Introducing GEO Analyser.

By Rhodri Harries – Managing Director of Health and Tech

AI search tools such as ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, and Google Gemini are rapidly transforming not just how comms and marketing professionals search, but everyone. Gartner estimates that traditional search traffic will drop by 25% next year and by mid-2029 the numbers using traditional and AI search will be around the same. 70% of users already trust generative AI results meaning brands and businesses must adapt their comms strategies to remain visible. 

As we’ve previously discussed in The Edit, this has significant implications in terms of how brands are discovered, how they are positioned and how they are profiled. 

With the rise of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), the increasing importance of visibility on AI search has been substantial. Unlike SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), which focuses on ranking web pages in search engines like Google, GEO aims to ensure a brand or content is cited, referenced, or included in answers generated by AI tools. The importance of reference sites, data aggregators and academic research has increased substantially, as has the impact of earned media – or good old media coverage. Where and how a brand is covered in the media now has more influence outside of a direct audience than it has for years. 

Media planning with this in mind is therefore critical. But other than looking at every individual search source, how can brands make the right choices? The algorithms are constantly changing, some media outlets have blocked AI access to their content and the multitude of prompts a user needs to create can often make it complicated, time consuming and challenging. 

That’s why our developers have created GEO Analyser, a tool designed to highlight the sources and content types that most influence AI search. Its purpose isn’t to show what a search shows, rather what sources are being constantly referred to and the type of content most cited. What media coverage is having the most impact on the results given, and where and how should we target for maximum AI impact. 

The tool currently analyses both ChatGPT and Gemini (with more platforms to be added, subject to licensing) using a range of prompts based on popular search structures. So, if we are analysing sources for a cyber security brand, we can provide prompts based on “best in market” or “most recommended” but also prompts a user might ask about how to integrate into existing systems, or which provider has the best customer service. This results in a range that allows some breadth and depth to ensure we get a better view of sources most often cited. 

From this, GEO Analyser creates a list of the top sources and within this, the top media sources. With this, businesses can not only see which media sites are being referenced but also see how their brand is positioned against competitors as well as what themes rank highest. 

The goal is primarily to understand where we should be targeting the type of content we are developing. It also provides critical insights into where inaccurate data needs addressing, which analysts are worth partnering with (important for tech brands in particular) and what topics are trending. 

We’ve already seen some surprising (and some less surprising) results. 

Trade and sector media with lower Domain Authorities sometimes rank highly, national media impact can be inconsistent – some sites are partially blocked; listings and buying sites can often appear high up (perhaps seen as data sites), and long-form copy – articles and features – tend to be more impactful than news. 

We’re also seeing different behaviours and sources between platforms – for instance, ChatGPT is more national and Gemini is more international – which can further inform strategies. 

As algorithms change, which they do by the nano second, our developers are fine-tuning our tool to ensure it remains accurate and in-depth. And as this becomes more and more mainstream, its value to brands will continue to grow.  

In PR terms, media coverage has emerged as the previously unlikely winner of the AI age for brands. With GEO Analyser, we can help brands embrace this with the right topics, the right content, and the right targeting for success. 

For more info contact us here.