GEO vs SEO: what events businesses need to know
SEO gets you ranked in Google's links. GEO gets you named inside the answer an AI gives. Here is the difference, and why both matter.
By Steven Cox
The two get confused constantly, but they are different games with different rules. Understanding the split is the first step to not losing work to competitors who understand it before you do.
SEO: ranking in the list
Search engine optimisation is about earning a high position in Google's list of blue links for a search term. The buyer still scans the list and makes the choice. It is a well understood discipline, and most established businesses do at least some of it.
GEO: being named in the answer
Generative engine optimisation is about getting your business named inside the answer an AI assistant gives. ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude and Grok do not hand back ten links; they hand back a recommendation. GEO is the work of making sure you are in it.
Why events businesses should care now
A fast growing share of buyers now open an assistant before a search box. For high-consideration bookings like a venue, a marquee, or an exhibition stand, a named recommendation from a trusted assistant carries real weight. The field is new enough that most of your competitors are still only doing the first thing, which makes moving early a genuine advantage.
Do you need both?
Yes, and they reinforce each other. A clean, well-structured site that is easy for machines to read helps you rank in Google and helps AI models read and cite you. The foundation is shared; only the ongoing work differs.
SEO gets you into the list. GEO gets you into the answer.
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