How to Level-Up Your GEO

From a recent discussion of HSMAI’s Marketing Rising Leader Council, the message around hotel visibility was unmistakable and urgent. Search behavior is shifting toward conversational queries, AI summaries, and hyper‑local answers that surface immediately. Guests want fast certainty and digital platforms are rewarding clarity over volume.

The conversation reinforced that GEO reframes long‑standing optimization work without discarding it. SEO historically prioritized ranking positions across results pages and keyword performance. GEO prioritizes being selected, cited, and surfaced as the single answer. That shift changes how content must be structured and evaluated. As one rising leader put it, “SEO was meant to rank your content, whereas GEO, it’s about visibility.”

Visibility now depends on whether content mirrors real guest questions and delivers direct responses. AI tools increasingly pull one answer rather than offering multiple options. High‑quality and relevant content still matters, but structure and intent matter more.

Auditing existing content emerged as the most immediate and practical starting point. Inaccurate details, outdated FAQs, and conflicting third‑party information were flagged repeatedly. When AI learns from incorrect data, those errors compound quickly and persist.

Experience, Expertise, Authority, and Trust (EEAT) provided a shared framework for organizing GEO priorities across teams.

• Experience is demonstrated through guest reviews, testimonials, and visible feedback.
• Expertise comes from credible citations, partnerships, and destination relevance.
• Authority is strengthened through clear authorship and human attribution.
• Trust is reinforced through privacy policies, contact information, and consistent review responses.

Front desk questions were identified as one of the most overlooked content sources. Guests already explain what they need when they arrive on property. If those answers are missing online, AI will source them elsewhere. FAQs remain one of the most consistently surfaced content formats across search and AI platforms.

Brand structure influences speed, but it does not eliminate opportunity. Independent properties have flexibility, while branded hotels work within defined constraints. Hyper‑local and property‑specific content still performs best in both cases. AI systems prioritize specificity over brand promise language.

The discussion emphasized that progress does not require perfection or reinvention. Teams can start with audits, corrections, and clearer structure. Visibility increasingly favors the most accurate source, not the loudest voice.

Recommended readings

Recommended questions for teams

• Has your property or corporate started to follow GEO Guidelines? If yes, what are some of the changes done to your digital presence recently?
• In your current role, what part of GEO optimization feels achievable for you, and what feels out of your hands?
• If someone asked AI: ‘Why should I stay at your hotel instead of the one next door?’ What answers do you think would immediately pop‑up?
• What customer questions do guests ask your front desk most often? And are those answers published online?
• Do you feel that your website is capable of being the “true source” for AI answers?

**This article reflects the collective views of the individual HSMAI Rising Leader Council members, and not the views of the author alone or Madden Media. 

Luisa Laurelli, Account Director, Madden Media, Rising Marketing Leader Council Member. Connect with Luisa on LinkedIn.