28 July 2026
To get your business found in AI search, structure your content so ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google's AI Overviews can quote it: answer questions directly in the first 40–60 words, use question-based headings, add FAQ sections, be specific, and make sure AI crawlers can access your site. The goal is being cited, not just ranked.
Search changed and most businesses missed it
A growing share of your customers now ask an AI before they ask Google. They type their question into ChatGPT or Perplexity, read the synthesised answer, and act on it, often without visiting a single website. If your business isn't cited inside that answer, you're invisible at the exact moment the decision is being made. Ranking on page one matters less when the customer never reaches the page.
What GEO and AEO actually mean
GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) are the practice of structuring your content so AI engines choose to quote it. Traditional SEO optimises to be ranked; GEO and AEO optimise to be cited. They share fundamentals with SEO, but the winning signals are different: clarity, structure, specificity and being genuinely quotable.
Answer the question first
AI engines weight the opening of your content most heavily. The first 40–60 words of any page should directly and completely answer the question it targets, no build-up, no throat-clearing. Say the answer, then explain it. A clear, self-contained opening is the single most effective thing you can do to get quoted.
Structure for machines that read like humans
Make your content easy to lift in pieces:
Phrase your headings as the questions people actually ask.
Keep one idea per section so each can be quoted on its own.
Add an FAQ section with tight, direct answers, prime real estate for AI answers.
Be specific: concrete mechanisms, numbers and definitions get cited more than vague claims.
Make sure AI can actually see you
None of this works if AI crawlers can't reach your site. Check that your robots.txt doesn't block bots like GPTBot, PerplexityBot and ClaudeBot, keep important content visible rather than hidden behind scripts, and add FAQ schema so engines can parse your questions. Visibility to AI is now a basic requirement, not an advanced tactic.
Authority still decides who gets quoted
AI engines prefer sources that demonstrate genuine expertise. Publish content with a clear author and a real point of view, keep your best pieces updated, and earn mentions elsewhere. The businesses building AI-search authority now are establishing themselves before their competitors realise the game has changed.
FAQ's:
What is the difference between SEO and GEO?
SEO optimises your content to rank in a list of search results; GEO optimises it to be cited inside an AI-generated answer. SEO earns a click; GEO earns a mention. As AI answers replace clicks, GEO is becoming as important as SEO once was.
How do I get quoted by ChatGPT or Perplexity?
Answer questions directly and early, structure content with question-based headings and FAQs, be specific and factual, and make sure AI crawlers can access your site. Clear, quotable, well-structured content is what these engines pull from.
Is AI search optimisation worth it for a small business?
Yes, arguably more so, because the field is still young. Getting cited in AI answers now builds compounding authority before larger competitors adapt, letting a small business punch well above its size.
Our audit assesses your visibility across both Google and AI platforms, so you're found where your customers are actually searching. Start here →