Be found in the answers that matter
Search is changing.
People are increasingly turning to ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity and AI-powered search experiences to find information, compare providers and make decisions. Instead of browsing pages of search results, they are receiving direct answers generated from trusted sources across the web.
Generative Engine Optimisation (also called Answer Engine Optimisation or AEO) helps organisations become part of those answers.
ICON helps government agencies, brands and organisations improve their visibility, authority and discoverability across AI-powered search and answer engines through a combination of strategic communications, digital optimisation, content strategy and public relations.
What is GEO?
GEO is the practice of improving how your organisation appears within AI-generated responses, and how frequently.
Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking webpages in search results, GEO focuses on ensuring AI systems can find, understand, trust and cite your organisation when generating answers.
When someone asks:
"How can local councils improve community engagement?"
"Which destinations are ideal for family holidays in Australia?”
“What are the top cybersecurity providers in NSW?”
AI platforms analyse information from websites, news articles, reports, industry publications, government sources, social content and other trusted references before generating a response.
GEO helps ensure your organisation is included in those conversations.
GEO vs SEO
Same same, but different.
SEO
Improves traditional search rankings
Focuses on keywords and rankings
Measures clicks and traffic
Optimises webpages
GEO
- Improves inclusion in AI-generated answers
Focuses on authority, credibility and context
Measures citations, mentions and answer visibility
Optimises the entire digital footprint
The most effective organisations now invest in both.
Why PR is becoming critical to AI visibility
AI systems do not rely solely on your website.
They learn from and reference information across the broader digital ecosystem, including:
- News coverage
- Industry publications
- Government websites
- Research papers
- Professional associations
- Review sites
- Partner websites
- Social platforms
- Expert commentary
This is where public relations becomes a critical component of GEO.
Strong media coverage, thought leadership, expert commentary and third-party validation help establish the authority signals AI systems use when determining which organisations to reference.
The organisations being cited most frequently are often not those with the biggest websites, but the strongest overall digital reputation.
ICON combines in-house communications, PR, content strategy, web optimisation and digital experience expertise to improve both your brand’s search visibility and AI discoverability.
Our GEO services
GEO audit and benchmark
Understand how visible your organisation is across AI-powered platforms.
Our audits assess:
- AI answer visibility
- Brand citations and mentions
- Competitor presence
- Content authority
- Technical readiness
- Structured data implementation
- Knowledge graph signals
- Media and third-party references
AI visibility strategy
Develop a roadmap for improving visibility across:
- ChatGPT
- Gemini
- Claude
- Perplexity
- AI-powered search engines
- Emerging answer engines
Content optimisation
Create content designed to be understood, trusted and referenced by humans and AI systems:
- Authoritative content
- Expert commentary
- FAQs
- Knowledge hubs
- Topic clusters
- Structured information architecture
Digital PR and authority building
Cultivate the signals AI systems use to assess trust and expertise:
- Media relations
- Thought leadership
- Executive profiling
- Industry commentary
- Research-led content
- Strategic partnerships
Technical GEO optimisation
Improve machine readability:
- Structured data
- Schema markup
- Entity optimisation
- Knowledge graph alignment
- Crawlability reviews
- llms.txt assessment
- AI crawler readiness
Ongoing monitoring and reporting
Track visibility within AI engines:
- AI citations
- Share of voice
- Competitor visibility
- Brand mentions
- Answer inclusion rates
- Emerging opportunities
Benefits of GEO
Increase visibility where decisions are being made
Appear in AI-generated answers used by customers, stakeholders and procurement teams.Build authority and trust
Strengthen the signals that establish your organisation as a credible source.Gain competitive advantage
Many organisations are not yet optimising for AI discovery, creating a significant first-mover opportunity.Future-proof your digital presence
Prepare for a future where search journeys increasingly begin and end inside AI interfaces.Strengthen SEO performance
Many GEO activities also improve traditional search rankings, content quality and authority.
An integrated approach to GEO
ICON brings together communications, public relations, digital strategy, web development, search optimisation and content expertise under one roof.
Our integrated approach enables us to influence every signal AI systems look to when generating answers, including:
- Website content
- Digital experience
- Structured data
- Media coverage
- Thought leadership
- Authority building
- Reputation management
- Search visibility
This creates a more complete and sustainable approach to AI discoverability than technical optimisation alone.
Ready to understand and grow your AI visibility?
Discover how your organisation appears across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity and emerging answer engines.
Speak with our team about conducting GEO audit, AI visibility assessment, and recommended tactics to increase your brand's visibility.