By Steve Buors, Reshift Media

Digital marketers have long fought for visibility in Google’s familiar list of “blue links.”

Success meant ranking ahead of competitors, earning clicks and measuring website traffic. But that era is fading fast.

Today, when someone Googles “What’s the best pizza in Greenville?” or “What is the highest-rated lawn care service near me”, they no longer see a list of links at the top of the page. Instead, they receive a complete answer written by Google’s AI Overview.

Welcome to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), the next evolution of search. For franchise companies, understanding GEO is no longer optional. It’s the difference between being cited as the answer or disappearing entirely.

What Is Generative Engine Optimization?

Generative Engine Optimization is the process of helping AI systems such as AI Overviews, Gemini, Perplexity, ChatGPT and Claude find, understand and incorporate your content in generated answers. Unlike traditional SEO, which aims to win a top spot on a list of website links, GEO is about becoming part of the AI’s response itself.

AI search engines pull data from a wide variety of sources including websites, reviews, forums, social media and product listings. They do not reward keyword stuffing but focus instead on clarity, trust and structure. To appear in AI-generated answers, franchise brands must publish credible, conversational content that directly answers real questions.

Zero-Click Search and the New Visibility Game

AI-powered search is leading to what many people are calling a “zero-click search” because the searcher does not need to click through to a website for an answer. Even in cases where the AI includes links to their sources, studies have found that users rarely click through to explore further.

This shift doesn’t mean search optimization is obsolete, but it does change what success looks like. Instead of chasing clicks, the new goal is inclusion and customer recall. If your franchise’s name, expertise, products or location is part of the AI’s narrative, you’re winning visibility, even if the user never clicks.

Franchise Companies Are Positioned to Win at GEO

Franchise organizations are exceptionally well positioned to succeed with Generative Engine Optimization because they combine national reach with genuine local presence. These are the very qualities that AI systems value most. Generative engines assess both the corporate website and the network of local signals that support it, including Google Business Profiles, customer reviews and community mentions. To take advantage of this, each franchise location should be treated as a trusted source of local data that strengthens the company’s overall digital footprint and increases visibility in AI-powered search.

Your website is the primary source of information that helps AI understand who you are, what you offer and where you operate. Technical optimization such as a fast website, clean code, relevant backlinks, and updated metadata still matters, but to perform well in GEO your content should demonstrate experience, expertise, authoritativeness and trustworthiness (often summarized as E-E-A-T). To accomplish this, include helpful content such as FAQs, how-to guides, comparisons and real customer insights. Use structured data, clear headings and descriptive alt text so AI can quickly determine what your business does, where it operates and why it can be trusted.

The national site serves as the central hub for brand messaging, product and service information and broad educational content. Local pages, however, are where intent turns into action. When someone searches for a nearby product or service, they should land directly on the local page that meets their need and invites them to connect immediately.

To achieve this, franchise companies should create local microsites within their main domain rather than using separate websites or subdomains. A structure such as “yourwebsite.com/location” links each location to the parent brand, allowing all franchisees to share in the same domain authority. Each local microsite should include detailed information about that location, including its address, phone number, hours, photos, team and stories from the community. Adding structured data like local business, reviews and FAQ schema makes these details easy for AI to read and understand.

In addition, franchise companies should pay close attention to “off-website” content sources, including:

• Google Business Profile: Keep each listing complete and accurate. Include every service, image and detail. AI relies on this data to verify your business information.
•  Online Reviews: Maintain a steady flow of genuine reviews and respond publicly. AI evaluates volume, sentiment and recency across review sites.
•  Local Mentions: Aim to appear in “Top 10” or “Best of” lists on local and regional sites. Even small community features reinforce your credibility.
•  Consistency: Ensure your name, address, phone, and categories match across every directory. Conflicting information confuses both users and algorithms.

When these elements work together, AI can easily identify your franchise as a trusted, active, and relevant business that meets the customer’s need in their exact location. This approach builds lasting authority and visibility across your entire network in the age of AI-driven search.

The New SEO Mindset

So, is SEO dead? No, but it is evolving into something more expansive which requires a major change in mindset. Website traffic from search will decrease as the use of AI grows, but visibility can still increase.

Franchise brands that think beyond links and focus on creating meaningful, AI-readable content that demonstrates real local value won’t just adapt to the new search landscape; they’ll lead it.

Steve Buors is the CEO and co-founder of Reshift Media. Under his leadership, Reshift Media has become an award-winning global agency specializing in AI-driven marketing, local search optimization, and digital strategy for franchise businesses. Steve is a leading voice in how generative AI and search innovation are transforming the way franchise systems connect with customers online. For more information about IFA supplier member Reshift Media, please visit franchise.org/suppliers/reshift-media/.