PR & marketing copywriting always has to be tailored, not just for the audience it is aimed at, but for the tools being used to reach that audience.

All marketers and most non-marketers are aware of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), the marketing tactic to improve a website’s visibility on search engines such as Google. But as the realm of digital marketing continues to evolve, the focus is now shifting to the new(ish) kid on the block, GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation). This tactic is about making it easier for AI chatbots and Google AI overviews to reference and recommend your brand.

As with many products and services that evolve over time, it doesn’t mean the previous versions become redundant. Traditional SEO still matters. But companies need to be aware of the new rule book for the changing digital marketing landscape.

This is easier said than done as AI is an ever-moving target and different experts are proffering different opinions, but what does seem clear is that websites are being evaluated by AI for authority and relevance. This means blogs once again have an important role to play.

A good blog goes a long way in GEO

Just as blogs fulfil the requirement for websites to have regular new content containing pertinent keywords for SEO, a well-written longer length authoritative piece is also a great way to deliver what the AI chatbots are searching for. For example, when a user types in a request or question, the chatbot will be looking for as close a match as possible. Imagine a consumer types into ChatGPT or Claude, ‘Best bi-fold doors for my kitchen-diner’ or ‘Will patio doors save me money on my energy bills?’. If you have a blog on your website on this topic and it uses the same natural language as the question, it is more likely to be discovered.

But getting noticed by AI doesn’t stop at the headline. It is also important to make sure the entire blog is a well-thought-out exploration of different types of bi-fold doors, how to assess their energy efficiency, noise attenuation, condensation, and their compatibility for aspirational indoor-outdoor living. It’s not good enough to pop a good heading at the top of your blog and then write about something else – the content must match the heading for best results.

Employ good PR& marketing copywriting tactics for successful GEO

Another top tip when it comes to writing for GEO, and any authoritative article, is to use measurable facts where possible. If you describe something as next generation, explain why. If you say a product is value for money, back up the claim. When writing for GEO specifically, it is also helpful to use synonyms for the key points you want to make. In the example above where consumers want to know whether patio doors will save them money on their energy bills, you might also mention fuel, bills, energy efficiency, thermal benefits and heat saving.

Although there is a lot you can do on your website to help with GEO, in the form of expert blogs, it does also search elsewhere for answers too. Reddit discussions are popping up a lot more as well as review platforms and occasionally YouTube transcripts.

PR & marketing copywriters beware!

I have always struggled a bit with SEO ‘best advice’ because sometimes people focus so much on shoehorning in as many keywords as possible that the article ends up sounding strange and not necessarily being useful. And GEO has its own issues. Not everyone is on board with AI yet. There is a lot of hype about it, but a lot of people are skipping AI answers on Google and scrolling down for the content that hasn’t been filtered. Or the opposite happens and readers get what they need from the AI response and don’t click through or scroll any further. In which case companies need to deploy multiple outlets for their PR and marketing copy.

A balancing act

As always, it is about finding the balance between delivering what SEO and GEO need (and it’s worth noting there is a lot of overlap between the two) and writing genuinely useful content for audiences. I like the fact that GEO places more emphasis on PR & Marketing copywriting that focuses on what real people are looking for, but I would always urge businesses to really think about the content that is genuinely useful for prospects and customers and use that as a starting point.

About Blog Write Ltd

Writer of smart, engaging copy for businesses that understand the importance of great copy, but struggle to find the time to give it the attention it needs. I offer a proactive approach to deliver fresh content.