GEO vs. Local SEO: What Local Businesses Need to Know
Search has split in two. Traditional SEO targets Google rankings and clicks. Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) targets inclusion inside AI-generated answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Claude. Gartner predicts a 25 percent drop in traditional search volume by 2026 due to AI chatbots and virtual agents. Local businesses that only optimize for Google are optimizing for a shrinking channel.
This does not mean SEO is dead. Google still drives the majority of local business traffic. But GEO is a new, growing layer that requires different tactics. This guide explains what GEO is, how it differs from local SEO, where they overlap, and what local businesses should do about both. For background on why many businesses are invisible to AI, see why AI can't find your business (/blog/why-ai-cant-find-your-business).
What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
Traditional SEO has a clear goal: rank your web page as high as possible on Google's search results page so users click through to your site. GEO has a fundamentally different goal: get your business mentioned, cited, or recommended inside an AI-generated answer.
When a customer asks ChatGPT for the best dentist in their city, the AI does not show a list of 10 blue links. It generates a conversational answer that names one to three businesses. GEO is the discipline of ensuring your business is one of the businesses named in that answer.
The term GEO is sometimes used interchangeably with LLM optimization and answer engine optimization (AEO). All three refer to the same core practice: optimizing for AI-generated responses rather than traditional search engine rankings.
How Does GEO Differ from Traditional Local SEO?
The differences between GEO and local SEO are structural, not just tactical. They target different platforms, use different ranking signals, and measure success differently.
| Dimension | Local SEO | GEO |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Goal | Rank on Google, earn clicks | Get mentioned in AI answers |
| Primary platform | Google Search and Maps | ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Claude |
| Key data source | Google Business Profile | Foursquare, Yelp, schema markup, web content |
| Ranking signal | Backlinks, page authority, proximity | Entity confidence, citation consistency, review sentiment |
| Content format | Keywords on web pages | Structured, extractable, citation-ready content |
| Success metric | Rankings, clicks, conversions | Mentions, citations, recommendations |
| User experience | User chooses from a list | AI chooses for the user |
The most important distinction is the last row. In traditional search, Google presents options and the user decides. In AI search, the platform makes the recommendation. This means GEO is a winner-take-most system where being excluded means being completely invisible.
Where Do GEO and Local SEO Overlap?
GEO and SEO are not competing strategies. They are complementary layers that share significant overlap. Several core optimization actions improve both channels simultaneously.
LocalBusiness schema markup helps Google understand your business entity for local rankings and provides machine-readable data that AI crawlers parse directly. Consistent NAP data across directories strengthens Google's local algorithm and improves AI entity confidence. Review volume and sentiment feed both Google's prominence signal and AI platforms' quality assessment. Deep, authoritative content on your website helps rank on Google and gives AI systems rich information to cite.
A local business that builds these foundations well is optimizing for both channels without duplicating effort. The overlap is large enough that starting with shared fundamentals is the most efficient approach.
What Does GEO Require That Local SEO Does Not?
Beyond the shared foundations, GEO adds requirements that traditional local SEO does not address. These are the actions that specifically improve AI visibility without directly affecting Google rankings.
Foursquare listing optimization is the most critical GEO-specific action. Foursquare provides over 70 percent of ChatGPT's local business data, but most local SEO strategies ignore Foursquare entirely because it does not affect Google rankings. Claiming and completing your Foursquare listing is the single highest-impact GEO action.
AI crawler access is another GEO-specific requirement. Traditional SEO ensures Googlebot can access your site. GEO ensures that OAI-SearchBot (ChatGPT) and PerplexityBot are not blocked by your robots.txt file. Many businesses unknowingly block these crawlers through overly restrictive rules.
Citation-ready content formatting matters more for GEO than for traditional SEO. AI platforms extract specific answers from content. Structuring your content with clear question-and-answer patterns, explicit data points, and self-contained statements makes it easier for AI to cite your content in generated answers.
Should Local Businesses Invest in GEO or SEO First?
If your business already has a strong local SEO foundation — optimized Google Business Profile, good reviews, a well-built website — adding GEO is relatively straightforward. Most of the work involves claiming directory listings, adding structured data, and ensuring AI crawlers can access your content.
If your business has no local SEO foundation, start with the shared fundamentals that benefit both channels. Adding schema markup, building NAP consistency, and creating detailed service content will improve both your Google rankings and your AI visibility simultaneously.
The businesses that will perform best in 2026 and beyond are those that treat GEO and SEO as parallel layers of the same strategy rather than competing priorities. For a complete step-by-step AI visibility optimization plan, see our guide on how to improve AI visibility for your local business (/blog/ai-visibility-local-businesses).