A major new meta-study takes a critical look at the effectiveness of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). Researcher Olivier Martinez analysed 45 international studies into AI discoverability. The conclusion is clear: many of the highly praised ‘GEO hacks’ – such as adding specific statistics, quotes or comparison tables – do not in themselves guarantee a higher ranking or more organic traffic from AI assistants.
The research shows there is a crucial difference between two stages in AI search systems: retrieval (fetching information) and citation (citing a source). Popular optimisation techniques generally only work once an AI model has already selected your page for its working memory. The well-known claim that certain text tweaks increase visibility by 40% applies solely to sources that were already present in the search context.
Why this matters for marketers
Many SEO specialists and agencies are currently promising that a few editorial tweaks will allow you to ‘dominate’ ChatGPT or Perplexity. This study shows that reality is far more complex:
- No fixed formulas: AI models operate on a probabilistic basis. What works on one platform or for a specific query will often yield a different result in another model.
- Distinction between stages: A page formatted to be cited must first be discovered and selected by AI crawlers based on relevance and authority.
- No direct causal link: There is currently no evidence that GEO tactics on their own automatically lead to an increase in website visitors or conversions.
What does this mean for you?
Don’t be tempted by quick ‘recipes for success’ for AI search engines. GEO is not a simple case of applying a few tricks; it requires a well-thought-out, long-term content strategy.
First and foremost, focus on topical authority and a clear entity structure. Ensure your brand and articles are so relevant and trustworthy that AI systems include your site in their search context. Only then will clear headings, factual backing and structured data help persuade the AI model to actually cite your source in its answer.
Source: arXiv
