AI search (AEO and GEO)
GEO vs SEO: The Real Differences and Where to Focus First
GEO is mostly SEO with a different scoreboard. Here is what actually changes, what does not, and where to start.
Read articleAI Search Optimization: The Complete Guide to AEO and GEO
People now get answers from Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity before they click anything. This guide shows how those systems pick sources and the 9-step plan I use to get clients cited.
This is my complete guide to AI search optimization: how answer engines pick the pages they quote, what AEO and GEO really mean, and the practical plan I use for clients who want to be cited in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity. If you want it done for you, see my AEO services and GEO services.
Quick answer
AI search optimization means making your pages easy for AI systems to find, understand, trust and quote. The foundation is normal SEO: crawlable, indexed pages with helpful content. On top of that, you write answer-first sections, build clear entities with schema and consistent profiles, earn mentions on sites AI tools already cite, and allow the AI search crawlers in robots.txt.
What is AI search?
AI search is any search experience where an AI model writes the answer and links to a few sources, instead of only showing ten blue links. The main ones today are:
| Platform | Where answers come from | What you control |
|---|---|---|
| Google AI Overviews and AI Mode | Google’s index and ranking systems | Normal Google SEO: indexing, snippets, helpful content |
| ChatGPT search | OpenAI’s search crawler plus partner search data | Allowing OAI-SearchBot, being indexed and cited elsewhere |
| Perplexity | PerplexityBot index plus live page fetches | Allowing PerplexityBot, clear and current pages |
| Microsoft Copilot | Bing’s index | Bing indexing (Bing Webmaster Tools, IndexNow) |
AEO vs GEO vs SEO
The names overlap, so here is how I use them:
- SEO (search engine optimization): ranking pages in classic search results.
- AEO (answer engine optimization): structuring content so engines can lift a direct answer: featured snippets, voice answers, AI Overviews. More in AEO vs SEO.
- GEO (generative engine optimization): increasing how often generative tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity mention and cite your brand, including mentions on other websites.
They are not separate projects. Good SEO is the base, AEO shapes the page, and GEO extends your presence across the web.
What Google says about AI Overviews
Google’s own documentation is clear: to be shown as a supporting link in AI Overviews or AI Mode, a page must be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet. There are no extra requirements and no special optimizations, files or schema needed. Google recommends the same fundamentals as always: allow crawling, use internal links, give a good page experience, keep important content in text, support it with images and video, keep structured data in line with the visible text, and keep Merchant Center and Business Profile data up to date.
That means anyone selling a “secret AI Overview hack” is selling something Google says does not exist. The edge comes from doing the fundamentals better than competitors. Read how to rank in Google AI Overviews for the full method.
How AI tools choose which pages to cite
No AI company publishes a full formula, but the patterns across Google, ChatGPT and Perplexity are consistent with what their documentation says:
- Retrieval first: the system searches its index for pages that match the question. If you are not indexed or are blocked, you cannot be chosen.
- Passage relevance: it looks for a passage that directly answers the question. Clear headings and short, self-contained answers are easier to lift.
- Trust signals: well-known, consistent entities and sources mentioned across the web are cited more often.
- Freshness: for changing topics, recently updated pages win.
- Diversity: answers often cite several sources, which gives smaller expert sites a real chance.
My 9-step AI search optimization plan
- Fix the foundation. Make sure key pages are indexed, fast and free of errors. Start with a free SEO audit and the Search Console reports in my Search Console errors hub.
- Allow AI search crawlers. In robots.txt, allow Googlebot, Bingbot, OAI-SearchBot (ChatGPT search) and PerplexityBot. Blocking GPTBot only opts you out of model training, not ChatGPT search. Test with the robots.txt tester.
- Write answer-first sections. Under each question heading, give a 40 to 60 word direct answer, then the detail. Use the exact question people ask as the H2.
- Cover the whole topic. Build topic clusters so your site answers the follow-up questions too. See my semantic SEO guide.
- Make your entity clear. Use Organization or Person schema, an about page, consistent name, logo and description, and sameAs links to your real profiles. See the schema markup guide.
- Add proof and first-hand experience. Case studies, original numbers, real examples. AI answers favour specific, quotable facts.
- Earn mentions where AI looks. Industry publications, comparison and review sites, Reddit and Quora threads, and expert roundups. See brand mentions and Quora answers.
- Keep pages fresh. Update key pages with new data and a visible updated date.
- Measure. Track AI referrals in analytics (chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai and copilot referrers), check your brand questions in each tool monthly, and watch Search Console for impressions.
How to write content AI tools want to quote
| Do | Avoid |
|---|---|
| Question headings that match real searches | Clever headings with no keywords |
| Direct answer in the first 1 or 2 sentences | Long introductions before the answer |
| Specific numbers, dates and names | Vague claims like “many experts say” |
| Tables for comparisons, lists for steps | Walls of text |
| Author name, experience and sources | Anonymous pages with no evidence |
| One topic per page, covered fully | Many thin pages on tiny variations |
Example
Question: “What is a niche edit?” A quotable answer: “A niche edit is a backlink added to an existing article that is already published and indexed on another website, instead of a new guest post. It works best when the article is relevant and already gets traffic.” Then a short table compares niche edits with guest posts. That first paragraph can be lifted as-is into an AI answer, and the table gives the detail a reader wants next.
Do you need llms.txt or special AI files?
No. Google says no AI-specific text files or markup are needed for AI Overviews or AI Mode. An llms.txt file is optional and costs little, but it will not make up for weak content or blocked crawlers. Details in what is llms.txt.
How to measure AI search visibility
- Referral traffic: in GA4, look at sessions from chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai, copilot.microsoft.com and gemini.google.com.
- Search Console: AI Overview clicks and impressions are counted in the normal Performance report.
- Manual checks: keep a list of 20 to 30 questions your buyers ask, and check monthly which sources each tool cites.
- Brand mentions: track new mentions of your brand on the sites AI tools cite most in your niche.
Where to go next
Start with the guide that matches your goal: rank in Google AI Overviews, get cited by ChatGPT, or build topical depth with semantic SEO.
Done for you
I optimise your site for AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity: answer-first content, entity and schema fixes, and brand mentions on sites AI tools cite.
Frequently asked questions
Is AI search optimization different from SEO?
It builds on SEO. AI systems still need to find, index and trust your pages. AI optimization adds answer-first writing, clear entities and wider brand mentions.
Do I need special schema for AI Overviews?
No. Google says no special structured data is needed. Use normal schema that matches your visible content.
Should I block GPTBot?
Blocking GPTBot only stops your content being used for OpenAI model training. To appear in ChatGPT search, allow OAI-SearchBot.
How long does it take to get cited by AI tools?
If your pages are already indexed and strong, changes can show within weeks. New sites usually need months to build enough trust and mentions.
Can small websites appear in AI answers?
Yes. AI answers often cite several sources, and specific, expert answers from smaller sites are cited regularly.
Sources
Facts checked against these official pages on 10 October 2026. Read my editorial policy.
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