Generative engine optimisation: The next battleground for brands in Asia

This post is sponsored by RED² Digital.

Across Asia, the way people search is changing at a rapid pace. Whereas previously, consumers would Google and receive a simple list of links, now they ask complex questions of AI tools and receive answers tailored to them in return. Whether it’s through ChatGPT and Gemini or through new AI-driven features inside Shopee and Grab, the rules of search are being rewritten. And Asia is leading the charge.

For brands, this presents both a challenge and an opportunity. Sure, the principles of best-in-class SEO can guide us to some extent, but new fundamentals are taking shape. In this rapidly evolving new world, the biggest risk of all is doing nothing.

So let’s dig into that further.

From SEO to GEO: The big discovery shift

Historically, SEO meant playing Google’s algorithms. Brands filled their websites with long-form content, built backlinks, and chased engagement to reach the top of the search results.

While the landscape has changed over the years, particularly with the rise of social search, the formula stayed roughly the same due to cookies – even if the landscape fragmented over time. But fast-forward to today, and AI has changed the rules.

With GEO, or generative engine optimisation, the game becomes about influencing how AI presents and explains information, rather than how high you appear on a results page. Simply put, this is because you are now optimising for machines that have a conversation, rather than machines that list.

For example, consider searching for “fine wine shops in Singapore”. Previously, a pure-play SEO strategy would prioritise owning keywords and appearing near the top of the first page of Google. Not anymore. With GEO, ChatGPT, or Perplexity, a particular wine shop might simply be recommended because its information appears consistent, clear, and credible across multiple sources.

In addition, it’s not just how we search that is changing, but also where. A new frontier in this evolution is the rise of AI-powered web browsers, which could revolutionise the way users interact with the internet.

Consider OpenAI’s recent launch of ChatGPT Atlas. Here, AI assistance is built into every interaction and fully integrated across the search experience. While Google still dominates by user share, ChatGPT’s growth shows no signs of slowing, and Atlas is the next step: a browser that puts GEO at its heart.

For marketers, this signals where we’re headed. And while many of the principles of traditional SEO still remain, one profound change is undeniable: discovery has shifted from keywords and clicks to AI-optimised citations.

Why GEO matters even more in Asia

For us marketers in Asia, there’s an additional layer to the GEO game. Well, three layers to be precise.

First, our existing digital ecosystem makes the transition both more urgent and complex. Here, consumers already exist in a fragmented, multi-platform world. Beyond Google, they search through platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, Grab, WeChat, LINE, and Zalo. And each of these platforms is developing its own AI-powered assistant or search layer.

Secondly, we can add language diversity. Just as platforms are localised, how consumers use them is too – whether that’s moving between Vietnamese, Thai, Bahasa Indonesia, and English, or mixing scripts and dialects within a single query. In this new world, brands that optimise only for English will quickly fall out of sync with real user behaviour.

Then there is the mobile-first factor. Consumers in Asia are impulsive and discovery driven. They ask for recommendations mid-scroll, then act instantly within a chat, marketplace or short video environment. This mix of platforms, languages, and habits makes Asia both the perfect testing ground for GEO and the hardest market to master.

How to get GEO-ready

With all that said, this isn’t doom-mongering. GEO isn’t an existential threat to search; it’s more a signal of where it’s heading.

SEO has always undergone rapid changes and evolutions over the years, and it has been a valuable tool for ambitious marketers to gain a digital edge over their competition. GEO is just the next opportunity. And there are some easy wins to get started with.

First, appraise your content based on clarity and structure. Remember the point about conversations over lists? Start by making your content easy for AI to understand. Structure it in clear question-and-answer formats. Make sure the product descriptions, service details, and location information are factual, concise, and up to date. Include metadata and schema where you can so that AI agents know what they are reading.

Localisation is also critical. Do not just translate copy: adapt it for how people actually speak and search in each market. For example, a user in Singapore looking for coffee would possibly write (“Kopi Bedok”) or in Saigon (“cafe Phu Nhuan”). When you use both the local language and English, your content should reflect how people really search. In turn, this makes it far more discoverable.

Finally, build credibility. AI models favour trusted sources, so strengthen your brand’s authority through consistent and reliable mentions. Encourage reviews, secure coverage in respected publications, and maintain an active presence across local marketplaces and directories. The more trustworthy you appear online, the more likely AI will include you in its answers.

From clicks to credibility: How GEO redefines measurement

One of the paradoxes of GEO today is that, while its long-term impact is undeniable, the ways to measure it are only just beginning to take shape.

GEO’s return on investment already looks very different from traditional SEO, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. A rapidly evolving space often presents more opportunities. Early adopters are already starting to track referral traffic from Gemini and ChatGPT, while new platforms are emerging to help marketers monitor and analyse performance across multiple channels.

The new search landscape may be more fragmented than ever before, but it better reflects how consumers in our region are navigating the digital world. And that can only be a good thing.

A future where “AI impressions” and brand citations sit alongside other organic and paid metrics feels increasingly within reach. When that happens, GEO will take its place as a recognised performance discipline in its own right – and that moment may not be far off.

It also offers a glimpse of where we are today. The next wave of search disruption in Asia is not about beating Google. It is about ensuring that AI assistants and chatbots recognise your brand as a trusted source.

Visibility is no longer defined by clicks alone; it is defined by credibility. The best brands already understand this – and those that act early will shape what discovery looks like in this new era.

The writer is Luke Janich, founder and CEO of RED² Digital.