GEO score — what's in it and how to improve it

The six signals

GEO — generative-engine optimisation — is about being found and cited by AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews. Your GEO score estimates how well your site is set up for that, across six signals:

1. Semantic HTML — clean, well-structured markup an engine can parse.
2. Structured data — schema such as LocalBusiness and FAQ, declaring what your content means.
3. Answer-shaped content — clear questions and direct answers, not walls of text.
4. Crawlability — fast hosting, a valid sitemap and nothing blocking access.
5. Factual specificity — concrete, verifiable details engines can quote with confidence.
6. Freshness — content that's current and maintained.

The score formula

The score weights those signals by how much they actually move the needle. The technical foundations — semantic HTML, structured data and crawlability — carry the most weight, because an engine has to read and trust your page before it can cite it. Content signals layer on top. Avago handles much of the foundation for you: schema is on by default, the HTML is clean and hosting is fast, so most sites start with a healthy base score and improve it through content.

The three highest-leverage fixes

For most sites, three changes move the score the most:

1. Add real FAQs. Genuine questions with direct, factual answers are exactly what answer engines quote. Avago marks them up with FAQ schema automatically.
2. Get specific. Replace vague copy with concrete facts — locations, services, hours, numbers. Specific, verifiable content is far more citable than generic claims.
3. Tighten your structure. Clear headings and short, self-contained answers help an engine lift the right passage.

Connect your Google Business profile and keep it accurate too. Consistent business facts across your site and your listing make engines more confident citing you.