Discussion Strategy Planning

What should a comprehensive GEO strategy document include?

ST
StrategyWriter · Marketing Strategy Director
· · 138 upvotes · 11 comments
S
StrategyWriter
Marketing Strategy Director · January 10, 2026

Creating our first GEO strategy document. Need a comprehensive framework.

What I have so far:

  • Basic goals
  • Some competitive research
  • Content ideas

What I’m missing:

  • Structure and format
  • Essential sections
  • How detailed to get
  • Who to involve

Questions:

  • What sections are essential?
  • How do you balance strategy vs tactics?
  • What level of detail works?
  • How often do you update?
11 comments

11 Comments

SA
Strategy_Architect Expert Chief Strategy Officer · January 10, 2026

I’ve written 20+ GEO strategy documents. Here’s the essential structure.

Core Document Structure:

SectionPurposeLength
Executive SummaryLeadership overview1 page
Current State AssessmentBaseline understanding3-4 pages
Competitive AnalysisMarket positioning3-4 pages
Strategic ObjectivesWhat we’re trying to achieve1-2 pages
Target Topics & AudienceFocus areas2-3 pages
Content StrategyWhat we’ll create3-4 pages
Technical RequirementsWhat we’ll implement2-3 pages
Resource PlanWho does what1-2 pages
Timeline & MilestonesWhen1-2 pages
Success MetricsHow we measure1-2 pages
Risk MitigationWhat could go wrong1 page

Total: 20-25 pages

Plus appendices:

  • Detailed content calendar
  • Technical specifications
  • Competitive research data
  • Query panel details
SD
Section_Details · January 10, 2026
Replying to Strategy_Architect

Deep dive on each section.

Executive Summary (1 page):

  • Business case for GEO
  • Key objectives (3-5)
  • Resource requirements
  • Expected outcomes

Current State Assessment:

AreaWhat to Include
AI visibility baselineCurrent citation rate, SOV
Content auditWhat we have, gaps
Technical auditSchema, crawlability
Authority assessmentDomain authority, mentions

Competitive Analysis:

CompetitorTheir VisibilityTheir StrategyOur Opportunity
Comp A35% SOVHeavy YouTubeTopic gaps
Comp B22% SOVWikipedia focusFresher content

Strategic Objectives:

Make them SMART:

  • “Achieve 25% citation rate by Q4”
  • “Reach 20% SOV in priority topic cluster by Q3”
  • “Appear in 3+ AI platforms consistently by Q2”
CS
Content_Strategy_Section Content Director · January 10, 2026

The content strategy section needs depth.

What to include:

ElementPurposeDetail Level
Topic clustersFocus areasHigh
Content typesWhat to createMedium
Production cadenceHow oftenMedium
Quality standardsHow goodHigh
Author strategyWho writesMedium

Topic cluster template:

Primary Topic: [Topic Name]

  • Sub-topic 1: [3-5 content pieces planned]
  • Sub-topic 2: [3-5 content pieces planned]
  • Supporting content: [List]
  • Target visibility: [X% citation rate]

Content type allocation:

Type% of EffortWhy
Original research25%Highest citation rate
Comparison content20%High citation value
Definition pages15%Foundational visibility
How-to guides20%Practical value
Blog posts20%Supporting content

Quality standards:

  • Minimum 1,500 words for pillar content
  • Original data or insights required
  • Expert authorship for YMYL topics
  • FAQ section on all pages
TS
Technical_Section · January 9, 2026

Technical requirements section structure.

Technical Checklist:

RequirementPriorityStatus
AI crawler access (robots.txt)Critical
Schema implementationHigh
Page speed optimizationHigh
SSR/pre-renderingHigh
Entity consistencyHigh
Mobile optimizationMedium

Schema implementation plan:

Schema TypePagesTimeline
FAQPagePriority 50Month 1-2
Article + AuthorAll blogMonth 2-3
OrganizationSite-wideMonth 1
HowToProcess pagesMonth 3-4

Entity optimization:

PlatformActionOwner
WikidataCreate/update entry
LinkedInConsistent description
CrunchbaseUpdate profile
SchemasameAs connections

Crawlability audit:

  • Check robots.txt for AI crawlers
  • Verify JavaScript rendering
  • Test page load speeds
  • Validate schema implementation
TM
Timeline_Milestones Expert · January 9, 2026

Timeline section that works.

