GEO vs SEO — The Difference Every Indian Business Owner Needs to Know

If you run a business in India and someone tells you to "do SEO", you probably know what they mean — get your website to rank on Google. But there is a new acronym you need to know: GEO. And it might be more important than SEO for your business in the next 2-3 years.

What Is SEO?

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. It is the practice of making your website rank higher in Google's search results — the list of ten blue links that appear when someone searches for something. SEO has been around for over 20 years and focuses on:

• Keyword-optimised content (using the right words in your titles, headings, and body text)
• Backlinks (getting other websites to link to yours)
• Technical factors (site speed, mobile-friendliness, clean code)
• User experience (low bounce rate, good engagement)

SEO is well-understood, widely practiced, and still important. If you are not doing SEO at all, you should start.

What Is GEO?

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. It is the practice of making your business visible in AI-generated answers — the responses given by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, and Gemini.

When someone asks ChatGPT "who is the best CA firm in Bengaluru?", the AI does not show a list of links. It gives a direct answer, often naming 3-5 specific businesses. GEO is about making sure your business is one of those named.

GEO focuses on different signals than SEO:

• Schema markup (structured data that helps AI understand your business)
• Entity recognition (making your business a clearly identifiable entity with consistent data)
• Content that answers questions directly (FAQ format, clear service descriptions)
• Data consistency across platforms (same business info everywhere)
• Authoritative mentions (being referenced on trusted websites)

Side-by-Side Comparison

Can You Do Both?

Yes, and you should. SEO and GEO are not mutually exclusive. Many of the actions that improve your GEO — adding schema markup, writing detailed content, completing your Google Business Profile — also improve your SEO. Think of it this way:

Which to Prioritise If Budget Is Limited

If you have a limited budget and can only focus on one, here is how to decide:

Choose SEO first if: Your website does not exist yet, has no content, or has never been optimised. You need the foundation (a fast, mobile-friendly website with good content) before anything else works.

Choose GEO first if: Your website already exists and has decent content, but you are not appearing on ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google AI Overviews. In this case, adding schema markup, structuring your content for AI, and fixing your business listings will give you faster returns because competition in GEO is still very low.

The Indian Market Context

India is one of the fastest-growing markets for AI search. ChatGPT has millions of users in India. Perplexity is gaining traction rapidly. Google AI Overviews are appearing on more and more Indian search queries. And here is the opportunity: almost no Indian small or medium businesses are optimising for AI search yet.

Most SEO agencies in India still focus exclusively on traditional Google rankings. They do not add schema markup, do not structure content for AI consumption, and do not test whether their clients appear on ChatGPT or Perplexity. This means that if you start GEO now, you have a significant first-mover advantage in your market.

We built OptiScale Advisors specifically for this moment — to help Indian businesses get found on AI search platforms before their competitors figure it out.