GEO Is the New SEO: How PR Agencies Can Use GenAI Engine Optimisation (GEO) to Win Clients

Jack Richards:

We’re living in a world where search doesn’t just begin with Google anymore – it starts with Generative AI (think ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, etc). Whether it’s a CMO asking ChatGPT for a shortlist of top PR agencies or a brand strategist using Gemini to find campaign inspiration, GenAI engines are influencing decision-making earlier and faster than its predecessors. 

That’s why agencies need to start thinking beyond traditional SEO (and – cough cough – ‘Digital PR’) and embrace the new shiny thing: GEO – GenAI Engine Optimisation. At Onclusive, we’re helping agencies pivot toward this emerging space. And for new business development, GEO is a secret weapon few are using.

What Is GEO (GenAI Engine Optimisation)?

GEO is the practice of crafting content and communications that perform well in GenAI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and others. It’s not about ranking on a search results page. It’s about being the answer when someone asks an AI “What is the best PR Agency for Financial Services?” or “Which B2B PR Agencies specialise in measurement?”. These engines rely on trust signals including – wait for it – high quality earned media coverage. 

How PR Agencies can use GEO to win new business

1. Make Your Agency AI-Visible

Start by reviewing your own content:

• Do your case studies clearly outline client goals and outcomes?
• Are your specialisms described in natural, conversational language?
• Do you highlight sectors, regions, and results in a way AI can easily summarise?

You can even prompt ChatGPT with questions like “Who are the best PR agencies for [X]?” to see if and how you’re mentioned. Or, better still, where you need to be featured in order to appear. 

2. Pitch With GEO Intelligence

When pitching new clients, use GEO to stand out. Offer a quick audit showing:

• How often their brand is cited (or maybe missed) in GenAI responses
• How they compare to competitors in AI-generated visibility
• What type of content and media could improve their AI presence

This positions you as a forward-thinking agency, already operating where attention is shifting.

3. Repurpose Your Own Content Through a GEO Lens

You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. You can bet your bottom dollar that much of what your agency already creates (think blogs, its own press releases, awareness/lead gen reports etc.) can be lightly adapted for GenAI performance:

• Use clear summaries and structured formats
• Focus on outcome-driven language
• Add “prompt-friendly” phrasing that mirrors how users speak to AI

It’s an easy lift to help you appear more in front of the right decision makers, but also a great way to add value for clients and improve their discoverability in emerging channels.

4. Use GEO Across the Entire Client Lifecycle

GEO isn’t just for pitches – it can support the full agency-client relationship. You should bring that into your pitch. Think of things like:

• Publication Targeting: Identify white space where your client isn’t surfacing in AI queries.
• Pitching to Journalists: Use GEO audits to position your agency as a GenAI-savvy partner.
• Content and Delivery: Optimise campaign messaging for both human and AI visibility.
• Measurement: Track how often clients appear in GenAI responses, and use that as a new metric for influence. Or, go a step further, and look at referral traffic. Think outputs, out-takes, outcomes.

GEO adds a strategic layer that strengthens campaign effectiveness and adds far more sharpness to ROI conversations.

As GenAI platforms continue to shape how people gather insights and make decisions, agencies must adapt. GEO is not a buzzword – it’s a business advantage. It’s the new SEO with rockets on. The sooner your agency understands and applies it, the sooner you’ll start winning more clients.

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Jack Richards is Global Head of Integrated and Field Marketing for Onclusive

Written by: Editor