← Back to insights

GEO vs SEO conversion benchmarks

SEMrush compared 890 US sites running parallel SEO and GEO programs. AI-referred sessions converted at 15.8% on average versus 3.2% for organic search landing pages in the same categories.

Why conversion diverges

  • AI prompts skew toward late-stage intent (“best,” “recommend,” “who should I hire”).
  • Single-answer formats pre-qualify brands before the click.
  • GEO content is structured for decision-making, not informational browsing.

The report recommends hybrid measurement: track AI mention share, assisted conversions, and branded prompt coverage alongside classic rank and traffic KPIs.

Track your citation performance in one dashboard.

View citation dashboard