, Bing, and others by working on keywords, site structure, content and links.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): born with the rise of “answer engines” (Google Assistant, Alexa, Siri), systems that provide a single direct answer, often in voice format. The challenge here is to become “that answer,” not just appear among the links.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): the current evolution. It’s no longer just about being found or cited, but about being included, narrated, and recommended by generative AI (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity). What matters here is semantic presence, brand reputation in datasets, and the ability to be part of the narratives AI creates.

In short: SEO makes you found, AEO makes you answered, GEO makes you told.

But if you don’t measure, you’re just hoping

Optimizing for AI without knowing if and how you are represented means working blindly.
This is why at Intarget we created BAIS – Brand Artificial Intelligence Share, our proprietary platform to measure brand visibility and reputation in contexts dominated by generative models.

BAIS answers questions that no SEO tool can address today:

Is my brand being mentioned in AI-generated results?
In which semantic contexts? With what sentiment?
What is my visibility compared to competitors?
From which sources are AIs learning this information?

GEO + BAIS = A strategy that speaks the language of the future

Working on generative optimization without measuring your “AI share” is like doing branding without listening to the market. Similarly, having metrics on AI presence without an action plan is a sterile exercise.

The approach we promote at Intarget is integrated and concrete:

🔁 Monitor your representation with BAIS
🔁 Act on content, sources and semantic signals
🔁 Measure the impact on awareness, consideration and conversion
🔁 Adapt your strategy in real time

SEO is alive. But it has changed its voice.

No, SEO is not dead. It has become conversational, dynamic, semantic.
Engines no longer settle for reading: they want to understand, choose, tell.

If your brand doesn’t emerge in generative results, you’re already losing market share.
And the time to get back in the game is now.

🚀 Do you want to know what AI is saying about your brand?
👉 Request a free demo of BAIS
👉 DISCOVER BAIS ➜