Just when you thought your estate agency website was getting the hang of search engine optimisation (SEO), along comes another acronym to scramble your digital marketing plans.

The new kid on the block is GEO or generative engine optimisation and it’s about catching the eye of the artificial intelligence (AI) tools that are increasingly dominating modern life.

GEO means optimising your blogs and webpages so they are more likely to be picked up by the likes of ChatGPT, Google’s Gemini and Microsoft’s Copilot. Use of these AI tools is increasing – so if you’re serious about search, you need to take GEO on board.

As a digital marketing agency specialising in the property sector, we’re constantly monitoring our content’s appearance in AI search results, and it’s clear to us that the quality blogs, written by humans, that respond to the questions customers are asking do well in this new sphere. Based on our analysis, we answer some key questions about GEO.

Why is GEO so important?

Use of AI assistants and chatbots are a part of life, particularly among the younger demographics who are entering the property market or set to do so soon.

Widespread use of AI is happening at the expense of traditional search engines. As people turn to Chat to help them manage their lives, they are looking for richer and more contextual answers to their queries than search results alone can provide.

And according to recent research quoted in this Negotiator piece, Google has seen its search market share fall to 79% as a result.

It’s worth noting too that even where searchers use Google for their queries, they are now treated to an AI overview that leads the search results page. GEO is about getting your content noticed by that overview too.

What is GEO for agents?

GEO is about positioning your estate agency website and brand to appear in the wide range of AI-generated search results, so you can be seen by potential buyers, vendors and landlords.

The narrative nature of AI-generated content means that getting your brand into these results helps you engage with potential customers in a deeper way, giving you a good chance of converting them into loyal brand followers.

In many ways you will be using the same techniques…the difference is that you are looking for your content to be integrated into a rich contextual narrative.”

In many ways you will be using the same techniques as you employ for traditional search. This means that quality content that responds to customer questions in a meaningful way is still key.

You’ll still need to be researching and using appropriate keywords and your site will need the right technical optimisation as well as the authority that comes from solid backlinks, reviews and testimonials.

The difference is that you are looking for your content to be integrated into a rich contextual narrative, rather than merely topping a list.

How do I achieve GEO success?

This is a complex and ever-evolving area, so keep a close eye on developments in the sector. However, we have a few suggestions for things to do now.

AI tools can help you optimise your content. Use them in your research, to find the right keywords for your audience and delve deeper into the subject to find related key phrases you might not have thought of.

Look too at the AI overview results for local searches you want to rank for. If your content isn’t featuring in the overview, think about why, analysing your competitors’ sites to see what they are doing differently. Look at the preferred content types by the AI platforms – does your format need a rethink? Look at how your brand is coming across in AI search results too.

When it comes to content creation, you’ll be doing similar tasks to those vital to good SEO practice, just taking them a bit further. Make sure all your content is well written and responding to user intent, that it’s comprehensive and that every word you use is relevant.

Structure your pages well so they are easy for the AI bots to understand. Make sure the most important information is upfront and that the page flows in a logical way with plenty of headers to break up the copy. Make it engaging and easy to read and peppered with visual elements, such as photos, infographics and video clips.

Getting yourself quoted in property website blogs or news stories can raise your profile as a trusted source.”

Giving your content authority – by establishing your brand as a local leader – can also help. Getting yourself quoted in property website blogs or news stories can raise your profile as a trusted source of information. In our experience this can help get you noticed by the AI crawlers.

Finally, keep your content fresh – make sure you’re on top of new and emerging trends and that your website reflects that.

Got a question? Need help with your digital marketing? Visit www.artdivision.co.uk