What if your future clients stopped using Google?
For years, the pattern was simple: a need, a Google search, a click on a link. That world is shifting.
Today, more and more people are asking their questions directly to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Mistral, or Gemini. They no longer type "plumber Dunkirk" into a search bar. They ask: "Which reliable plumber in Dunkirk can come quickly for a leak?"
And the AI answers. Directly. No list of links. Without the user needing to visit a single website.
In France, nearly 44% of working professionals already use these tools daily. And even on Google, the change is visible: AI Overviews — those AI-generated summaries at the top of results — capture attention before traditional links. The result: roughly 60% of Google searches now end without any click to a website.
For small and medium-sized businesses, the question is no longer theoretical. It's urgent: how do you stay visible when your clients stop clicking?
That's exactly what GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — addresses.
What is changing right now
From SEO to GEO: a new playing field
You probably know SEO (Search Engine Optimization): the art of optimizing your website to rank as high as possible in Google results. For twenty years, it was the holy grail of digital marketing.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) takes the same logic but applies it to a different world. The goal is no longer to appear in a list of blue links. The goal is to be cited in the answer the AI generates.
In practice, when a user asks Perplexity "What's the best web agency in northern France?", the AI draws from thousands of sources to build its response. If your business, your content, or your online reputation are strong enough, the AI mentions you by name.
This is a fundamental shift. In traditional SEO, you optimized for specific keywords. In GEO, search intent is what matters. The AI doesn't look for exact keyword matches. It looks for the best answer to the question asked.
Another major difference: AI answers aren't fixed. They vary from one query to the next, from one user to another. There's no stable "number one position" anymore. It's a permanent race for relevance.
What GEO can concretely bring to your business
This is the question that truly matters. Beyond the technology, what does GEO change for you, as a small business owner?
Being cited by an AI is like being recommended by a trusted expert
Imagine you run a restaurant in Calais. A tourist asks ChatGPT: "Where can I eat good fresh fish in Calais?"
If the AI responds by citing your restaurant — with your name, address, and a positive comment drawn from your Google reviews — that's infinitely more powerful than a link lost on page 2 of Google.
Why? Because the user trusts the AI. They asked a question, they received a direct answer. Not ten links to sort through. A clear recommendation. When that recommendation is your business, you gain instant credibility.
For an accounting firm in Lille, the same mechanism applies. An entrepreneur who asks Gemini "Which accounting firm in Lille specializes in business creation?" and gets your name in the response is a qualified lead arriving at your door with an already high level of trust.
A new channel for finding clients
People who use AI to search for service providers are often already in the decision phase. They're not browsing aimlessly. They ask precise questions because they have a concrete and immediate need.
Here's an example. A homeowner in Grande-Synthe has a water leak on a Sunday evening. They won't scroll through three pages of Google results. They open Perplexity and ask: "Emergency plumber available in Grande-Synthe tonight". If the AI cites your plumbing business, you've just won a client.
For an e-commerce shop selling artisanal products from Hauts-de-France, being cited in the answer to "Where to buy Houlle genièvre online?" opens an acquisition channel that simply didn't exist a year ago.
GEO doesn't replace your existing channels. It adds a new one, particularly effective because it captures people at the exact moment they're ready to act.
Getting ahead of your competitors
Let's be honest: the vast majority of small businesses have no idea what GEO is. Many haven't even optimized their basic SEO yet.
This is exactly what happened with SEO fifteen years ago. Businesses that understood early the importance of Google rankings claimed the top spots. The others became invisible. Today, those top spots are locked down and extremely expensive to compete for.
With GEO, the race has just begun. AIs are still building their understanding of the local business landscape. Businesses that invest now in their visibility with AI engines will be the ones AI recommends tomorrow.
A roofer in Dunkirk who starts today creating quality content, collecting customer reviews, and structuring their website gains a considerable advantage over competitors who are still waiting.
Compensating for the decline in traditional Google traffic
This number deserves attention: 60% of Google searches don't result in any click. Users get their answer directly in the results (via AI Overviews, rich snippets, Google Maps panels) and never visit your website.
Even if your SEO is excellent, your organic traffic is declining. This is a fundamental trend, not an accident.
GEO offers a solution: instead of depending solely on clicks, you aim for citations. Being mentioned in an AI response, even if the user doesn't click through to your site, means visibility, brand awareness, and often a direct phone call.
For a small business that lives on local clientele, that brand awareness is invaluable.
How to prepare your business starting now
The good news is that you don't need to be an AI expert to get started. The foundations of GEO are the same as those of any good digital strategy.
Create content that answers your clients' real questions
AIs generate their answers from content they find online. If your website contains clear and useful answers to the questions your clients ask, the AI is very likely to cite you.
Think about the questions your clients ask you by phone or email. "How much does a roof renovation cost?", "What documents do I need to create a limited company?", "How to choose a good wine for a wedding?". Each of these questions can become a page or blog article on your website.
The FAQ format is particularly effective. How-to guides, practical articles, and comparisons work well too. These are exactly the types of content that AIs love to cite.
Structure your website so AIs can understand it
A well-structured website is one that AIs can read easily. Clear and hierarchical headings (H1, H2, H3), meta descriptions that properly summarize each page, clean technical markup.
Your site doesn't need to be complex. It needs to be clear, fast, and well-organized. A well-built WordPress site with good hosting does the job perfectly.
Take care of your online reputation
AIs don't just read your website. They cross-reference information with your Google reviews, mentions on other websites, and your social media activity.
A restaurant with 200 Google reviews at 4.5 stars is much more likely to be cited by an AI than a competitor with 10 reviews at 3 stars. The logic is simple: the AI tries to recommend reliable businesses. Your reviews and online reputation are the proof of that reliability.
Don't abandon traditional SEO
GEO doesn't replace SEO. It builds on it. A website that ranks well on Google is more likely to be spotted and cited by AI engines.
Both strategies reinforce each other. SEO remains the foundation, GEO is the additional layer that makes you visible in AI-generated answers.
Your future visibility starts today
AI search ranking isn't a distant trend. It's a daily reality for millions of people.
Businesses that prepare now will be the ones AI recommends in six months, one year, five years. The others risk becoming invisible, just like those who ignored SEO in the 2010s.
At HK COM, we support small and medium-sized businesses in Hauts-de-France with their complete digital strategy: website creation, SEO and GEO optimization, online advertising, audiovisual content. As a France Num Activator, we understand the specific challenges and opportunities facing small businesses.
Want to know if your business is ready for AI search ranking? We offer a free discovery call to assess your online visibility and identify the first concrete actions to take.
Key takeaways
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More and more people are asking AI (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini) instead of searching on Google
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In GEO, the goal is to be cited in the AI's answer, not to appear in a list of links
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Being mentioned by an AI is like being recommended by a trusted expert to a client ready to buy
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Your competitors aren't thinking about this yet: now is the time to get ahead
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The basics are accessible: useful content, structured website, customer reviews, online reputation
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GEO doesn't replace SEO — it builds on it and extends it
This article draws on the report published by France Num in partnership with Eskimoz, dedicated to generative engine optimization.