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The way people search is changing. Google’s search results now include AI Overviews, AI Mode has launched, and traditional blue links are being pushed further down the page. At the same time, more and more people are directing their questions to LLMs such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini, which synthesise answers rather than list sources.

This has real consequences for your online visibility. Nearly 60% of Google searches now end without a click, and 30% of travellers have already used AI to plan a trip (Adobe, 2025). GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is a discipline to invest in now: not as a replacement for SEO, but as a powerful complement to it. Here are six tips to get started with GEO.

1. Structure your content so AI can understand it

LLMs parse content semantically, looking for blocks they can use within an answer. What works? Clear structure, short paragraphs of three to four lines, conversational FAQ sections, comparison tables and numerical data. In practice:

Write naturally and in the way people search
Use a logical header structure (H1 > H2 > H3)
Keep titles concise; use bullet points and tables
Add descriptive ALT text to images
Add a “key takeaways” summary at the start of articles
Implement structured data (HowTo, Article, FAQPage, Product)

Test your visibility by entering your most important search queries into ChatGPT or Perplexity. If your brand doesn’t appear, that’s precisely where GEO makes the difference.

2. Build your authority and external reputation

LLMs select sources that are considered authoritative references. Authority is built in several ways, including expert content, editorial coverage in specialist press and blogs, and customer reviews. Reputation is a direct trust signal for AI platforms.

Encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews on Google, TripAdvisor and Booking.com, and respond to every review in a natural tone. Publish articles with named authors, date your updates, cite official sources, and create your own data, such as case studies, industry barometers or internal research, and actively pitch these to media outlets.

3. Allow AI crawlers and optimise your structured data

AI cannot cite you if it cannot read you. Check that your robots.txt is not blocking crawlers such as GPTBot (OpenAI), ClaudeBot (Anthropic) or CCBot (Common Crawl); some plugins do this by default. Adding an llm.txt file to your website is another option, though its effectiveness has not yet been proven. A technically sound and fast website remains essential.

Also implement the appropriate schema.org markup: Hotel, TouristAttraction, FAQPage, LocalBusiness. These tags help AI understand your offering and use it in local search queries. Keep your Google Business Profile up to date: it is the first source Gemini consults for local searches. And make sure your NAP data (name, address, phone number) is consistent across all platforms; inconsistency makes it harder for AI to recognise you as a reliable entity.

4. Introduce new KPIs and actively measure GEO performance

The impact of AI Overviews is measurable: their presence reduces organic clicks by 34.5% on affected queries (Ahrefs, 2025). At the same time, impressions in the travel sector have risen significantly. Websites cited in AI Overviews have also seen their average CTR increase from 0.74% to 1.02% (Seer Interactive).

This calls for new KPIs alongside the classic metrics. Report not only on clicks and conversions, but also on AI citations, brand sentiment, share of voice in LLMs and AI referral traffic via GA4. Establish a regular monitoring routine: ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini about your most relevant search queries on a consistent basis, and analyse whether your brand appears, in what tone, and who is being cited in your place.

5. Distinguish between informational and commercial search queries

Not every search query calls for the same strategy. Informational queries, typically longer than five words and with a search volume below 2,500 per month, are those where AI Overviews appear most frequently. Here, the focus is on brand building and authority, not direct clicks.

Commercial and transactional queries, on the other hand, are far more click-resistant. Think of searches like “book a boat trip on the Seine” or “reserve a campsite in Normandy”. Align your objectives and KPIs with this distinction, because a drop in organic traffic on informational pages tells a very different story from a drop on your booking pages. How that plays out in the travel customer journey is something we explored in Your customer picks their holiday via ChatGPT, do they book there too?

6. Invest in content that offers real added value

AI answers are generated quickly, but they only cite content that goes beyond what can easily be summarised. Generic blog posts that merely repeat what is already widely known will disappear from LLMs’ field of view.

What LLMs pick up on: documented real-world experience backed by your own data, quantitative content such as internal tests or sector barometers, and content that is clearly produced by a person with real expertise. Use the E-E-A-T principles as your guide (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Sign your articles, date your updates, and build a recognisable tone of voice that appears consistently across multiple sources.

Start with GEO via Red Online Marketing

Want to know how visible your brand is in AI answers, and what you can do to improve that? Red Online Marketing is a digital marketing agency specialising in travel and leisure, with twenty years of sector experience. Get in touch and discover what Red can do for your GEO visibility.