Generative search is fundamentally changing how UK businesses need to think about visibility and authority. While traditional Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) focused on ranking for keywords, Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) requires a completely different approach – one where multimedia content plays a central role. Video, infographics, podcasts and interactive content are no longer nice-to-have extras. They’re essential components of a strategy designed to win citations in Artificial Intelligence (AI) powered search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews.
The shift towards generative search means that Large Language Models (LLMs) are now reading, analysing and citing your content to provide answers directly to users. But these models don’t just favour text-based content anymore. They’re increasingly trained on and reward multimedia content that demonstrates expertise, provides clear visual explanations and builds trust through authentic storytelling. For UK businesses looking to capture visibility in 2026 and beyond, understanding how to create and optimise video and multimedia content specifically for generative search engines is crucial to staying competitive.
This guide will show you exactly how to leverage video and multimedia content to increase your chances of being cited by AI search engines, attract more qualified traffic and establish your business as an authority in your sector.
Why Video and Multimedia Content Performs Better in Generative Search Than Text Alone
The reason video and multimedia content performs so well in generative search comes down to how LLMs evaluate source credibility and depth of information. When an AI model is training on content, it learns to recognise patterns that indicate expertise and trustworthiness. Video content, particularly video that shows real expertise, problem-solving or detailed explanations, sends powerful signals that the creator knows what they’re talking about.
A study by Wistia found that businesses that use video see 80% higher engagement rates than those relying on text alone. While this statistic relates to traditional engagement, the principle applies even more strongly to generative search. When an AI engine encounters video content alongside text content, it has more data points to evaluate. It can assess the speaker’s credibility, the clarity of explanations, the visual quality of production and whether the content genuinely answers questions in a comprehensive way.
Moreover, video and multimedia content often includes transcripts, captions, descriptions and structured data – all of which give LLMs multiple ways to understand and index the content. This redundancy actually improves your chances of being cited because the AI engine can match your content to user queries through multiple pathways: the video title, the transcript, the description, the captions and the metadata.
Research from HubSpot shows that 86% of businesses use video as a marketing tool, yet many fail to optimise it for generative search engines. This represents a significant opportunity gap for UK businesses willing to adapt their video strategies.
Another critical factor is that multimedia content demonstrates practical expertise in ways that text often cannot. If you’re a business coach showing a client how to structure their day or an executive coach explaining body language techniques, video allows you to show rather than just tell. This practical demonstration is exactly what generative search engines are trained to recognise and reward with citations.
The algorithms behind ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews are designed to provide users with reliable, well-sourced information. Video content that clearly demonstrates expertise and provides genuine value to viewers signals to these algorithms that your business is a credible source worth citing. Additionally, video content typically generates more backlinks, social shares and brand mentions – all signals that feed into generative search algorithms.
Creating Video Content Optimised for Generative Search Engine Citations
Creating video content specifically for generative search requires a different approach than creating videos for YouTube or social media. While those platforms reward watch time and engagement, generative search engines reward clarity, depth, expertise and answers to specific user questions.
The first step is to identify the questions your target audience asks in generative search engines. Unlike traditional keyword research, you need to think about the conversational queries people ask ChatGPT or Perplexity. For example, a public speaking coach shouldn’t just create a video titled
