GEO vs. SEO: What apartment marketers need to know

This post was originally published in October 2024 and has since been significantly updated

In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing, a newer term has emerged: GEO (generative engine optimization).

Many companies and websites are discussing GEO, often framing it as a significant departure from traditional SEO. But is it really that different?

There’s an old saying in media and news, “If it bleeds, it leads.” The idea being that more shocking, negative and frightening news gets more engagement and reaction.

We think that’s what’s happening when it comes to GEO. The search blogs and other companies want you to click on the link or open the ebook — hey, we want the same things — and they’re using fear to sell. (That’s where we differ.)

Let’s dive into a discussion of what GEO and SEO really are, and what you need to know as an apartment marketer. You’ll also see five things you can do now.

Understanding SEO & GEO

Let’s start by defining both strategies.

SEO = search engine optimization

Optimizing your website so that it is ranked more prominently by sophisticated search engine algorithms

GEO = generative engine optimization

Creating content that is ranked more prominently by sophisticated generative AI algorithms (generative search engines)

Don’t those sound awfully similar to each other? To us they do, and the more we look at these ebooks and articles, we think they’re much more alike than they are different.

You might also come across the term AEO (answer engine optimization), which is related. GEO is essentially AEO reimagined for the latest wave of AI-driven search.

One more thing: Google doesn’t use the term “GEO” so much. You may see the concept described as “AI optimization” or “optimizing for AI experiences” instead.

Looking for a full list of terms you should know? See below.

• Search engine marketing (SEM) glossary for property marketing
• Search terms in apartment marketing & quick definitions

Where can GEO content appear?

GEO involves creating and optimizing content for generative search engines, but what does that mean exactly? Where can GEO content appear?

Generative engines produce AI-powered summaries (also known as AI search results). These are the conversational responses you’ve likely seen across platforms like ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. Or through Google’s AI overviews, which often appear at the top of traditional search results.

The goal of GEO isn’t to optimize for one AI platform. Each AI algorithm operates a little differently, and you’ll want content that’s valuable enough to be cited across the AI search ecosystem.

Debunking the myths

Some agencies and experts present a simplified version of SEO to highlight the differences with GEO. For example, they might say:

• SEO: Ensure the website contains exact match keywords
• GEO: Go beyond exact match keywords and use structured data, like schema markup

Do we want to include exact match keywords? Yes, absolutely, but we also want to include keyword variations and robust, locally anchored content around those exact match keywords on all our important pages.

Similarly, structured data like schema has been a key component of SEO for years, helping search engines understand the context of your content.

The role of structured data

Structured data is not a new concept. SEO professionals have long known its importance in helping search engines understand who you are, where you are and what you offer. Schema.org, launched in 2011, was designed to improve structured data as search engines became more sophisticated.

While rich snippets have largely been replaced by Google’s AI overviews, structured data remains critical. It helps both generative engines and traditional search engines provide more accurate and relevant answers to user queries.

Personalization & relevance

Another common point about GEO is the emphasis on highly relevant and personalized content based on user interaction.

This also is not a new approach. In the SEO community, we have known for years that search engines, particularly Google, provide highly personalized results based on the individual user’s search history and interactions. Furthermore, we also know that search engines are only likely to rank a website highly if it has content that is highly relevant to the query being searched by the user.

Search engines like Google have been providing personalized results based on individual user search history and interactions for years. Content relevance has always been a key factor in ranking.

GEO algorithm complexity

Last, but not least, some articles suggest that search engine algorithms are simple compared to generative AI algorithms. It’s as if they are representing search engine algorithms as these easily understood and simple algebra formulas. This is misleading.

Search engine algorithms have evolved significantly over the years. For example, between 2012 and 2013, Google switched from lexical search to semantic search, understanding the meaning and context of words. The BERT update in 2019 introduced deep learning and natural language processing. Today, Google’s algorithm includes a large number of ranking factors.

The reality is that AI, machine learning and incredibly complex algorithms have been a part of search for years now. It was just running in the background, invisible to the user, and now it’s being brought to the forefront as part of the visible user experience.

Generative engines might have additional layers of complexity, but it’s inaccurate to portray search engine algorithms as simplistic.

The main difference: SERP vs. segmentation

The primary difference between SEO and GEO lies in their approach to presenting information.

Search engines typically provide users with lists and pages of answers, known as the SERP (search engine results page). In contrast, generative engines like Chat GPT, Claude, Gemini and Google’s AI overviews often use a question-and-answer format.

This can be viewed as a difference between SERP and segmentation.

To rank highly on the SERP, we want to make sure that a page is well optimized and contains enough robust, natural language content that Google can contextualize the page and understand it.

Whereas, with generative engines, we want to provide content that is specific and segmented to match the engines’ question-and-answer format. Think of it like an FAQ page but reimagined to drive performance for your website. This content, along with other factors, sends positive signals to generative engines, which drives citations in AI search results.

5 things to do now

For apartment marketers, this means adapting your content strategy. Instead of answering basic questions like “when is trash day,” focus on more complex queries like “what is the best neighborhood to rent an apartment in <city name>.”

You can take your FAQs a step further, especially if your community has a blog. Support performance-driven FAQs with corresponding blog articles that provide richer, segmented content that generative engines (and renters) want to see.

In our view, this is the biggest area of opportunity for apartment marketers.

Here’s a list of to-dos:

1. Adapt your website content for AI search. This requires strategic content organization. Here’s a handy guide.
2. Audit your FAQ pages. Are you answering complex, intent-driven questions or just logistical ones? Aim for the former.
3. Check your structured data. If you haven’t touched it since 2022, it needs a look and (probably) some updates.
4. Optimize your Google Business Profile. Generative engines are more likely to cite profiles that are complete, accurate and updated.
5. Review your blog. Are posts written in a clear Q&A style with specific, segmented answers? If not, that’s your next project.

It can be tempting to use AI to help check for some of this, but proceed with caution. We tried using multiple AI platforms for SEO and GEO audits … and they miss the mark. 

Takeaways

Page content, FAQs, blogging, business listings and social media profiles can have a powerful influence on GEO. Does this sound like SEO? You bet it does.

Before you panic about the newer world of GEO, take a deep breath and remember: If your SEO foundation is solid, you’re probably already well positioned for the next evolution in search.

The only thing you really need to ask yourself is, “Are we providing a good user experience for our renters?” Because, ultimately, that’s what the search engines are trying to do too.  

Happy optimizing!

Get the GEO vs. SEO infographic

Download and share our GEO vs. SEO infographic with your team and colleagues.  A preview is below. Click on the link or the image for access.

Explore more GEO tips

Now that you know the basics, check out this article with 6 tips for creating GEO-friendly content:

Generative engine optimization: 6 GEO tips for every apartment marketer

You can also find tips to help your apartment website appear in generative search results in our article on SEO for AI.

Quick GEO FAQs