The way people search for information online is changing. Homeowners are increasingly using AI-powered tools like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode, Perplexity, and Gemini to find trustworthy contractors and get answers about their homes.
Traditional SEO (Search Engine Optimization) remains essential. But to stay competitive, it now needs a new counterpart: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), a strategy for helping high-performance contractors show up in AI-generated answers, not just search engine results.
At Energy Circle, we’ve always believed in the power of first-mover advantage.
That’s why we’re renaming our Search Engine Optimization service to SEO + GEO, reflecting our commitment to keeping you visible across both traditional search engines and AI tools.
SEO vs. GEO: What’s the Difference?
SEO helps your website appear when someone types a query like “best HVAC company near me” into a traditional search engine, like Google or Bing. GEO is about showing up in AI-generated responses from tools like ChatGPT, which are built by scanning and synthesizing online content in real time.
The current marketing consensus is that there is a good amount of overlap in the best practices for GEO and SEO. But we’ve already run side-by-side tests comparing traditional search engine results to those returned by AI, and we’re seeing signs that what works for SEO may not always work for GEO.
Of course, best practices will evolve as we learn more and the technology changes. The marketing industry has had decades to experiment and optimize with traditional search, while many AI-powered tools are literally only months old.
How Does GEO Change Energy Circle’s Marketing Services?
At Energy Circle, GEO is not a new service offering.
Our current clients will see no pricing change.
But it is a strategic expansion of our optimization services—one that positions you ahead of the pack as AI transforms how people search. Contractors already working with Energy Circle will see:
✅ No change to pricing
✅ Marketing that’s already aligned with current GEO trends
✅ Ongoing updates as AI platforms evolve
✅ Their business show up wherever homeowners are searching for services
The rise of AI challenges us to rethink how contractors generate leads and connect with customers online. Our mission to support high-performance contractors with innovative, lead-generating strategies hasn’t changed. But the way we achieve that is evolving—and we’re excited to be out in front.