In marketing, AI optimization means improving how a business is found, described and considered in generative answers. The expression commonly refers to GEO, Generative Engine Optimization. The business objective is to grow the brand’s presence in answers that influence supplier discovery and selection.
The phrase is also used for model optimization or AI-assisted process improvement. When commissioning work, clarify the intended outcome: this guide addresses the company’s presence in answers, not training a private model.
What changes in practice
Consider a buyer seeking a solution for multiple business units. They may ask for alternatives, compare suppliers or describe a problem. Your company needs information that helps the engine understand how its offer fits that need.
Start with the offer: category, audience, applications, relevant location, differentiators and real boundaries. Support it with pages answering specific questions, fair comparisons, verifiable cases and consistent public references.
A general definition can explain a concept. To contribute to a buying decision, content should also explain when the solution fits, which criteria matter and what evidence supports each claim.
Four deliverables to ask for
| Deliverable | Question it should answer |
|---|---|
| Diagnosis | In which questions and engines does the brand appear, and how? |
| Strategy | Which gaps relate to buyers and the actual offer? |
| Execution | Which pages, descriptions, evidence and identity signals will improve? |
| Monitoring | How did SOV change within the same universe after interventions? |
A dashboard only partly addresses the fourth row. Execution needs owners, access to business assets and prioritization. An integrated program connects all four deliverables rather than leaving the report without practical follow-through.
Choosing the first actions
Start with questions buyers ask about problems, solution categories, comparisons, requirements and hiring. Separate informational questions from supplier requests. Examine the engines’ answers, cited pages and possible namesake confusion.
Then check the assets supporting those answers. Is the main content delivered in HTML? Can important pages be discovered? Does the company description agree across its website and public profiles? Can readers verify the evidence? Those answers determine the order of work.
You do not need a page for every minor wording variation. Equivalent intentions can share a comprehensive page; different needs may require separate pages. The criterion is whether the page adds a useful answer.
What to measure
Presence, citation and recommendation describe different outcomes. SOV needs an explicit formula and universe, including market, language, engines and period. A Portuguese-language study of the Brazilian market remains a Brazilian study when translated.
The academic work initiated by Aggarwal et al. provides a basis for testing content improvements. The review arXiv 2607.14035 discusses why experimental effects should not be transferred automatically across platforms. Look for methods, execution and success criteria applicable to your case.
Frequently asked questions
Are AI optimization and GEO the same?
In this context, yes: both address the company’s presence in generative answers. Because the phrase is broad, specify deliverables and indicators in the scope.
Can it help a small business?
It can when buyers ask relevant questions and the business has an offer it can describe and substantiate. Size the program to the opportunity and the ability to execute.
Is it only website work?
The website matters, but identity also involves profiles, public sources and legitimate references. Diagnosis determines which areas need attention.
What is an early sign of progress?
More accurate identification, retrieval of relevant pages and changes in citations or recommendations within the same question set. Assess whether the signal repeats, not just a favorable screenshot.
How murmur works
murmur works through a SWAS model, combining proprietary measurement software with specialists who diagnose, plan and execute GEO to grow Share of Voice (SOV). Eligible contract models may include an SOV-growth guarantee, with the metric, baseline, period, scope and conditions agreed in writing. This does not guarantee an individual answer, a fixed position or sales.
Author: Mateus Gomes, murmur operator. This article explains our approach and discloses our commercial interest.