A Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) audit examines your visibility in AI-driven search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews assessing factors like brand presence, content relevance, and structural elementsto identify areas for improvement in how your content is presented and interpreted by AI.
Analyzes how effectively your brand is listed across trusted directories, aggregators, and third-party sources that LLMs and AI models frequently reference.
Evaluates online reviews, mentions, and citations to assess the trustworthiness and tone of your brand’s digital footprint key signals for AI ranking and inclusion.
Assesses whether your content addresses specific user needs and queries in a way that makes it useful and eligible for generative engines to cite.
Examines content architecture headers, formatting, scannability, and readability to ensure it’s AI-friendly and optimized for summary extraction.
Analyzes whether your content leverages entity-based language and terminology that align with how AI systems understand and retrieve information.
Identifies high-potential, conversation-driven keywords and topics that AI platforms prioritize, ensuring your content speaks the language of LLMs.
Audits for depth, directness, and natural language formatting ensuring your content delivers concise, high-value answers suited for AI-generated results.
Assesses whether your existing or planned content is designed to be cited by LLMs, using techniques like structured responses, FAQ blocks, and schema-enhanced formatting.
Reviews the presence and accuracy of schema markup (e.g., FAQPage, Article, Product), which enhances AI interpretation and entity connection.
Compares your performance against competitors already appearing in AI-generated outputs to identify strategic content or schema gaps.
Identifies winning formats and semantic patterns in competitor content, offering insights to strengthen your positioning across AI and answer engines.
A GEO audit doesn’t just surface technical errors it reveals how your brand performs in the new AI-first search landscape. By analyzing everything from entity coverage to content clarity and discoverability, you gain a roadmap to ensure your content is not just indexed but preferred by generative engines.
The 10 best GEO audit tools at a glance:
Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to do a Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) audit effectively in 2025:
Create a custom scorecard using:
Set up a Looker Studio dashboard pulling data from GSC, schema validators, and third-party SEO tools to monitor progress and changes post-audit.
Most SEO agencies approach SEO from an audit mindset, focusing on the technical aspects of SEO and using outdated tactics. This doesn't create that step change in growth or generate revenue like promised.
Exalt Growth is the future of SEO for SaaS businesses. Taking a top-down approach to SEO we leverage your specific business model and competitive advantages to generate predictable, scalable, and attributable revenue growth.
SaaS SEO agencies are digital marketing agencies that provide search marketing services specifically for Software-as-a-Service businesses. These agencies have SEO expertise specific to software companies and may act as SaaS SEO consultants for defined challenges.
SEO for SaaS companies reaches the entire customer journey by targeting keywords and creating content for the various stages of the potential buyer's journey from awareness to purchasing decision.
SaaS companies also can have different SEO levers compared to traditional businesses. An example of this is when a SaaS company's users are generating the content that is on the website by using the product.
The difference between B2B and B2C SEO for SaaS businesses are the goals and the SEO tactics used.
B2B SEO differs compared to B2C SEO due to the differences in:
- Target audience
- Sales cycle
- Product complexity
- Pricing model
- Marketing channels
- Buyer behavior
- Budget
- Customer support
Technical SEO ensures that search engines can crawl and index your SaaS website and that it performs when a user visits. SaaS companies must emphasize their sitemaps and website architecture to ensure search engines and users can understand and navigate their website easily.
Technical SEO is more important for SaaS companies due to the SEO strategies and tactics used. For example, when a SaaS SEO strategy leverages user/inventory generated content. Or, when Programmatic SEO is utilized as an SEO tactic. In these scenarios, Technical SEO becomes a vital lever for ensuring success.
Most certainly not, SEO drives 24% of all SaaS traffic, second only to direct traffic at 60%. With the rise of generative search, having a search presence is even more important for your SaaS growth.