SEO and the promises of GEO, state of play

For twenty years, SEO (Search Engine Optimization) has been the playground of every digital agency. Today, a new concept is emerging: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), the art of optimizing content for generative AI engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini.
With this shift, a question resurfaces: what to make of agencies or services that promise “guaranteed” results?
At MV Studio, we often meet clients attracted by such promises. Yet, the reality is more complex.
This article aims to demystify the subject without resorting to alarmism or marketing that seems too good to be true.

1. From SEO to GEO: an evolving landscape

SEO has long relied on established rules:

• Page structuring (titles, tags, metadata)
• Content quality
• Backlinks from reliable sites
• Technical performance (speed, accessibility, mobile-friendly)
  GEO is much younger. It involves making your content understandable and attractive to generative AI, which produces direct answers rather than mere lists of links.
  Practically, this means your texts must be clear, reliable, structured, and marked by your brand identity. It is no longer just about “ranking” but about visibility in AI-generated responses.

2. Why absolute guarantees pose a problem

Some agencies claim:

• “We guarantee the first place on Google in 30 days.”
• “We assure your presence in ChatGPT results.”
  Such promises are tempting… but impossible to deliver seriously.
  Why? Because no agency controls Google, Bing, ChatGPT, Perplexity. Algorithms change continuously, competition evolves, and hundreds of factors defy reliable prediction.
  To “keep” a promise, some providers use risky shortcuts:
• massive purchase of low-quality links
• automatically generated content without real value
• so-called black hat techniques yielding quick but unstable results
  Result: visibility collapses as soon as the algorithm changes, or sanctions may cause the site to disappear from results.

3. What can really be guaranteed

A good agency does not sell a magical promise but a clear, measurable process:

• An objective audit: analyzing the current site, strengths, and weaknesses.
• A content strategy: regular production of optimized, useful texts.
• Concrete deliverables: product sheets, blog articles, technical optimization.
• Tracked indicators: organic traffic, leads generated, reading time, share of voice.
• Continuous progress: improving visibility and notoriety over time.
  In summary: what can be guaranteed are the means and methods. The final result will always depend on external factors (market, algorithms, competition).

4. GEO: possible today but still young

Is GEO already exploitable? Yes, but differently than SEO.
Today, it is possible to increase the chances of being picked up by a generative AI by:

• publishing clear, educational, and reliable content
• emphasizing the company name in texts
• spreading information across multiple credible channels (site, press, networks, public databases)
• taking care of editorial structure (titles, lists, definitions)
  But honesty is required: there are no “GEO tags” or miracle recipes yet. We are in an experimental phase where the best strategy is to prepare your content now to be well placed when generative AIs become full-fledged search engines.

5. Our conviction at MV Studio

We believe absolute guarantees are an illusion. What matters are:

• transparency in the process
• quality of content produced
• consistency of effort
  SEO remains a cornerstone; GEO opens new perspectives. But in both cases, it involves long-term work, not magic.
  As an agency, our role is to:
• clearly explain what is possible and what is not
• propose a sustainable method
• support our clients with measurable and realistic results

Conclusion

SEO and GEO are powerful levers, but no promise of guaranteed results can be honest.
The real value lies in the methodology and the trust relationship between client and provider.
If you want to understand how to make your content visible today on Google and tomorrow in ChatGPT, do not hesitate to speak with us. We will help you build a tailored, realistic, and sustainable strategy.