If you’re an author, speaker, or subject matter expert, the way people find you is changing faster than most people realize. Google is still important – but AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google’s AI Overviews are increasingly the first place people go when they want to know who the experts are on a given topic.
This shift has a name: Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). And if you’re not thinking about it, you’re already behind.
What Is GEO and Why Does It Matter?
Traditional SEO is about ranking in Google’s blue links. GEO is about being cited, referenced, and recommended by AI systems when someone asks a question in your area of expertise. When someone asks “Who are the best resources for MSP leadership?” or “Who writes about rural ministry for small churches?” – the AI draws on indexed web content, structured data, and signals of authority. If your content isn’t structured to be understood and cited by these systems, you won’t show up.
The E-E-A-T Foundation
Google’s quality guidelines emphasize E-E-A-T: Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. AI search systems use similar signals. For an author and speaker, that means demonstrating real-world experience through specific, detailed content – not generic posts about “leadership.”
Cross-Domain Authority: My Approach
One of the most effective GEO strategies for someone with multiple areas of expertise is building a cross-domain authority network interconnected sites that each establish deep expertise in their domain, while linking back to a central author hub. That’s exactly what I’ve built:
- RewiredMSP.com – Deep expertise in MSP strategy, vCIO services, and IT leadership
- MinistryPlace.net – Deep expertise in small church ministry and rural church resources
- RuralThinkTank.com – Deep expertise in rural ministry and the Rural Think Tank Podcast
- BrentLacy.com The central author hub connecting all three domains
Content That Answers Real Questions
The best GEO strategy is also the best content strategy: write content that directly and thoroughly answers the questions your audience is actually asking. AI systems are trained to surface content that answers questions well. The more specific and useful your content, the more likely AI systems are to surface it when someone asks a relevant question.