How an GEO introductionsession at Hemink Group led to a new direction: from SEO to GEO

Onlangs bezocht ik de Hemink Groep in Holten en gaf ik een introductionsession on Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). This session was built on the mindset shift that started it all, mapping the core transition from traditional SEO to GEO. For a team currently preparing a new website, the timing was perfect. They wanted to understand what an AI marketing training could do for their team. The goal of the session? To show that traditional marketing no longer aligns with how their customers find answers today. Businesses need a new AI marketing strategy to stay ahead.

Het was geweldig om te zien wat er gebeurt als je diep induikt met een team. Je ziet het exacte moment waarop de kwartjes vallen: als AI je niet als bron gebruikt, word je onzichtbaar voor een grote groep potentiële klanten. This realization is precisely why Hemink Group acted now, knowing that delaying their AI transition would create an insurmountable GEO early mover credibility gap.

De Verschuiving: Het antwoord staat al op het scherm

During the workshop, I explained that the era of ‘clicking blue links’ is ending. Hemink’s clients who often have complex questions about property maintenance and sustainability are now getting their answers directly from systems like ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews.

The major eye-opener for the team was that the customer often doesn’t even visit your website to find the answer anymore. This means your marketing strategy has to change. It’s no longer just about your website being ‘found’; it’s about being the authority the AI relies on for its information. This immediate competitive threat and strategic opportunity is exactly why HeminkGenerative Engine Optimization: Waarom vroeg aan de slag gaan een ‘geloofwaardigheidsgat’ creëert’ Group acted now to avoid a widening GEO early mover credibility gap.

Debora Citgez, directeur klant en markt bij de Hemink Groep, vatte de kern van de workshop perfect samen. Ze realiseerde zich dat deze nieuwe manier van zoeken invloed heeft op alles: van hoe je de tekst schrijft tot hoe je de technische kant van je website inricht. “We moeten hier rekening mee houden tijdens de bouw; dit gaat compleet anders werken,” was haar directe reactie.

Tijdens de sessie keken we naar praktische stappen die een team direct kan zetten om hun GEO-autoriteit:

• Gestructureerde gegevens: Zorgen dat AI de context van uw expertise begrijpt.
• Brandcitaten: Uw merknaam koppelen aan uw specialiteit op de juiste plaatsen.
• Volledige antwoorden: Informatie zo feitelijk maken dat AI er niet omheen kan.

Van inspiratie naar een concreet plan

Wat deze dag succesvol maakte, was het enthousiasme en de leergierigheid van het team. Een introductiesessie is een goed begin, maar de echte waarde zit in de toepassing. Daarom stoppen we niet bij deze ene sessie.

We are now going to do a series of follow-up workshops to get Hemink’s entire marketing strategy ready for the world of AI. It’s fantastic to see a team switch from ‘waiting and seeing’ to ‘leading the way’ in a single afternoon.

Are you considering a incompany workshop as well? We offer free one hour introduction sessions about GEO and AI for marketing. Marielle Alferink will explain in one hour the difference between SEO and GEO and how to leverage AI in marketing for your company. At the end of the session you know exactly if your company needs incompany workshops about AI in marketing.

Conclusion

Ultimately, AI search is not just a shift in tools; it is a permanent shift in how authority is built. The teams that choose to adapt today are the ones securing their visibility for tomorrow. Hemink Group’s proactive approach serves as a perfect blueprint for what staying relevant looks like in practice.

Are you considering an incompany workshop as well? To explore how we can help your organization pivot, see our full incompany offering and learn how we tailor AI marketing for teams.

We offer free one-hour introduction sessions about GEO and AI for marketing. Marielle Alferink will explain in one hour the difference between SEO and GEO and how to leverage AI in marketing for your company. At the end of the session you know exactly if your company needs incompany workshops about AI in marketing.

Writen by:

Marielle Alferink is an AI Marketingstrategist and the Founder of Future Marketing Academy. A specialist in GEO and AI-driven strategy, she trains marketing teams to thrive in the era of AI search. With a background in film and software, Marielle brings a unique entrepreneurial perspective to emerging technologies.