If you’ve noticed search results changing fast, you’re not imagining it. AI-generated summaries are now baked into how people discover brands, compare options, and make decisions — often before they ever click a blue link. At Totally Digital London, we’ve been helping teams adapt to this shift by treating “being cited” as a real performance goal, not a nice-to-have.

If you want a quick refresher on the foundations that still matter underneath all of this, start with search engine basics. And in the UK, that matters because Google still dominates attention: it’s used by 82% of adults, and Ofcom reports around 3 billion searches a month — with AI summaries becoming a more common part of the experience.

So GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) is simple in principle: you’re optimising to become a trusted source in AI answers, not just a page that ranks.

What “earning citations” actually means

A citation is when an AI summary includes your page as a source link — the “proof” behind the answer. That’s valuable because:

• It puts your brand in the decision moment (even if clicks drop).

• It builds trust faster than a standard ranking because the AI is effectively saying, “this is worth reading”.

• It can drive higher-quality clicks (people who click citations often want detail, pricing, steps, or evidence).

And with Google holding roughly 92% UK search market share (and even higher on mobile), you’re not optimising for a niche feature — you’re optimising for the mainstream search journey.

Why rankings alone aren’t the full game anymore

Rankings still matter. But the “shape” of search has changed:

• AI summaries can answer the question without a click.

• People trust concise explanations when they look confident.

• The winner is often the clearest, most verifiable source — not the longest article.

Ofcom’s research points out how widely used search still is in the UK, and how AI is now layered into that behaviour. That’s why GEO isn’t replacing SEO — it’s adding a new win condition: source-worthiness.

The GEO mindset: optimise for retrieval, not just reading

Traditional SEO often focuses on helping Google understand your page and rank it. GEO adds another layer: help the model safely reuse your information.

Here’s what that looks like in practice.

1) Be the best answer to a specific question (not “everything about everything”)

AI systems love specificity. If your page tries to cover 25 angles at once, it’s harder to cite. Instead:

• Give each page a tight job: “how to”, “costs”, “requirements”, “comparison”, “timeline”.

• Put the answer high up the page (within the first screen).

• Use plain language and define terms once, clearly.

A good rule: if someone copied just your first 150–250 words, would it still make sense?

2) Make your content easy to quote without losing accuracy

AI summaries tend to pull short passages that feel complete. Help it out:

• Use short paragraphs (2–4 lines).

• Use labelled sections: What it is, Who it’s for, How it works, Costs, Risks, Next steps.

• Add bullet lists where precision matters (eligibility criteria, steps, documents, timelines).

This isn’t “dumbing down”. It’s making your content extractable.

3) Back up claims with proof (and show your workings)

If you want to be cited, you need to look citable.

• Link out to primary sources (Ofcom, ONS, GOV.UK, regulators, standards bodies).

• When you mention numbers, include context and date.

• Where possible, use your own first-party data: benchmarks, audit findings, anonymised trends, survey snapshots.

As one UK example of how big the search economy is: Ofcom’s Online Nation report references IAB UK figures showing paid search revenue of £14.7bn in 2023. That kind of anchored, attributable stat is exactly the style AI systems can reuse safely.

4) Demonstrate real expertise (not just “we’re experts”)

AI systems lean toward sources that look credible and consistent.

Practical ways to do that:

• Add a named author with a short bio (role, experience, relevant credentials).

• Include “last updated” dates (and actually update the content).

• Publish real examples: screenshots (redacted), checklists, templates, decision trees.

• Avoid sweeping claims like “best”, “guaranteed”, “always”. Use conditional language where reality is conditional.

It also protects you from a big risk: AI summaries can sound authoritative even when wrong — and regulators and users are becoming more sensitive to that.

5) Structure your pages like a reference, not a brochure

Brochure copy is vague by design. Reference content is precise by design. GEO rewards the second.

Do more of:

• Clear definitions

• Step-by-step methods

• Tables (comparison tables are gold for citations)

• FAQs that answer real objections (pricing, timescales, “does this apply to me?”)

Do less of:

• Fluffy intros

• Generic “we’re passionate” paragraphs

• Walls of text

6) Cover the “why” and the “how”, not just the “what”

AI answers often stitch together an explanation. If you only state outcomes (“you should do X”), you’ll get beaten by sources that explain why and when it changes.

Example: instead of “add schema”, include:

• what schema helps with (understanding and eligibility for enhanced results)

• where it’s worth doing

• common mistakes that break it

• how you validate it

That level of detail is citation-friendly and conversion-friendly.

What you should measure for GEO

You can’t manage what you don’t track. GEO measurement is messy, but you can make it practical:

• Search Console: track queries that trigger informational intent, and watch CTR changes over time.

• Brand + topic visibility: monitor how often your brand appears alongside your category terms (even if clicks don’t rise).

• Citation checks: build a small set of high-value queries and check weekly whether you’re being cited.

• Assisted conversions: if you’re spending meaningful money on acquisition (and in the UK, many are), don’t judge GEO purely on last-click. Paid search alone is a multi-£bn channel, and organic assists matter.

A simple GEO action plan you can start this week

If you want the quickest path to citations:

1. Pick 10–20 “AI summary” queries you care about (how-to, cost, comparison, requirements).

2. Refresh your best pages to answer those queries directly, high up the page.

3. Add proof: primary sources, dates, and 1–2 pieces of original insight per page.

4. Tighten structure: headings, bullets, FAQs, short paragraphs.

5. Improve internal linking so your supporting pages reinforce the main answer.

6. Re-check weekly and keep iterating.

Next steps

If you want help turning GEO into a repeatable system where your content is written to rank and get cited — Totally Digital can help you map the right query set, rebuild your content structure, and measure what’s actually changing in UK search. Get in touch and we’ll show you what’s realistic for your site, your market, and your budget (in £), without the jargon.