In the last decade, the PR world learned to adapt to Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). Now, a new shift is already underway — Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) — and it’s changing how audiences discover, evaluate, and trust brands.
At NettResults Middle East, we’ve been tracking this trend closely, because for tech companies in the region, GEO is more than just a marketing buzzword — it’s a first-mover advantage in an increasingly AI-driven information landscape.
What is GEO — and why should Middle East tech brands care?
GEO is the practice of optimising your content to appear in the answers generated by AI platforms like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot.
Where SEO aimed to get you to the top of Google search results, GEO’s goal is to get your brand into the answer itself. And that matters because the way people search is changing fast.
1.49 billion AI app downloads in 2024.
546 million monthly active ChatGPT users as of April 2025.
89% of B2B buyers use generative AI during their purchase process (Forrester).
Visitors referred via GenAI are 4.4x more valuable than those from traditional organic search (SEMRush).
In the Middle East, this shift is amplified by rapid digital adoption, government-led smart city initiatives, and the rise of AI-driven public services. From Riyadh to Dubai, decision-makers are increasingly turning to AI platforms for vendor comparisons, market trends, and product evaluations.
Why PR teams are best placed to lead GEO
Our own industry experience and recent global studies show that earned media drives the majority of AI-generated brand content. In fact:
61% of LLM content about the world’s top 100 brands comes from editorial coverage.
That rises to 72% when the AI answers questions about “value.”
This is where NettResults Middle East excels:
We know how to secure authoritative brand citations in top-tier local, regional, and international outlets — the very content AI engines trust the most.
For example:
A UAE-based fintech we represent saw their Gulf Business and Khaleej Times coverage directly cited in ChatGPT’s vendor recommendation answers.
A Saudi AI solutions provider we work with now appears in Google AI Overviews when users ask “leading AI companies in KSA,” thanks to a mix of on-site optimisation and targeted earned media.
How Middle East tech brands can prepare for GEO
Think in natural language.
Optimise content for the kinds of long-form, conversational queries real buyers are asking — e.g., “What is the best SaaS platform for logistics companies in the GCC?”
Create deep, credible content.
Use the E-E-A-T framework: Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness. Showcase founder insights, regional case studies, and local market data.
Use structured data.
Schema markup and even an llms.txt file make your content easier for AI to parse.
Keep facts current.
LLMs pull in recent data — ensure your office locations, team size, product details, and client stats are accurate across your website and media coverage.
Broaden your digital footprint.
Repurpose research, reports, and announcements across articles, podcasts, infographics, and short-form video to maximise touchpoints with AI crawlers.
The competitive edge in MENA
Generative Engine Optimisation isn’t just a technical task — it’s a reputation strategy. In a market where AI is increasingly the first filter between brands and audiences, the ability to shape what these systems say about you will separate the leaders from the laggards.
For Middle East tech companies, the stakes are high: the region’s buyers are digitally savvy, fast-moving, and quick to trust information that appears in AI-generated results. That’s why we believe GEO is the next big growth lever for tech PR in MENA.
How NettResults Middle East can help
We specialise in helping tech brands:
Identify what AI platforms are currently saying about you and your competitors.
Influence authoritative sources to secure high-value brand citations.
Optimise owned content for AI visibility and credibility.
Track and benchmark your GenAI visibility over time.
We’ve done it for fintech disruptors, AI innovators, and global tech brands entering the GCC — and we can do it for you.
Want to see where your brand stands in the AI conversation? Contact us today for a GEO readiness audit.