What is GEO and how to get your business into AI search
Updated: · Webu
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) means preparing your site and brand so ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google’s AI Overviews mention your business and use your site as a source. According to Google’s official position, there are no special tricks for appearing in AI features: the page needs to be indexed, technically sound and full of helpful, trustworthy content. For ChatGPT search, OpenAI’s OAI-SearchBot must be able to access your site.
- GEO
- Generative Engine Optimization
- Where it applies
- ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, AI Overviews
- Foundation
- SEO + trustworthy, quotable content
How do SEO, AEO and GEO differ?
SEO is about classic search: ranking high in Google results. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about direct answers: getting search or an assistant to answer a user’s question from your page. GEO is about generative assistants that write the answer themselves from several sources and often cite them.
All three rest on the same foundation: a technically sound website and content that genuinely helps people.
What does Google say about AI Overviews?
Google’s documentation states plainly that there are no additional requirements or special optimizations needed to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode. The page must be indexed and eligible to be shown in Google Search with a snippet.
Google recommends the same fundamentals as regular SEO: people-first content, crawling allowed in robots.txt, internal links, a good page experience, important content in text form, accurate structured data and Google Business Profile information.
How does a website get into ChatGPT search?
OpenAI runs several crawlers with different purposes. OAI-SearchBot processes sites for ChatGPT search, and according to OpenAI’s documentation, a site that blocks this bot will not appear in ChatGPT search answers. GPTBot collects data for model training, and ChatGPT-User acts when a user asks ChatGPT to open a specific page.
These settings are independent: you can allow OAI-SearchBot for search and block GPTBot for training. According to OpenAI, it takes about 24 hours for a robots.txt change to take effect.
| Crawler | Company | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| OAI-SearchBot | OpenAI | ChatGPT search results |
| GPTBot | OpenAI | Model training |
| ChatGPT-User | OpenAI | Opening a page at a user’s request |
| Googlebot | Google Search, including AI Overviews | |
| Google-Extended | Gemini training and grounding | |
| PerplexityBot | Perplexity | Perplexity search |
| ClaudeBot | Anthropic | Data for Claude |
Which 8 practical steps improve GEO?
- Check robots.txt: AI search crawlers (OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, Googlebot) must not be blocked
- Open every important page with a short, direct answer: who you are, what you do, what it costs and how long it takes
- Phrase headings as the questions people actually search: “How much does…”, “What is the difference…”
- State specific, verifiable facts: prices, timelines, process. Generic phrases are not quotable for AI
- Add structured data (Schema.org): Organization, Service, FAQPage, Article
- Create an llms.txt file: a short Markdown summary at the site root that gives AI the key information fast
- Keep brand information identical everywhere: website, Google Business Profile, social media, directories
- Measure results: check analytics for visitors from chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai and other AI sources
What is llms.txt?
llms.txt is a standard proposed by Jeremy Howard in 2024: a Markdown file at the site root (/llms.txt) that gives large language models short, structured information about the site. The only required part is an H1 heading with the site name, optionally followed by a short summary and lists of links to key pages.
llms.txt does not replace SEO. It is an extra channel that helps AI agents understand a site quickly and accurately.
What can no one promise you about GEO?
No one can honestly promise that ChatGPT or Gemini will definitely mention your business: it depends on the question, the competition and how trustworthy the system considers your site. You can increase the chance and measure the result, exactly as with regular SEO.
Frequently asked questions
What is GEO?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) means optimizing your site and brand so AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity mention your business in their answers and use your site as a source.
Do AI Overviews need special optimization?
According to Google’s official documentation, no. The page must be indexed and eligible for a snippet; the rest is regular SEO: helpful content, technical soundness and structured data.
How do I get my site into ChatGPT search?
OAI-SearchBot must be allowed in robots.txt. According to OpenAI, sites that block this bot will not appear in ChatGPT search answers. After that, clear, factual and quotable content matters most.
If I block GPTBot, will I disappear from ChatGPT?
Not necessarily. GPTBot is for model training, while ChatGPT search uses OAI-SearchBot. According to OpenAI, these settings are independent.
How do I measure visitors coming from AI?
Check your analytics traffic sources: chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai, gemini.google.com, copilot.microsoft.com and others. Webu’s analytics shows these sources separately.
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