SEO & GEO guide 2026
Complete guide: SEO optimization for e-commerce and B2B brands in 2026
What is SEO optimization?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is a digital marketing strategy aimed at increasing a website's visibility in the organic (free) results of a search engine. Google holds the large majority of search in every EU market, so for most brands optimizing for Google is what SEO means in practice.
SEO is a long-term investment that differs fundamentally from paid advertising (Google Ads, Meta Ads). When the advertising budget ends, results vanish immediately. SEO results, however, last for months or even years after optimization, making SEO one of the highest-ROI marketing channels.
Why is SEO more important in 2026 than ever before?
2026 has brought three important changes to the SEO world. First, Google AI Overviews has reshaped the search results page, AI-generated answers take up more and more space, meaning organic results must be even more relevant and higher quality. Second, user search behavior has changed, a growing share of digitally active users now start their search in an AI tool (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude) rather than on Google. Third, Google E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) has become more important than ever, Google favors content backed by genuine expertise and experience.
What does Maison Mint do differently?
Maison Mint offers SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) as a single package. This means every optimization step, a technical fix, content creation, Schema markup, is built to work both in traditional Google search and on AI platforms.
We use our own AI-powered platform Pinnly (pinnly.io), which scans websites, creates optimized content and manages organic visibility automatically.
GEO optimization: what is it and why do you need it?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is a new area of optimization that focuses on content visibility in AI-powered search platforms. Unlike traditional SEO, where you optimize a website for Google's algorithm, GEO optimizes your content so that AI systems (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Claude and Bing Chat) cite and recommend your business in their responses.
GEO requires a different approach to content creation. AI platforms prefer content that contains specific facts and numbers, structured statements, original data and research, clear entity relationships (who, what, where, when) and Schema markup that helps machines understand content.
The Maison Mint GEO strategy includes entity-based SEO (strengthening your business's "digital identity"), creating citable content, Knowledge Panel optimization and multi-platform monitoring.
SEO optimization pricing in 2026
SEO optimization in Europe typically costs 300–3000€ per month, depending on project scope, competition level and desired results. In lower-competition niches (local business, specific services) 300–500€ per month is enough. On medium-competition markets (e-commerce, B2B services) the optimal investment is 500–1500€ per month. In high-competition fields (real estate, financial services, travel), 1500–3000€+ per month is required.
Maison Mint offers three clear packages: Starter (490€/month) for small businesses, Growth (890€/month) for growing companies with GEO optimization included, and Premium (1490€/month) for market leaders seeking maximum visibility on both Google and AI platforms.
How long do SEO results take?
SEO is a long-term strategy and an honest agency will tell you that directly. The first technical fixes (site speed, indexability, Schema markup) produce results within 2–4 weeks. The impact of on-page optimization is visible in 1–3 months. Content creation and GEO optimization results appear in 3–6 months. Stable high positions in more competitive fields are typically achieved in 6–12 months.
GEO optimization results can be faster, because AI platforms update their databases more frequently than Google's algorithm. This is one of the reasons Maison Mint always recommends combining SEO and GEO, you get both short-term and long-term results.