Is there a GEO maturity model? Trying to benchmark where we stand

I developed a GEO maturity model for a client engagement. Here’s the framework.

The 5-Stage GEO Maturity Model:

Stage 1: Unaware

• No understanding of AI search impact
• No monitoring of AI visibility
• No intentional GEO optimization
• AI crawlers may be blocked
• No structured data beyond basics

Typical visibility score: 0-10%

Stage 2: Reactive

• Basic awareness of AI search
• Sporadic manual checks
• Ad-hoc content adjustments
• Some structured data implemented
• No systematic approach

Typical visibility score: 10-25%

Stage 3: Developing

• Systematic monitoring in place
• Defined GEO processes
• Content optimization underway
• E-E-A-T signals being built
• Regular reporting established

Typical visibility score: 25-45%

Stage 4: Advanced

• Integrated GEO+SEO strategy
• Comprehensive monitoring
• Proactive content optimization
• Strong authority signals
• Measurable improvement trends

Typical visibility score: 45-70%

Stage 5: Leading

• Industry-defining visibility
• Predictive optimization
• AI-first content strategy
• Consistent top citations
• Competitive moat established

Typical visibility score: 70%+

Assessment criteria per stage:

Adding operational perspective to the maturity model.

What each stage looks like operationally:

Stage 1 (Unaware):

• GEO not in any job descriptions
• No budget for AI visibility
• No tools for monitoring
• Topic never discussed in planning

Stage 2 (Reactive):

• Someone noticed competitors in AI responses
• Occasional “we should look into this”
• No dedicated resources
• Sporadic attention when prompted

Stage 3 (Developing):

• GEO added to SEO team responsibilities
• Budget for monitoring tools
• Quarterly GEO reviews
• Content briefs include GEO considerations

Stage 4 (Advanced):

• Dedicated GEO function or clear ownership
• GEO integrated in content workflow
• Weekly visibility tracking
• GEO metrics in marketing dashboards

Stage 5 (Leading):

• GEO as core competency
• AI-first content creation process
• Real-time optimization capability
• Industry thought leadership on GEO

The resource reality:

Stage 3 is achievable with existing SEO team + tools Stage 4 requires dedicated focus (person or significant time allocation) Stage 5 requires organizational commitment and investment

Most companies should target Stage 4 as realistic goal.

Leadership presentation tips for the maturity model.

How to frame for executives:

The burning platform:

• 71% of consumers use AI search
• Only 22% of marketers actively monitor AI visibility
• Competitors at higher maturity stages are capturing your audience

Current state assessment: Present your dimension scores visually. Gap analysis is powerful.

Business impact framing:

Investment ask structure:

• Stage 1→2: Minimal (awareness + basic tools)
• Stage 2→3: Moderate (dedicated time + monitoring)
• Stage 3→4: Significant (process change + content investment)
• Stage 4→5: Major (organizational priority)

ROI indicators:

• Brand visibility in AI = brand awareness
• Citation frequency = authority building
• AI-driven traffic = qualified leads

Frame as risk mitigation + growth opportunity.

How to benchmark against competitors.

Competitive maturity assessment:

Monitor competitor visibility:

• Use Am I Cited to track competitor mentions
• Note which competitors appear most often
• Analyze their content structure and approach

Infer their maturity stage:

They appear frequently, consistently, first position: Likely Stage 4-5

They appear sometimes, inconsistent positioning: Likely Stage 3

They rarely appear: Likely Stage 1-2

What to learn from higher-maturity competitors:

• Content structure patterns
• Schema implementation approach
• Authority signals they emphasize
• Platform-specific tactics

The opportunity:

If you’re Stage 2 and competitors are Stage 4, that’s a gap to close. If you’re Stage 3 and competitors are Stage 2, that’s an opportunity to extend lead.

Use competitive data to inform your maturity targets.

Stage progression playbook.

Stage 1 → Stage 2 (1-2 weeks):

• Install monitoring (Am I Cited)
• Run visibility audit
• Unblock AI crawlers
• Awareness presentation to team

Stage 2 → Stage 3 (4-8 weeks):

• Implement structured data
• Optimize top 20 pages
• Add author bios/E-E-A-T signals
• Establish weekly monitoring
• Create GEO content guidelines

Stage 3 → Stage 4 (3-6 months):

• Integrate GEO into content workflow
• Build authority systematically
• Comprehensive schema coverage
• Regular optimization cycles
• Tie metrics to business outcomes

Stage 4 → Stage 5 (12+ months):

• AI-first content strategy
• Predictive optimization
• Industry thought leadership
• Dominant category visibility
• Continuous innovation

Success criteria for stage advancement:

Stage 1→2: Baseline visibility established Stage 2→3: 15%+ visibility score improvement Stage 3→4: Consistent top-3 citations for target queries Stage 4→5: Industry-leading visibility, recognized authority

Metrics for each maturity stage.

Stage-appropriate KPIs:

Stage 1:

• N/A (no measurement capability)

Stage 2:

• Basic visibility presence (yes/no)
• Crawler access confirmed

Stage 3:

• Visibility score (aim: 25-45%)
• Citation frequency trend
• Key page optimization completion %

Stage 4:

• Visibility score (aim: 45-70%)
• Share of voice vs competitors
• Position distribution (% first mention)
• AI-referred traffic growth
• Conversion from AI traffic

Stage 5:

• Visibility score (aim: 70%+)
• Category dominance metrics
• Predictive accuracy
• Authority benchmark leadership

Dashboard evolution:

Stage 2-3: Simple scorecard (monthly) Stage 4: Integrated dashboard (weekly) Stage 5: Real-time dashboard with alerts

Match measurement sophistication to maturity stage.

Change management for maturity advancement.

Common barriers to advancement:

Stage 1→2:

• Awareness gap (solve with education)
• Competing priorities (solve with business case)

Stage 2→3:

• Resource constraints (solve with efficiency/tools)
• Process gaps (solve with clear ownership)

Stage 3→4:

• Organizational silos (solve with integration)
• Inconsistent execution (solve with automation)

Stage 4→5:

• Complacency (solve with competitive pressure)
• Innovation gaps (solve with experimentation culture)

The change approach:

1. Assess current state honestly
2. Educate stakeholders on gap implications
3. Plan with clear milestones
4. Resource appropriately for target stage
5. Measure progress visibly
6. Celebrate stage advancements

GEO maturity is organizational capability building, not just tactical optimization.

Fantastic framework. This thread gave me everything I need.

My presentation structure:

1. Why GEO matters - Market context, competitor activity
2. Current state assessment - Our dimension scores (probably Stage 2)
3. Maturity model overview - 5 stages explained
4. Gap analysis - Where we are vs where we should be
5. Roadmap - Path to Stage 4 over 6 months
6. Investment ask - Resources needed per phase
7. Success metrics - How we’ll measure progress

Target:

• Stage 2 → Stage 3 by Q2
• Stage 3 → Stage 4 by Q4

Monitoring: Setting up Am I Cited this week to establish baseline before presentation.

Thanks everyone for the comprehensive frameworks!