Air opens with a problem, not a product.

Matt Damon’s character isn’t selling shoes. He’s selling belief—before anyone else sees it. Nike didn’t win by gaming the system. They won by picking a lane, committing to it, and building authority around a story no one else could credibly tell.

That’s the same lesson that finally snapped into focus for me with GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).

Pick Your Lane or Live in Voodoo

Here’s the uncomfortable truth about SEO:

If you’re chasing keywords everyone else is chasing, you’re not doing strategy—you’re doing voodoo. Rules change. Algorithms shift. Rankings wobble. Six months turns into a year, and maybe something sticks.

The real SEO secret is boring and brutally effective:

Own something. Name it. Protect it. Build around it.

That’s why our trademarks have always ranked well in Google. Not because of tricks—but because no one else can legitimately compete in that lane.

GEO simply exposed how powerful that idea really is.

Why GEO Was an Immediate Win

Unlike traditional SEO, GEO rewards clarity and structure immediately.

You don’t wait 6–12 months to see if you guessed right. You verify results almost in real time.

And yes—I’ll admit it publicly: Parts of our site (matrixforce.com) still looked like the late 90s.

ChatGPT helped me:

• Clean up layout and flow
• Modernize language without marketing fluff
• Rebuild pages visually and structurally
• Add the right schema so AI systems could answer questions above ads, above local pack, above the 10 blue links

That’s the whole point of GEO.

When an AI is asked a question, it doesn’t want clever copy. It wants clear authority.

All-in? This was easily a $100K+ competitive upgrade—not just for prospects, but for clients, candidates, and staff.

Why Most People Won’t Do This (and That’s Okay)

I’m sharing this to help—but let’s be honest:

Less than 5% of you will actually implement it.

And of those, only a few will invest the time and thought required.

Why?

Problem #1: No Real Brand

Most MSPs (and professional services firms) don’t actually have a brand—just a name. So marketing becomes a jumble of keywords instead of authority.

Problem #2: No Access

Many businesses don’t truly control their websites. They can’t touch the code. They can’t add schema. They’re locked out “under the covers.”

Problem #3: Time

This took north of 80 hours of focused work. There is no shortcut.

Irony: I Had the Hard Part Done

Fortunately:

• Trademarks for our name, mission, tagline, approach
• Clear value proposition
• Defined services

Unfortunately:

• Layout was a mess
• SEO and GEO were inconsistent
• Key subtopic and industry pages were missing
• Some pages had to die so others could live

Just like Air, there were painful cuts. Old ideas killed. Pages rewritten. Others completely reimagined.

That struggle matters—because clarity costs something.

Order Matters (This Is Where People Screw Up)

1. Start with Services Be precise. No unrealistic promises. AI punishes exaggeration.
2. Build Target Client (Industry) Pages Not keyword-stuffed nonsense—actual relevance.
3. Clean Up the Home Page StoryBrand format. Removing the value stack actually opened the page and reduced friction.

Simple > Clever.

Example: GEO-Ready Schema for an Engineering Firm

Here’s the kind of structure AI understands immediately:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Example Engineering Group",
  "url": "https://www.exampleengineering.com",
  "owns": {
    "@type": "Service",
    "name": "Engineering Consulting Services"
  },
  "contactPoint": {
    "@type": "ContactPoint",
    "contactType": "client services",
    "telephone": "+1-555-555-5555"
  },
  "memberOf": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Professional Engineers Association"
  },
  "hasCredential": {
    "@type": "EducationalOccupationalCredential",
    "credentialCategory": "Professional License"
  },
  "knowsAbout": [
    "Structural Engineering",
    "Compliance",
    "Risk Management"
  ],
  "hasOfferCatalog": {
    "@type": "OfferCatalog",
    "name": "Engineering Services Catalog"
  }
} 

Notice what’s missing:

• No hype
• No bravado
• No competitor slamming

Just who, what, how, and where—cleanly defined.

Real Turning Point

At some point, I realized this wasn’t about ranking.

It was about building a defensible asset:

• Educational
• Direct-response
• Authority-based

Not brags. Not sales pitches. Not fear-based marketing.

AI rewards the firm that can calmly explain reality.

Small Things That Matter More Than You Think

• Simple card layouts
• Clean sectioning
• Logical internal links at the bottom of pages
• Using brand names and keywords intelligently
• Not competing with your own brand by hiding it behind generic anchors

Most brands sabotage themselves right there.

Closing Scene (Air Got This Right)

In Air, Nike didn’t win because they shouted louder. They won because they committed first.

They believed in something specific, built around it, and made it undeniable.

GEO works the same way.

Pick your lane. Own it. Structure it. Tell the truth clearly.

That’s not marketing. That’s authority.

And authority compounds.

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Published by Kevin Fream

Many people don't understand their current situation and become frustrated in business and life, so I created the Delta Method and wrote the #1 Best-Seller "Change Your Game" - as featured at Harvard and NASDAQ as well as national TV news. Streamline your technology for competitive advantage using vetted IT support and take a divergent approach to personal growth. View all posts by Kevin Fream