Insights from V2 Communications’ webinar with Evertune.
Over the last six months, 58% of consumers have increasingly shifted from traditional search engines to generative AI platforms – ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini – to research and evaluate brands.
In a recent V2 webinar, I spoke with Taylor Childs of Evertune about what this means in practice: how communications teams can ensure their brands show up accurately, prominently and in the right context in AI-generated responses.
What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of shaping how large language models (LLMs) interpret and represent your brand within AI-generated answers.
LLMs synthesize earned media coverage, analyst commentary, industry publications and structured web content to build a consensus picture of a brand or category. They weight credibility and authority. The inputs that shape AI-generated answers are the same ones communications teams have been building for years — which means communications is uniquely positioned to lead this work.
Why GEO Matters for Brand Credibility
As AI platforms increasingly serve as an early touchpoint in the B2B buyer journey, they directly impact brand visibility and credibility. GEO gives communications teams a concrete lever to improve both.
How to Strengthen Your GEO Positioning
Start with an audit. Run your brand through major LLM platforms — looking at direct brand queries, category searches and competitive comparisons — to assess how your organization is being positioned and where gaps exist in accuracy, sentiment or visibility.
From there, focus on two areas:
Owned content. Your website, case studies, blogs, press releases, proprietary reports and social content all feed LLMs. Optimize them for AI retrieval by:
- Writing in short paragraphs with clear, declarative sentences
- Using question-led framing — “What is…,” “How does…,” “Why does…” — to mirror how users prompt AI
- Adding summaries, Q&As and lists where they improve clarity
- Attributing authorship explicitly (name, role, area of expertise)
- Reinforcing claims with credible third-party sources
- Maintaining consistent language and terminology across all channels
Earned media. According to Evertune, 30% of domains cited by AI engines are earned media publications. High-authority outlets like The Wall Street Journal and Forbes carry significant weight — but they account for only about 12% of AI’s trusted resources. The majority comes from a broader ecosystem: regional publications, niche trade outlets and community forums.
This requires expanding how communications teams define “influence.” Flagship coverage builds authority. Consistent visibility across relevant long-tail sources provides context, expertise and repetition — all signals that AI systems use to rank and represent brands.
The Opportunity for Communications Leaders
GEO is not a departure from strong communications practice. It’s an evolution of it. Earned media, thought leadership, analyst engagement and clear positioning have always shaped brand reputation. Now they also shape how AI systems represent your brand to buyers.
At the same time, the technology is evolving quickly, and GEO practices follow suit. We’ve seen Anthropic pledge its platforms will never include paid advertising, and OpenAI promise that its recommendations won’t be influenced by advertising. Paid media may, one day, offer the opportunity to influence how your brand shows up. For now, earned authority is the primary currency in AI visibility, and communications teams drive that influence.
Teams that stay current on GEO best practices, test consistently and adapt quickly will be positioned to use AI as an advantage, not a liability.
Kristen Leathers is an executive vice president at V2 Communications, where she leads the firm’s B2B technology practice. Building upon her nearly 15 years of crafting and executing high-impact communications programs for her clients, Kristen counsels brands on integrated strategies that support their marketing and broader business objectives – whether those be building brand or category awareness, establishing market leadership, or managing brand reputation.
V2 Communications is an integrated communications and PR firm that helps technology companies build visibility, strengthen reputation and adapt to how audiences discover and evaluate brands in an AI-driven landscape. To evaluate and take hold of your brand’s AI visibility, reach out to [email protected].