Just as we monitor SEO rankings, monitor how often and where your content is retrieved:
- Use the right tools to see if you start appearing as a cited source for target queries. If not, investigate who is. Examine those competitors’ content for clues – maybe they have a higher Topical Authority or have a better on-page structure. Update your content or strategy accordingly.
- Keep an eye on Bing’s and Google’s algorithm updates. For example, Google’s “Helpful Content Update” could influence which sites SGE trusts to pull info from (preferring content that is people-first and authoritative). An update that boosts forums might mean you should engage more in forums (if they start showing up in AI answers). Being agile with both SEO and GEO adjustments is key.
By optimizing for RAG, you ensure that all the great content you created actually gets picked up when the AI is formulating its answers. It’s about winning the retrieval battle, not just the generation. If the AI never sees your content, it can’t use it – so make sure it does.With retrieval optimization in hand, the next challenge is ensuring that when the AI considers multiple sources, your brand is perceived as a trusted Entity. It’s not just about being present, but being preferred. That ties into building your brand’s authority and trustworthiness, which we address in the next section.