Generative Engine Optimisation Services
Get Cited in AI Search
Get cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews
We help global brands appear in the answers AI engines give, not just the rankings Google shows. Otter Labs is a UK-headquartered Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) consultancy working with clients across the United Kingdom, United States, Australia, the Middle East, and Europe.
What is Generative Engine Optimisation?
Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO, is the practice of structuring your website, content, and digital footprint so that AI search engines cite, summarise, and recommend your brand when answering user questions.
GEO is distinct from SEO. Where traditional SEO targets a position in a list of search results, GEO targets inclusion in the synthesised answer that AI tools generate. When a buyer asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google AI Overviews for a recommendation, the engine selects sources to cite based on entity clarity, structured data, content extractability, and brand authority signals. GEO is the discipline of optimising for that selection process.
The category was formally defined in a November 2023 research paper from Princeton University, Georgia Tech, the Allen Institute for AI, and IIT Delhi. By 2026, GEO has become a primary growth lever for brands competing in AI-mediated search environments.
Michael Dark 157% sales growth and 59% transaction uplift through e-commerce GEO and SEO integration, with content restructuring for AI search extractability.
Our GEO methodology
We work to a five-pillar methodology developed across client engagements in regulated industries, ecommerce, B2B SaaS, education, and consumer brands.
1. Entity clarity engineering We structure your brand, products, services, locations, and people as discrete entities with consistent representation across your website, schema markup, and external citation sources. AI engines build internal knowledge graphs from these entities. If your brand is ambiguously represented, you do not get cited.
2. Extractable content architecture We rewrite and restructure content so that AI engines can lift clean answers from your pages. This includes question-led headings, definitive opening sentences, bullet-extractable bullet points, comparison tables, and FAQ sections in schema-marked formats.
3. Citation source positioning AI engines do not cite brands. They cite sources. We identify the publishers, directories, communities, and authoritative platforms that AI engines use as citation sources for your category, and build your presence on those sources through digital PR, guest contribution, and earned mentions.
4. Multi-engine visibility tracking We measure your brand's appearance across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, and AI Mode, with monthly reporting on citation frequency, source pages, query coverage, and competitive share of voice. You see exactly where you appear, where competitors appear instead, and which content changes moved the needle.
5. Continuous optimisation cycles GEO is not a fixed deliverable. AI engines update retrieval logic, citation patterns shift, and competitive positioning changes month to month. We work in 90-day optimisation cycles with prioritised content and technical work, then measure, then iterate.
Test the process before you commit
Not ready for a full retainer? Start with a focused project.
Our Mini Optimisation Project targets one product category, service area, or content cluster where we identify the strongest opportunity for measurable uplift. We audit that category across Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity, then deliver a clear roadmap covering technical fixes, on-page optimisation, and new content recommendations.
You implement the changes over 4 to 6 weeks. We track the results and measure the impact.
Investment £950 +vat
What you get:
Focused audit of one category across organic search and AI engines
Technical, on-page, and content recommendations specific to that category
Implementation roadmap with prioritised actions
Progress tracking and impact measurement over the project period
A walkthrough call to present findings and answer questions
If you move to a retainer within 30 days of project completion, the full £950 is credited against your first month. Minimum retainer commitment: 6 months.
GEO retainers
For brands ready to commit to sustained GEO performance, our retainers deliver the full five-pillar methodology on an ongoing basis. Retainers start from £1,500 +vat per month, scoped to your business. Every GEO retainer includes:
Full GEO and AI search visibility audit at the start of the engagement
Monthly content production and optimisation against the five-pillar methodology
Schema markup and entity structure implementation
Multi-engine visibility tracking with monthly reporting
Quarterly strategy review and roadmap update
Direct access to Phill Maddick, Co-Founder, on all strategy decisions
How long does GEO take to show results?
Most clients see initial improvements in AI engine citation frequency within 8 to 12 weeks, with material competitive shifts emerging at the 4 to 6 month mark. GEO compounds over time. Brands that establish citation patterns early benefit from the same first-mover advantage that early SEO adopters enjoyed in the mid-2000s.
We do not promise instant wins. We do promise measurable progress against a defined baseline within the first 90 days.
The Aurora Group 525% organic traffic growth, with individual school pages achieving 300 to 600% growth and overall new user growth of approximately 700%. GEO and SEO integration across a multi-school content network.
FAQ
Is GEO just SEO with a different name?
No. SEO targets ranking position in a list of links. GEO targets inclusion in the synthesised answers AI engines generate. The technical foundations overlap (structured data, content quality, site architecture) but the optimisation targets, measurement methods, and content patterns differ materially.
Do I still need traditional SEO if I do GEO?
Yes. SEO and GEO are complementary. Strong SEO foundations support GEO performance because AI engines often draw from sources that rank well in traditional search. We deliver both within a single engagement.
How do you measure success in GEO?
We measure citation frequency across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, and AI Mode. We track which queries surface your brand, which sources AI engines cite, and how your share of voice compares to direct competitors. Monthly reporting shows exactly where you appear and where you do not.
Can small businesses benefit from GEO, or is it only for enterprise brands?
Small and mid-market brands often benefit more from GEO than enterprise brands, because they can establish citation positions in niche topics before larger competitors recognise the opportunity. Our client base spans solo operators through to enterprises with hundreds of employees.
Will GEO work for my industry?
GEO is industry-agnostic. We have delivered GEO engagements across construction, education, ecommerce, B2B SaaS, professional services, fitness, and retail. The fundamentals transfer. Industry-specific patterns are addressed in the audit phase.
How is Otter Labs different from larger GEO agencies?
We are a specialist consultancy, not a generalist agency with a GEO badge. Every engagement is led personally by Phill Maddick, Co-Founder. We do not subcontract strategy to junior staff. Our clients work directly with the senior team that designs the engagement.
Do you work with clients outside the UK?
Yes. Roughly half of our client base sits outside the United Kingdom, including engagements in Australia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States, and Europe. We deliver remotely and work across time zones.
What happens after the discovery call?
If we agree there is a fit, we run a free GEO audit using our proprietary tool. The audit identifies your current AI search visibility, the gap to competitors, and the highest-priority opportunities. From there we scope a retainer or a one-off audit engagement.
Is the free GEO audit really free?
Yes. The audit at geo.otterlabs.co.uk is free, requires no sign-up, and produces a full report. We use it as a relationship starter. There is no obligation to engage with us afterwards.
What is your typical engagement length?
Most retainer clients work with us for 12 months or longer. GEO compounds, and the brands that maintain consistent investment build the deepest citation positions. We do not lock clients into long contracts. Engagements are reviewed quarterly.
How quickly can we start?
Typically within two weeks of the discovery call. Onboarding includes the GEO audit, brand and competitor analysis, and a kickoff strategy session. First content and technical work usually goes live within the first 30 days.
What if my website is on Squarespace, Wix, or Shopify?
We work across every major CMS and ecommerce platform. Implementation methods vary by platform but the methodology is platform-agnostic. We will assess platform-specific constraints during the audit.