Marketers have always obsessed over one question: “How do we get found?”
The answer has invariably been a compelling combination of SEO, social media, PR, paid media and content. Build awareness, earn credibility, drive traffic.
Simple enough.
But search is changing. Fast.
Consumers are no longer just typing keywords into Google. They’re asking questions directly to ChatGPT or Gemini, or to AI search engines like Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot and Google’s AI-powered search experiences. Instead of scrolling through pages of results, they’re getting a single answer.
And that’s where Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) comes in, and with it a GEO agency.
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation.
Think of it as SEO’s younger, slightly more complicated sibling.
Traditional SEO is about ranking highly in search results. GEO is about ensuring your brand is included, referenced and recommended in AI-generated answers.
The difference might sound subtle, but it’s huge.
When someone searches for “best alcohol-free beer”, “healthy snack brands for kids” or “best ready meal for protein”, AI tools don’t simply serve up a list of links. They summarise information from multiple sources and present a curated answer.
The question is no longer “Do you rank?”.
It’s “Does the AI know who you are?”.
And perhaps more importantly: “Does it trust you enough to mention you?”.
Let’s be honest. Most consumers don’t care about marketing jargon.
They care about getting answers.
If someone wants to know which soft drink has the least sugar, which supermarket offers the best meal deal, or which cooking oil is healthiest, they’re increasingly turning to AI search optimisation tools to help them decide.
That’s particularly significant for FMCG, food, drink and retail brands.
These are categories built on discovery, consideration and recommendation.
Historically, brands fought for shelf space.
Then they fought for search rankings.
Now they’re fighting for inclusion in AI-generated conversations.
And unlike traditional search, there may not be ten opportunities on page one. There may only be three or four brands that make the final response.
The brands that become part of that response have a significant advantage over those that don’t, because if your brand isn’t mentioned, it may never even be considered.
This is where many marketers are getting it wrong.
When GEO gets discussed, it often gets handed straight to the SEO team.
That’s understandable. Search is changing, so surely this is a search problem?
Not quite.
AI models don’t just learn from websites, or build trust from title tags and meta descriptions alone.
They learn from articles, expert commentary, news coverage, reviews, social conversations, thought leadership, forums, brand content and third-party sources.
In other words, they learn from the broader digital ecosystem.
That’s why GEO isn’t an SEO issue. At least not exclusively.
It’s a PR issue. A content issue. A social media issue. And yes, an SEO issue too.
If AI is looking for trusted sources, credibility matters.
If AI is looking for authority, visibility matters.
If AI is looking for consensus, conversation matters.
These are areas where PR and social media have always played a critical role.
GEO requires an integrated approach combining earned media, owned content, social media, thought leadership and search.
The days of treating SEO, PR and social as separate disciplines are rapidly disappearing.
AI doesn’t see silos. And neither should marketers.
For years, PR professionals have been helping brands answer the same fundamental question:
“How do we become part of the conversation?”
The channels may have changed, but the principle hasn’t.
Good PR:
These are exactly the types of signals AI systems value when determining which brands to reference and recommend.
If an AI platform is trying to identify the most credible voice on a topic, a brand that consistently earns appearances in respected media, contributes expert commentary and generates meaningful discussion has a significant advantage.
Long before AI-powered search arrived, PR professionals were building the signals that influence trust and credibility. In an AI-driven world, those signals don’t just influence people. They influence the systems helping people make decisions
In other words, it’s a natural evolution of modern PR.
There’s another piece of the puzzle that marketers shouldn’t overlook.
Social media is increasingly becoming a search engine in its own right.
Consumers search TikTok for recipes. They search Instagram for restaurant recommendations. They search Reddit for honest opinions.
The content created on these platforms contributes to the broader digital footprint that AI systems use to understand brands, products and trends.
That means every campaign, social conversation and piece of content contributes to your wider discoverability.
Here’s the thing: nobody has GEO completely figured out yet.
The technology is evolving. The platforms are changing. The rulebook is still being written.
So that’s exactly why now is the time to act.
The brands building authority today will be the brands AI trusts tomorrow.
The marketers who wait for a definitive playbook may find their competitors have already become the answer.
Because Generative Engine Optimisation isn’t really about gaming algorithms.
It’s about ensuring your brand is visible, credible and trusted wherever consumers are looking for information.
Increasingly, that means being found by AI even before you’re found by some of your audience, and food and drink PR and social media agencies like R&T can help you do just that.
The brands that understand that shift now will be the ones consumers hear about tomorrow.
GEO isn’t replacing SEO, PR or social media by any means. It’s forcing them to work together.
And in a “zero click” world where consumers increasingly rely on AI overviews, the most important marketing question isn’t: “Can people find us?”
It’s: “Does AI recommend us?”
If you want to find out more or how we’re helping our clients with their GEO strategy, get in touch!
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