How GEO Works: Generating Enquiries from AI Search

As search behaviour shifts toward AI-powered answers, local businesses are facing a new question:

How do customers find and choose services when Google and AI start answering for them?

This page explains how GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) works — and how it creates new enquiry entry points from AI search and Google AI search, beyond traditional SEO and paid ads.

What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?

GEO is the practice of structuring business information so that AI-powered search engines can understand, reference, and recommend a service when users ask real-world questions.

Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on rankings and keywords, GEO focuses on:

how AI interprets a service
how intent is matched to context
how users are guided toward direct enquiries

In short, GEO is not about being “number one on Google”. It is about being included in the answer — and becoming easy to contact.

How AI search changes customer acquisition

AI search does not behave like a traditional search results page.

Instead of showing a list of links, AI systems:

interpret the user’s intent
summarise available options
recommend services within context
guide users toward action

For local businesses, this means customer decisions increasingly begin with questions such as:

“Which service is suitable for my situation?”
“How much does it usually cost?”
“Which provider can I contact now?”

GEO ensures that your business is understood clearly enough for AI search to include you when these decisions are made.

GEO vs SEO vs Paid Ads

These approaches serve different roles in customer acquisition:

SEO: improves visibility in ranked search results
Paid Ads: buy immediate exposure through bidding
GEO: structures services for AI understanding and enquiry generation

GEO does not replace SEO or ads. It creates an additional entry point where high-intent users are already deciding.

This is why GEO is particularly relevant for local businesses where enquiries are the conversion.

How GEO turns AI search into enquiries

GEO works by aligning three layers:

Service clarity: what you offer, who it is for, and in which situations
Context signals: location, availability, pricing range, and trust elements
Action pathways: WhatsApp, calls, or booking requests

When these layers are aligned, AI search systems can confidently recommend a service and guide users toward direct contact.

The validation signal is simple: real enquiry actions, not impressions or clicks.

Why GEO is testable (and lower risk)

Unlike large ad spends or long-term SEO commitments, GEO can be tested in a controlled way.

clear setup scope
measurable enquiry actions
defined evaluation window

This makes GEO especially suitable as an early-stage validation channel for businesses exploring new lead sources.

Where GEO fits in your acquisition strategy

GEO is not a replacement for existing channels. It works best as:

a complementary entry point alongside ads
a hedge against rising advertising costs
a way to capture high-intent AI search demand early

As AI search adoption grows, businesses that establish clarity early are better positioned to benefit.

Next: applying GEO by industry

GEO works differently across industries because search intent and enquiry behaviour vary.

→ Explore GEO by industry

This page explains how GEO works. Industry-specific implementation and validation are covered separately.