Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)  

How to Measure GEO Success

🚀 Why GEO Needs New Metrics

Traditional SEO success is measured by:

  • Rankings (SERP position)

  • Organic traffic

  • Click-through rates

But generative engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, and Perplexity don’t give links the same way. They give one synthesized answer with a handful of citations.

👉 Success in GEO = Are you being cited in the answer?

📊 Core GEO Metrics

1️⃣ Share of Answer (SoA)

  • Definition: % of queries where your site is cited in AI answers.

  • Example: Out of 100 tracked queries, if you’re cited in 20 → your SoA = 20%.

  • Why It Matters: It shows how much AI visibility you own.

2️⃣ Citation Impressions

  • Definition: How often and how prominently your brand is cited in answers.

  • Formula: Frequency × Placement × Length.

  • Example: Being the first citation in ChatGPT’s output is worth more than being buried in Perplexity’s “sources.”

3️⃣ Engine Coverage

  • Definition: Which AI engines are citing you.

  • Tracked Across:

    • ChatGPT

    • Google Gemini (AI Overviews)

    • Microsoft Copilot

    • Perplexity

  • Why It Matters: Don’t rely on one engine — maximize multi-engine presence.

4️⃣ Sentiment of Mentions

  • Definition: Tone of how your brand is referenced in AI answers.

  • Example:

    • Positive: “Sharp Token is a top project for AI education.”

    • Negative: “Sharp Token has limited adoption.”

  • Why It Matters: Positive mentions = authority. Negative mentions = risk.

🛠️ Tools for Tracking GEO

Since GEO is new, tools are still evolving, but options include:

  • Wix AI Visibility Overview → Tracks citations in AI-generated answers.

  • Perplexity Dashboards → Show which sources get cited.

  • Manual Query Panels → Test 100–200 queries monthly, log citations.

  • Custom Scripts → Scrape answers for brand mentions.

  • SEO Suites (Ahrefs, Semrush) → Likely to add AI visibility features soon.

💡 Pro Tip: Start with manual tracking now — it gives a baseline before automated GEO analytics mature.

📈 Example GEO KPI Dashboard

MetricTarget (90 Days)Example Result
Share of Answer (SoA)20%18%
Citation ImpressionsAvg. 2 per answer1.7
Engine Coverage3 enginesChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini
Sentiment80% positive75% positive

💬 Expert Insights

  • “If SEO measured clicks, GEO measures citations.”

  • “The most important KPI of the AI era is Share of Answer.”

🎯 Final Takeaway

You can’t measure GEO with rankings or clicks.
You measure it with citations and visibility inside AI answers.

👉 Track:

  • SoA for coverage

  • Impressions for prominence

  • Engine Coverage for reach

  • Sentiment for brand trust

In GEO, success = your brand being written into the AI answer itself.

Membership not found