It’s no longer enough to rank high on regular search engines, you’ve got to create a strategy that focuses on GEO vs SEO.
GEO is another form of optimization for a new type of search engine. It stands for Generative Engine Optimization, and it helps your content show up in AI-generated answers when users ask questions online through various AI-powered search engines such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot. These platforms do things differently, and don’t simply list web pages, but provide conversational answers to questions presented by users.
If you’re in a GEO vs. SEO conversation about your car dealership’s needs, the simple truth is, you need both.
Why is GEO important for car dealers?
Times are changing; that’s what we always hear, but it’s almost always true. You can’t afford to ignore the impact of AI-powered search engines and how much your customers are becoming reliant upon them for answers. Most online users are asking conversational questions rather than simply using search terms. This behavioral change is a strong lean toward AI and allows GEO to become more important than ever before.
Another reason to implement GEO strategies
There’s a better than good chance your dealership marketing team has perfected SEO. Although SEO has evolved from the days of keyword stuffing to a world of high-quality content, most marketing teams have kept up with these changes and understand how to create content with the right SEO strategy. This brings us to the GEO vs. SEO conversation. The two don’t need to work against each other; this isn’t a boxing ring with two heavyweights going at it. Instead, they can work in concert with each other.
One of the most important reasons to implement GEO strategies in your routine is that AI tools will often skip websites, which means you need to ensure your dealership’s site remains visible when users ask questions. You want your dealership to be one of the top answers given when questions are asked about vehicles and services that you sell and provide. This is why GEO has become important to car dealers.
What can you do to implement GEO?
Answer the questions. This might sound simple and easy, but when you begin talking about a vehicle or a selection of models, it can become difficult. Using FAQ pages and simple answers to questions your customers will ask when beginning their online search, you’ll be ahead of most other dealers who haven’t caught up to the GEO movement yet.
How should these questions and answers be formed?
Your car dealership’s FAQ pages should have simple questions that customers actually ask, with short, concise answers following the question. If you want to go further and give your page the GEO vs. SEO bend, that’s fine, but at least begin with simple answers to the questions.
Geography matters
Your shoppers aren’t asking general questions about buying vehicles or having them serviced throughout the globe; they nee to known where they can find what they want in the local area. Car sales and service is a regional/local business. Because of this, you’ve got to include geographic location terms in your answers, or in your questions. Add some “near me” terms, but don’t go overboard, because these terms can be damaging to your SEO content.
Where can you find the questions to ask and answer?
While building content for your website pages, you don’t have to worry about GEO vs. SEO when looking for the right questions to ask; they are right in front of you. Google has a section on every search page titled “People Also Ask,” which gives you some great questions, often worded a little differently than your original query. This gives you an easy way to find the questions that can rank high on AI-powered search engines.
Is your car dealership website trustworthy?
You’ve built a reputation of trust, expertise, and authoritativeness, but does your website reflect this. Its fine to tout your years of service, but do you have real customer stories on your home page. Do you provide honest vehicle comparisons to help customers learn what’s best for them? Is your site transparent with its pricing, reviews, and your policies? These are important qualities to include when you want to build your GEO strategy.
The question shouldn’t be GEO vs. SEO for car dealerships, but a strong focus on both. GEO is the new kid on the block, but that kid is quickly taking over the neighborhood and changing the game in terms of search and online responses. Will your dealership show up when users ask questions through AI-powered search engines?
