GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization, is the work of making your website easy for AI tools such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, Gemini and Perplexity to find, understand and cite. When someone asks one of these tools “What’s a good catering service in Cavite?” or “Who does solar panel installation near me?”, GEO improves the chance that your business is part of the answer.
GEO is not a separate trick that replaces SEO. Most of it is good SEO done thoroughly: a website search engines can access, clear and accurate information about your business, content that answers real questions directly, and consistent mentions of your business across the web. No one can guarantee that an AI tool will recommend a specific business, but these steps make it more likely.
How AI tools choose which businesses to mention
AI search tools don’t invent their answers from nothing. Before answering, they search for sources and then summarize what they find. Knowing where they look tells you what to work on.
Google AI Overviews and AI Mode are built on Google’s regular search index. Google’s documentation for site owners says that to appear as a supporting link, a page must be indexed and eligible to show in Google Search with a snippet, and that no special optimization is required beyond normal SEO best practices. Google also explains that these features may run several related searches on subtopics (which it calls “query fan-out”) to build one answer. That means a page that answers a specific sub-question clearly can be cited even if it doesn’t rank first for the main search.
ChatGPT search uses OpenAI’s own crawler, called OAI-SearchBot. According to OpenAI, websites that block OAI-SearchBot in their robots.txt file will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers. A separate crawler, GPTBot, is used for AI model training, and the two can be allowed or blocked independently.
Third-party sources matter too. AI tools often draw on review sites, directories, forums, news articles and video platforms, not only on business websites. What other sites say about your business can affect whether you are mentioned, and how.
SEO vs GEO: what’s the same and what’s different
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank your pages in search results so people click | Get your business cited or recommended inside AI-generated answers |
| Where results appear | Google and Bing results pages | ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity |
| Foundation | Crawlable, fast, well-structured website | The same, plus access for AI crawlers such as OAI-SearchBot |
| Content style | Pages targeting keywords | Pages that answer specific questions directly, in plain language |
| Outside signals | Backlinks from other websites | Backlinks plus reviews, directory listings and mentions that describe your business consistently |
| How you measure it | Rankings, clicks, traffic | AI mentions and citations, plus search traffic and inquiries |
In practice, you don’t choose one or the other. Strong SEO is the base that GEO builds on.
7 steps to help AI tools recommend your business
1. Make sure search engines and AI crawlers can access your site
Check your robots.txt file (yourwebsite.com/robots.txt). It should not block Googlebot or OAI-SearchBot. Also check that your important pages are indexed: search Google for site:yourwebsite.com or use the Pages report in Google Search Console. Security plugins and firewall settings can sometimes block crawlers by mistake, so ask your developer to confirm.
2. State the basic facts about your business clearly
AI tools need to know exactly who you are, what you do and where you operate. On your website, state in plain text:
- Your business name, written the same way everywhere
- What you offer, in the words customers use
- The areas you serve (for example, “Cavite, Laguna and Metro Manila”)
- Your address, phone number, email and business hours
- How long you have been operating and who you serve
Put this information in text, not only inside images or graphics, because text is easier for search engines and AI tools to read.
3. Write content that answers questions directly
People ask AI tools full questions, such as “How much does catering for 100 guests cost in Cavite?” Pages that answer questions like these are more likely to be cited. For each important service:
- Start the page or section with a two- or three-sentence direct answer.
- Use headings that match real customer questions.
- Add specific details: prices or price ranges, timelines, process steps, service areas.
- Add a short FAQ section with the questions customers ask you most often.
4. Add structured data (schema markup)
Structured data is code that labels the information on your pages, such as your business name, address, services and FAQs. Google states that no special markup is required to appear in its AI features, but structured data still helps search engines read your pages accurately and can earn rich results in regular search. Common types for a business website are LocalBusiness (or a specific type such as Restaurant or HomeAndConstructionBusiness), Service, FAQPage and Article. On WordPress, plugins such as Rank Math or Yoast can add most of these.
5. Build consistent mentions and reviews on other sites
AI tools compare what your website says with what other sources say. Make sure your business name, address, phone number and services are the same on:
- Google Business Profile
- Facebook page and other social profiles
- Business directories and industry associations
- Marketplaces or booking platforms you use
Ask satisfied customers to leave reviews, and reply to reviews politely. Mentions in local news, partner websites and industry articles also help.
6. Complete and maintain your Google Business Profile
For local searches, your Google Business Profile is one of the most important sources Google has about you. Fill in every field: categories, services, service areas, hours, photos and a clear description. Post updates regularly and keep your hours and photos current.
7. Keep your information current
Outdated prices, past promos, old addresses and discontinued services can lead AI tools to give wrong information about your business. Review your key pages every few months, update the date on content you revise, and remove or redirect pages for services you no longer offer. If your website is too difficult to update, that may be a sign it needs a redesign.
How to check whether AI tools mention your business
There is no single report that shows every AI mention, so use a mix of simple checks:
- Ask the AI tools directly. Once a month, ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Mode the questions your customers would ask, for example “best [your service] in [your city].” Note whether your business appears, what is said about it, and which sources are cited.
- Check Google Search Console. Google counts visits from AI Overviews and AI Mode as part of your regular search traffic in the Performance report, so watch your overall clicks and impressions.
- Check Google Analytics. Look at referral traffic from sites such as chatgpt.com and perplexity.ai.
- Ask new customers. Add “How did you find us?” to your contact form, with “ChatGPT or another AI tool” as an option.
If an AI tool gives wrong information about your business, check where it came from. The fix is usually to correct the source: your website, your Google Business Profile, or a directory listing.
Frequently asked questions
What does GEO stand for?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. “Generative engines” are AI tools that write answers, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode.
Is GEO different from SEO?
GEO builds on SEO. Both need a website that search engines can access and understand. GEO adds a focus on answering questions directly, keeping business information consistent across the web, and allowing AI crawlers to access your site.
Can anyone guarantee that ChatGPT will recommend my business?
No. AI tools decide their answers on their own, and results change with each question and over time. GEO increases the chance that your business is found and described accurately.
How long does GEO take to show results?
Fixing crawler access and business information can take effect within days or weeks. Content and reputation work usually takes several months, similar to SEO.
Do I need a new website for GEO?
Not always. Many sites only need content updates, structured data and correct crawler settings. A new website or redesign makes sense when the current site is slow, hard to update, or poorly structured.
Get a free SEO and GEO check
Spindiv Kinetics can check whether search engines and AI crawlers can access your website, how your business appears in AI answers today, and what to fix first. The check is free and there is no obligation.
Button: Get a Free SEO & GEO Check (/contact)
Sources
- AI features and your website — Google Search Central
- Overview of OpenAI crawlers (OAI-SearchBot and GPTBot) — OpenAI
