Insights

Interview with Thomas Peham, CEO of OtterlyAI, the content intelligence platform for AI Search

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is still widely viewed as an extension of traditional SEO. But behind the concept lies a much broader strategic question: What role do companies want to play in a world where AI systems provide direct answers instead of lists of links? How should C-suite executives and other business leaders approach this emerging discipline?

Thomas Peham: As with many new technologies and approaches, the first step is to determine whether it’s relevant to your business. Rather than jumping straight into optimization, companies should begin by answering a fundamental question: Is GEO—or AI Search more broadly—even important for us yet? The only way to answer that is by looking at your own data and experience. For example, we’ve seen in practice that it’s incredibly valuable to gather feedback from sales teams. Customer comments like, “I found you through ChatGPT,” can provide the first meaningful evidence. Other indicators include increasing referral traffic from AI platforms or revenue that can be attributed to AI Search. These are strong signals that help determine whether GEO should become a business priority.

There’s no doubt that AI Search will eventually matter to every organization. But companies first need to establish this foundation. Once that’s in place, it’s worth evaluating both your own visibility and your competitive landscape. How visible is your brand in AI-generated answers compared to your competitors? That analysis reveals where the greatest opportunities for optimization exist. GEO is neither simply another traffic channel nor an end in itself. It’s a new business channel whose relevance should be validated with data.

If GEO isn’t primarily about generating clicks, how should companies measure success?

Peham: Traditional SEO has always been about bringing users to your website and driving conversions there. SEO was focused on clicks. GEO works differently. The goal is for companies to become part of the answer that an AI assistant provides to a user’s specific question. In that sense, GEO is much more of a brand channel within the answer ecosystems of large language models (LLMs). The key question is no longer, “How do I generate clicks?” but rather, “Am I part of the answer?”

From a practical standpoint, companies should first measure how visible their brand and products are in AI-generated responses. Are they appearing in relevant contexts? How often are they mentioned compared to competitors? At its core, this is about measuring share of voice within AI systems. This also changes the way companies should think about content. Many traditional top-of-funnel assets become less valuable if they simply provide information but no longer contribute to visibility or brand mentions. Greater importance shifts to content that answers specific buying or decision-making questions—content that supports users who are already evaluating solutions and looking for a concrete answer.

At the same time, GEO extends well beyond a company’s own website. AI systems draw information from many different sources, including editorial publications, platforms such as Reddit, YouTube, and LinkedIn, as well as user-generated content and reviews. The critical factor is whether a brand is represented consistently across all of these channels. When different sources communicate different brand narratives, AI systems have a harder time assigning clear attributes to that brand and may ultimately be less likely to include it in their responses. Ultimately, GEO comes down to two key objectives: visibility in AI-generated answers and a consistent brand presence across every relevant information source.

If AI systems rely on far more than corporate websites, how does that change what companies should do?

Peham: That depends largely on the industry and on which platforms actually influence AI-generated answers. For example, we’ve observed that Reddit appears less frequently as a source in Germany than it does in other regions. In that case, companies don’t necessarily need to establish a presence there right away. In other situations, the opposite is true. If platforms such as LinkedIn or YouTube are regularly cited in AI-generated responses that are relevant to my industry, companies need to ask themselves whether—and how—their brand is represented on those platforms.

In general, there are several strategic approaches. Some organizations take a community-first approach, encouraging existing users to engage and allowing discussions to develop organically. Others pursue a brand-first strategy by building official brand accounts or even creating their own communities. In many cases, employee advocacy also plays an important role, empowering employees to become authentic voices for the company across these networks.

That said, there is no one-size-fits-all strategy. Success depends not only on the content a company publishes itself, but also on how the brand is perceived across the broader information ecosystem. That’s exactly why GEO quickly becomes more than a marketing initiative—it shouldn’t be managed by a single isolated team, but rather involve multiple functions across the organization. The first step should always be a comprehensive audit and a data-driven assessment of your current visibility—using tools such as OtterlyAI, for example—to determine which sources, platforms, and content actually influence how AI systems perceive and recommend your brand within your industry. Only with that foundation in place can companies develop a focused and effective GEO strategy.

If an effective GEO strategy spans multiple channels and touchpoints—and isn’t just a marketing initiative—what organizational changes are necessary for companies to succeed?

Peham: In practice, we often see GEO ending up within the SEO or content team simply because those teams are closest to the day-to-day execution. In reality, however, GEO is much more of a cross-functional go-to-market initiative. It requires collaboration across multiple functions—from content and SEO to product, communications, and, in many cases, sales. Most importantly, there needs to be clear ownership, and GEO must be prioritized at the executive level. Only then can organizations create the alignment necessary for teams to work effectively together.

In larger organizations, this quickly becomes more complex, as different countries, business units, and external partners are often involved. The real challenge is therefore less about any individual optimization effort and more about coordinating activities across multiple teams and stakeholders. That coordination is absolutely achievable. However, GEO is still a relatively young discipline, and companies first need to build the right foundation. During this early stage, external advisors with hands-on experience can help establish a structured approach and define a shared roadmap. This includes assessing the current state, establishing initial benchmarks, and gaining a clear understanding of where the company stands relative to its competitors.

Q&A

What is the first step companies should take when getting started with GEO?

Before investing in GEO, companies should conduct a data-driven baseline assessment. Using specialized tools, they can evaluate how visible their brand is in AI-generated responses, identify which sources influence those responses, and uncover opportunities for optimization. Combined with insights from sales teams, traffic analytics, and revenue attributed to AI Search, this creates a solid foundation for determining the next steps.

How is GEO different from traditional SEO?

SEO is primarily designed to drive users to a company’s website. GEO takes a different approach. Companies don’t just need to be found—they need to be recognized as a relevant brand and trusted source within the answers generated by AI systems.

Which metrics indicate whether GEO is successful?

The most important metric is no longer the number of clicks, but visibility within AI-generated answers. Companies should measure how frequently their brand appears in relevant AI responses and how their presence compares with that of competitors.

Do companies only need to optimize their own content for GEO?

No. AI systems draw on a wide range of information sources, including company websites, editorial publications, online platforms, customer reviews, and user-generated content. The key is ensuring that the brand is represented consistently across all relevant sources.

Who should own GEO within an organization?

GEO is not solely an SEO or content initiative. Successful GEO strategies require close collaboration across marketing, content, product, communications, and sales. Clear ownership, executive sponsorship, and cross-functional alignment are essential for long-term success.