Why SEO, AIO & GEO Matter More Than Ever

Whew, that’s a lot of acronyms. Allow us to explain.

Not all website copy is created equal. In particular, the words on your homepage, service pages and product descriptions aren’t just there to fill space - they’re there to do work. Great copy online doesn’t just sound good; it helps people find you, understand you, trust you and take action.

That’s where SEO, AIO and now GEO come in. Let’s break it all down - no jargon, just the stuff you need to know to make your website work harder in the age of AI.

First, let’s wind the clock back

What is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It’s the practice of writing and structuring your website in a way that helps search engines (like Google) understand your content and connect it to relevant searches.

Well-written SEO copy helps you:

• Show up in search results when people Google things related to your business

• Rank higher on the pages (it’s estimated that 75% of users don’t scroll past page 1)

• Drive organic (unpaid) traffic to your site

• Answer real questions your audience is asking (What is their intent?)

Good SEO copy generally includes:

• Clear and relevant page titles

• Strategic use of keywords (not keyword stuffing!)

• Headers and structure that make the page easy to read

• Valuable, human-written content that actually answers questions

Enter: AI Optimization

AIO stands for AI Optimization. As tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google Gemini become part of how people search (in particular Millennials & Gen Z!), we need to write for AI platforms too - not just traditional search engines.

Here’s why it matters:

• More often than ever, people are using AI tools to research and get direct answers, rather than clicking through a bunch of links

• AI engines are able to scan the web quickly to find credible, well-structured answers that they can quote or summarise

• If your website doesn’t answer a question clearly or lacks metadata, it may not be surfaced at all

So here’s how to write for AIO:

• Use clear definitions and concise explanations

• Structure your content (use FAQs, lists and subheadings)

• Keep your content up-to-date and factual

• Write strong metadata (titles, descriptions, alt text). Don’t be afraid to ask an AI engine to do this for you!

• Demonstrate authority and relevance on a given topic

And now… GEO?!

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. It’s a newer term emerging as AI search engines start generating full summaries based on online content. Think Google’s AI Overview.

Here’s the difference:

• SEO is about being found

• AIO is about surfacing in AI tools

• GEO is about being quoted, cited or featured in generative search answers

GEO copy needs to:

• Answer specific or niche questions clearly

• Position your brand as an expert on the topic

• Avoid fluff and sales talk - keep it useful

• Use clean headings and sections AI can easily interpret

• Be fresh, accurate and well-sourced

How to write for AIO & GEO: Practical tips

You don’t need to be a keyword nerd to write well for AI - you need to home in on your target demographic and think: what questions would they ask an AI engine?

Here’s where to start:

Ask AI to help you write metadata that works for AI. It’s meta, but it’s effective. AI knows what AI wants to read.

Use FAQs on key pages. AI tools often pull answers from well-structured FAQ blocks. Add relevant, specific FAQs to your homepage, product pages and services page - especially ones that reflect real customer questions.

Be clear and direct. Avoid jargon or fluff. Use short paragraphs, active voice and concrete language. You’re trying to position your brand as the authority on relevant topics.

Focus on credibility. Make sure your content is accurate, helpful and current. Link to sources! Fact-check! AI tools look for trustworthy content.

Keep updating your content. Set it and forget it over (was it ever really a thing?) A blog from 2021 won’t surface in a generative search in 2025 unless it’s been refreshed.

Use schema markup if you can. If you’re working with a developer, structured data helps search engines (and AI) understand what your content is about. It’s not essential, but it helps.

What this all mean for your website?

If you want your site to work in this new world - to bring in leads, sales, bookings or signups - your copy has to do more than just sound good. It needs to be search-friendly (SEO), AI-readable (AIO) and generative-quote-worthy (GEO).

Need help? That’s what we do at Jot & Follow. We write website content that balances brand tone with technical performance. And we can help you keep it up-to-date, because just like customer behavior changes - so do algorithms.

TL;DR? Your copy should do more than sound pretty.

Your website is one of your hardest-working marketing assets. But only if the content on it is pulling its weight. We write with purpose, strategy and structure so that your content works in the age of Google and AI.

Want to update your copy for SEO, AIO and GEO? Let’s get to work.