Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) in 2026 focuses on structuring content to be cited, summarized, and recommended by AI-driven platforms like Google and OpenAI. It prioritizes authority, semantic clarity, and contextual relevance to ensure brands remain visible within AI-generated answers rather than just traditional search rankings.

HubSpot contributor Erica Santiago has published an article featuring 24 generative engine optimization statistics marketing leaders should know.

She says, “Generative engine optimization is crucial to digital marketing now because the way consumers search for products and services has changed significantly over the last few years. When I first entered the digital marketing industry, consumers typically searched for answers by plugging inquiries into search engines like Google.They’d then browse the top links Google provides until they found the answers they were looking for.

Now, consumers are asking questions to AI systems like ChatGPT, Google AI, and Perplexity, and these systems are providing direct answers rather than links for users to sift through. As a result, many businesses are seeing a drop in website traffic.

Now, to keep up with how people are discovering brands and businesses, marketers must shift from optimizing for SERPs (SEO) to optimizing for AI-powered answer engines; in other words, General Engine Optimization (GEO).

GEO enables making content easily accessible to Large Language Models (LLMs), so it can be summarized and cited in AI-generated answers.”

24 generative engine optimization statistics marketing leaders should know

HubSpot