The difference
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| What you earn | A ranked link on a results page | A mention or a recommendation inside an answer |
| Where it shows | Google and Bing results | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Mode |
| What you measure | Impressions, clicks and average position in Search Console | Whether you are named, in which role, and which sources the answer cites |
| How you check | Search Console, free | Ask the buyer's questions in clean sessions and save the full answers with dates |
| What nobody can promise | A #1 ranking | A recommendation |
What both need
- The same facts about your business everywhere: name, services, service area and prices.
- One clear page for each service, so each search phrase has one owner.
- Real mentions on other sites, such as your Google Business Profile, directories and reviews from real customers.
What to measure
For SEO: indexed pages, impressions, clicks and average position for the searches that matter to you. For GEO: per question and per engine, whether you were named, in what role, and which sources were cited, counted over repeated runs.
Our first check
On September 28, 2026, before we published this site, we asked Ask Brave, an AI answer engine that needs no account, five questions once each: four questions a buyer would ask and one about Montrelia itself.
- Montrelia was named in none of the four buyer questions.
- The answers named agencies that publish prices, agencies that put account ownership in writing, and directories.
- The fastest website turnaround quoted in the answers was 3 to 5 weeks.
What to do first
- Put your services, your service area and your prices on your own site.
- Complete your Google Business Profile and ask every recent customer for a review.
- Check in Search Console that your service pages are indexed.
- Ask the assistants your buyers' questions and read what they say.
Not sure where you stand? Try the SEO cost calculator.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between GEO and SEO?
SEO earns a place in a list of search results. GEO earns a place inside an AI assistant's answer. They share a foundation: accurate business facts, a clear page for each service, and mentions on other sites.
Do I need both?
A local service business that customers find through Google and also ask assistants about can benefit from both. Montrelia sells them as one $2,000 per month plan.
How do you measure GEO?
We ask the questions your buyers ask, each engine separately, in a clean session with no history, and save the full answers with their dates. We report counts, not percentages, and we do not merge engines into one score.
Can anyone guarantee an AI assistant will recommend my business?
No. Nobody can, and Google's own documentation says no one can guarantee a #1 ranking either.
Last updated September 28, 2026