If your business already ranks well on Google, it’s fair to ask whether GEO is actually necessary? On the surface, it can feel like just another acronym being pushed by marketers. But the reality is a bit more nuanced.
Google rankings still matter, but they are no longer the whole picture.
GEO, or Generative Engine Optimisation, is about making sure your business is visible and accurately represented inside AI-generated answers. That includes tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other large language models.
It is not a replacement for SEO. It sits alongside it.
Traditional SEO helps users find your website.
GEO helps AI systems understand your business well enough to mention it correctly when answering questions.
If your brand is not part of the data these systems trust, you may not appear at all, even if you rank first on Google.
This is the key shift many businesses are missing.
AI tools do not simply copy Google’s top 10 results. They summarise, interpret, and choose sources based on authority signals, consistency, and clarity across the web.
That means:
If people are asking AI tools questions like:
And your brand is not being referenced, that is lost visibility.
Not every business needs to act immediately.
You may not need GEO right now if:
In these cases, SEO, Google Ads, and basic brand presence may be enough for now.
GEO becomes important when:
This is especially true for:
If AI tools are shaping opinions before a user ever clicks a website, you want your business to be part of that conversation.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that GEO is about chasing trends.
It is not.
At its core, GEO is about control. Making sure:
Most GEO work overlaps with good fundamentals. Clear content, strong positioning, real expertise, and consistent mentions across trusted sources.
If your business depends on being discovered, compared, or trusted online, then yes, GEO is becoming relevant, even if you already rank well.
SEO helps people find you.
GEO helps AI recommend you.
Right now, the smart move for NZ businesses is not to replace SEO, but to build on it. Those who wait until AI visibility becomes a problem will be playing catch-up.
If you’re ready to get started with GEO, visit our GEO services page yo learn more or contact us to discuss your GEO goals.
We design and optimise websites that remove friction, build trust, and turn visitors into customers.