12-Month Roadmap:

Quarter 1: Foundation

MonthMilestoneDeliverable
1Baseline completeAudit report
2Technical fixesImplementation
3First content live5-10 pieces

Success criteria: Monitoring live, technical issues resolved

Quarter 2: Traction

MonthMilestoneDeliverable
4First citationsVerification
515% citation rateMetrics report
6Topic cluster 1Complete

Success criteria: Visible in AI responses

Quarter 3: Growth

MonthMilestoneDeliverable
7-8Competitive paritySOV matching
925% citation rateMetrics

Success criteria: Competitive positioning

Quarter 4: Leadership

MonthMilestoneDeliverable
10-11Topic leadership2-3 topics led
1235%+ citation rateAnnual review

Success criteria: Market leadership position

MS
Metrics_Section Analytics Lead · January 9, 2026

Success metrics section structure.

Primary KPIs:

KPIBaselineQ2 TargetQ4 Target
Citation RateX%15%25%
Share of VoiceX%15%25%
Cross-Platform Visibility134+
Priority Query CoverageX%40%60%

Secondary KPIs:

KPIBaselineTarget
Brand search growthX+20%
AI referral traffic0Tracking
Content productionX/monthY/month
Schema coverageX%90%

Reporting structure:

ReportCadenceAudience
Weekly snapshotWeeklyTeam
Monthly reportMonthlyStakeholders
Quarterly reviewQuarterlyLeadership
Annual assessmentAnnualExecutive

Review triggers:

  • Citation rate drops >20%: Immediate review
  • Competitive movement >10%: Strategy adjustment
  • New platform emergence: Opportunity assessment
S
StrategyWriter OP Marketing Strategy Director · January 7, 2026

This framework is exactly what I needed. Here’s my document outline.

GEO Strategy Document v1.0

Part 1: Strategic Foundation (5 pages)

  1. Executive Summary
  2. Business Case for GEO
  3. Strategic Objectives (SMART)

Part 2: Situation Analysis (8 pages) 4. Current State Assessment

  • AI visibility baseline
  • Content audit
  • Technical audit
  1. Competitive Analysis
    • Top 5 competitor visibility
    • Opportunity gaps
  2. Market Context
    • AI search trends
    • Industry-specific factors

Part 3: Strategy (10 pages) 7. Target Audience & Topics 8. Content Strategy

  • Topic clusters
  • Content types
  • Production cadence
  1. Technical Strategy
    • Schema plan
    • Crawlability requirements
  2. Authority Building Strategy
    • Digital PR approach
    • Third-party mentions

Part 4: Execution (5 pages) 11. Resource Plan 12. Timeline & Milestones 13. Success Metrics 14. Risk Mitigation

Appendices:

  • A: Content calendar
  • B: Technical specifications
  • C: Competitive research data
  • D: Query panel

Stakeholder involvement:

StakeholderInput Needed
SEO TeamTechnical assessment
Content TeamContent strategy
PRAuthority building
SalesCustomer insights
LeadershipBusiness alignment

Thanks everyone for the comprehensive framework!

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Frequently Asked Questions

What should a GEO strategy document include?
A comprehensive GEO strategy document includes: baseline assessment, competitive analysis, target topics and keywords, content strategy, technical requirements, resource allocation, timeline with milestones, success metrics, and risk mitigation. The document should align with business objectives and be actionable.
How detailed should a GEO strategy be?
Balance strategic direction with tactical flexibility. Include enough detail for quarterly execution but not so prescriptive that teams cannot adapt. A 15-20 page core document with appendices for technical details and content calendars works well.
Who should be involved in GEO strategy creation?
Key stakeholders include: Marketing leadership (business alignment), SEO team (technical foundation), Content team (content strategy), PR/Comms (authority building), Product (messaging), and Sales (customer insights). Cross-functional input ensures comprehensive strategy.

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