GEO and the AI search shift reshaping Australian and New Zealand business visibility
- Written by Chris Van Langenberg, Senior Sales Capability Coach, Thryv Australia
For years, one of the biggest digital marketing questions for businesses was ‘how do we get onto page one of Google?’
That question still matters, but it is no longer the only one. A new one is rising quickly alongside it: how do we get recommended by AI?
That shift is where generative engine optimisation (GEO), starts to matter. As more people use AI tools to ask questions, compare options and narrow their choices, businesses need to think beyond traditional search rankings and consider how they appear inside AI-generated answers.
For Australian businesses, this is already changing how discovery works online and how buying decisions begin.
This shift is already being backed by the data. Thryv’s 2025 Business Index and Consumer Report found 59 per cent of Australian SMBs and 56 per cent of New Zealand SMBs are already using AI, including AI-enabled software. At the same time, there is a clear visibility gap, with 72 per cent of Australian SMBs and 75 per cent of New Zealand SMBs believing they have a strong online presence, while only 49 per cent of Australian consumers and 54 per cent of New Zealand consumers agree. GEO is fast becoming a practical business challenge tied to trust, discoverability and whether a brand makes the shortlist when AI starts doing the sorting.
What GEO means in practice
GEO stands for generative engine optimisation. You may also hear similar terms such as GEO or AI SEO. While the terminology is still settling, the central idea is the same: improving your online presence so AI tools can understand, trust and recommend your business.
That includes platforms such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity and Claude, where users are increasingly asking direct, intent-rich questions instead of typing a few keywords into a search bar.
A person might ask, ‘Can you recommend a local plumber?’ or ‘What is the best off-road caravan for a family trip?’ In those moments, the AI is not simply presenting a page of blue links. It is doing the sorting, weighing and shortlisting on the user’s behalf.
That changes the visibility game.
Why GEO matters for businesses now
Traditional search gives businesses multiple ways to be seen. A customer might browse ads, compare websites, read reviews, open several tabs and work their way towards a decision.
AI search compresses that process.
Instead of scanning ten options, users may receive a shortlist or a single recommendation. That means the businesses included in the answer have a far stronger chance of being considered, while those left out may never enter the frame at all.
That is why AI visibility is becoming so commercially important. If a customer journey starts in AI, being absent from that answer can mean being absent from the decision.
For businesses, this is not only about traffic. It is about relevance at the exact moment intent is highest.
How AI decides who to recommend
The precise signals vary depending on the platform and the type of business, but there is a useful way to think about it.
Before recommending a business, AI is effectively trying to answer three questions:
- Is this the right business for the request?
- Can this business be trusted?
- Is the customer likely to have a good experience?
If your business’s online presence helps AI answer all three clearly and positively, your chances of appearing in recommendations improve significantly.
This is why strong AI visibility is rarely built on one tactic alone. It comes from clarity, consistency and third-party validation across your digital footprint.
What businesses should do now
The businesses most likely to surface in AI answers are not necessarily the loudest. They are usually the clearest.
That starts with positioning. A business should be easy to understand online. What do you offer, who do you help and what specific problems do you solve? If that is vague on your website, directory listings or content, AI will have less confidence matching your business to the right queries.
Trust is the next layer. Reviews across multiple platforms, credible directory listings, testimonials, earned media coverage and industry recognition all help reinforce legitimacy. AI tends to place weight on how a business is described by others, not only how it describes itself.
Then there is content. Helpful, specific content that answers customer questions gives AI more context to work with. If your customers are asking AI about pricing, timelines, service options, quality, location or outcomes, those are exactly the areas your business should be addressing clearly online.
This is where GEO becomes especially relevant. It sits at the intersection of search, content, reputation and digital operations. It is less about gaming an algorithm and more about giving AI systems enough accurate, credible and consistent information to recommend your business with confidence.
A practical place to begin
One of the simplest starting points is to see how AI currently interprets your business.
Ask tools such as ChatGPT what your business does. Ask who the best providers are in your category and area. Ask how your services compare. Many businesses will quickly discover one of two issues: they are being described inaccurately or they are not showing up at all.
That insight is valuable because it shows where the gaps are.
From there, the task becomes more focused. Strengthen the signals AI is already looking for. Tighten your positioning. Improve your trust markers. Publish content that reflects real customer questions. Make sure your business is described consistently across the web.
Top tips for improving AI visibility
Be specific about what you do
General language creates weak signals. Clear service descriptions and defined customer problems are easier for AI to understand.
General language creates weak signals. Clear service descriptions and defined customer problems are easier for AI to understand.
Build credibility beyond your own website
Reviews, media mentions, testimonials and reputable listings all add weight.
Reviews, media mentions, testimonials and reputable listings all add weight.
Answer real customer questions
Create content that speaks directly to what people are likely to ask AI in your category.
Create content that speaks directly to what people are likely to ask AI in your category.
Check your digital consistency
Your website, listings and profiles should align on services, locations and business details.
Your website, listings and profiles should align on services, locations and business details.
Test how AI sees you
Regularly prompt AI tools with questions relevant to your category and monitor what comes back.
Regularly prompt AI tools with questions relevant to your category and monitor what comes back.
Where businesses can go for help
For many businesses, the challenge is not recognising that AI search is changing. It is knowing what to do with that information.
That is where specialist support can make a real difference. Businesses that work with advisers who understand both AI visibility and search strategy will be better placed to strengthen the right signals and avoid chasing noise.
The opportunity here is significant, especially for businesses that move early. Search behaviour is evolving quickly, and AI recommendation is becoming a new layer of discoverability that businesses cannot afford to ignore.
The core principle, however, remains familiar. Businesses that are clear, credible and genuinely useful will give themselves the best chance of being recommended, whether the customer is searching through a browser or asking a machine to decide who deserves a place on the list.
By Chris Van Langenberg, Senior Sales Capability Coach, Thryv Australia
