Seeing news headlines like “Should AI Romance Be Regulated?” made me think of another, more everyday kind of dependence: we may be starting to ask that chat box with a knack for keeping the conversation going even when we need a plumber, an electrician, or a career consultant.
Romance and finding a tradesperson are different, of course. But there’s a similar tension: when it says, “This is a great fit for you,” does that thoughtfulness come from understanding, or from an answer that sounds a lot like understanding?
For people who make a living from their expertise, this is more than a technology curiosity. Whether you’re on the recommendation list could mean the difference of a phone call.
Your Position in Search Results Becomes Your Role in an Answer
Generative Engine Optimization, or GEO for short, means organizing your public information so that generative AI can more easily find and understand you when searching and putting together answers, with a chance of citing or mentioning you.
Traditional SEO often focuses on rankings in search results; GEO adds another question: when AI organizes options for a customer, can your information support its explanation of “why this person is a good fit”? The two overlap, and neither offers a magic guarantee of being selected.
Imagine a daughter typing: “My mom has bad knees. I’m looking for a restaurant in Tainan where she won’t have to climb stairs and can take her time eating.”
“A must-eat in Tainan, number one in popularity, food made with care” sounds lively, but doesn’t address her concerns. Ground-floor seating, whether there’s a step at the entrance, where the restroom is, and dining time limits are the clues she needs.
Your value hasn’t changed; the questions customers use to recognize that value have.
My View: Good GEO Should Dare to Say Who You’re Not Right For
Digital marketing easily treats “more exposure” as good news. But if a consultant skilled at supporting people through the anxiety of changing jobs receives nothing but requests like “My interview is tomorrow—help me guarantee an offer,” the more exposure they get, the more their calendar looks like a disaster movie.
So I tend to see GEO as a kind of matchmaking. First make sure needs and abilities align, then talk about how often you’re recommended.
“Providing comprehensive career services” sounds impressive; “Suitable for people with work experience who want to clarify their next career move; no résumé submissions on your behalf or guaranteed job offers” sounds more like a real person stepping forward to speak.
This may make some customers leave. But those who stay at least know which door they’re knocking on.
The same goes for local businesses. A veteran tradesperson who writes, “Leaks in older homes: we investigate the cause before quoting; we don’t take jobs that require same-day completion” may not sound as appealing as “Fast, professional, affordable,” but gives people more to base their judgment on.
Being Understood Still Comes at a Cost
Marketers might push back: you have to be seen before you can talk about being a good fit. I understand that reality. An empty appointment book won’t pay the rent just because your positioning looks good.
But rewriting your introduction into a form AI can easily understand also involves another kind of loss. The patience, judgment in the moment, and thoughtfulness of being willing to wait another ten minutes—qualities that don’t fit neatly into fields—may be the very reasons customers return.
Specific examples, a clear scope of services, and verifiable information can leave some clues to those values; they still don’t capture the whole person, much less tell us how every system will make its choices.
I imagine that veteran tradesperson holding his phone after dinner, slowly adding to his business description. His daughter asks what makes him distinctive. He thinks for a long time, then says only, “Some water stains aren’t caused by leaks from upstairs. I don’t want people wasting their money.”
The cursor rests after the words “Professional Leak Detection.” His daughter types that sentence in, too.