Founder, visble.ai
Ranking on Google is no longer just about keywords; it’s about keeping up with AI.
If your SEO strategy still revolves around meta tags and backlinks alone, it’s time for a reality check. You can’t play by the old-school tactics anymore since Generative Search Experience is rapidly gaining momentum.
ChatGPT reached 365 billion annual searches in just two years, 5.5 times faster than Google, which took 11 years to hit the same milestone. This shows that users are now shifting to AI for answers faster than ever.
What’s even more surprising is that more than 61% of Gen Z users regularly utilise generative AI tools for search. They trust AI-generated answers, and they convert better too.
Do you know that ChatGPT’s conversion rate is far better than Google or Bing? It delivered the highest lead-to-close rate across all search platforms.
Meanwhile, Google still owns the top of the funnel with 58% traffic share, but its downstream efficiency is slipping. ChatGPT turns clicks into customers more effectively, proving this isn’t just a Gen Z trend but a full-funnel shift.
It is a revolution, not just progress!
Keep reading our Generative Engine Optimization Playbook, where we show you how to stay visible as well as ahead in an AI-first search world!
It’s time to break down the inside secrets of how generative AI models work!
Generative AI engines learn from a vast amount of information available on the internet. So when you ask them something, it doesn’t just give a list of links; it understands your question to provide a clear, helpful answer, almost like a real person talking to you.
Let me walk you through the process.
It begins when a user types in a question or something they are looking for. It could be a simple query or something more complex, such as a product comparison or a how-to request.
The engine takes a moment to understand what the user wants.
This part is key! It’s interpreting intent & context, which helps the AI understand not just what is being asked, but why.
Once it knows what you’re looking for, the engine searches across vast amounts of data, such as websites, product pages, PDFs, and more.
It’s not just limited to traditional search results; it can pull from:
It does all this in seconds, narrowing down the most relevant, credible information.
Once it has gathered the most valuable pieces of information, it’s time to create a response.
Using powerful large language models (LLMs), like GPT-4 or Gemini, the engine generates a human-like answer, summarizing everything it found in a way that sounds clear & helpful.
The result is a neatly packaged answer that saves the user from having to click through 10 different links.
Platform | Search Engine/Data Source Used | Best For | Real-Time Web Access |
ChatGPT (Pro) | Bing (for browsing), internal training data | Conversational queries, shopping, coding & creative tasks | Yes |
Gemini (Google) | Google Search + LLM capabilities | Smart summaries, shopping, research & fact-finding | Yes |
Microsoft Copilot | GPT-4 + Bing + Microsoft integrations | Emails, spreadsheets & Microsoft 365 productivity | Yes |
Perplexity AI | Own Search Index + its own AI stack | Research with citations and web-based results | Yes |
Claude (Anthropic) | Brave, internal training data | Long-form writing, analysis & safer conversations | Yes |
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the process of influencing AI search engines, like ChatGPT or Gemini, to improve visibility and website traffic in AI searches.
Instead of just using keywords, GEO focuses on creating authoritative content, increasing the frequency of your brand’s share of voice, and earning trust through consistent, credible information.
AI-powered search engines do more than just index or rank websites. It provides a summarized & personalized response to the answer using a wide range of sources (websites) from the internet.
Whereas traditional search engines would provide results for a user’s query as a list of “blue links” organized by relevance & optimization, AI models can provide detailed answers from a variety of sources & contexts.
SEO & GEO both aim to improve your brand’s visibility online, but they work in different ways.
SEO targets ranking on traditional search engines, such as Google.
But GEO aims to get your content featured in AI-generated responses on platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity.
Here are some of the most notable differences!
SEO
The goal is to rank higher on traditional search engines, such as Google or Bing. The higher you rank, the more clicks & traffic you receive.
For example, optimising a blog so it ranks in the top 3 results on Google for keywords like affordable project management software.
GEO
The goal is to appear as a cited source or recommendation in responses generated by AI models. Especially for commercial prompts like best CRM tools for startups, being one of the most recommended brands is a new visibility win.
For example, appearing as a recommendation on a prompt like- “What’s the best budget-friendly project management software for startups” for the SaaS/project management company.
SEO
It focuses on long-form, keyword-optimized content. The idea is to match search intent & signal relevance to Google’s algorithm.
For example, a 2,000-word blog packed with high-volume keywords, headings, & internal links to rank for multiple queries.
GEO
It focuses on expert-driven, structured content. AI models require easily digestible & trustworthy content to cite. The FAQs, tables, real world case studies & examples, and concise summaries are most effective.
For example, a 1,000-word guide with bullet points, FAQs, schemas & citations. This makes it easy for ChatGPT to pick up insights as well as references for your content.
The key difference here is that SEO content often draws the user in to explore more. However, GEO content aims to answer questions directly or get cited without requiring a click.
SEO
Users typically click a link & visit your site to explore your content.
For example, a user Googles their query to scroll through the results. Then, click your blog post for the complete guide.
GEO
Users get direct answers inside the AI platform. They may visit your site as well as your brand is seen & trusted as a cited source.
For example, a user asks ChatGPT, Which CRM is best for small businesses. Instead of showing a list of links, ChatGPT generates an answer, and your website is cited right within that response as a trusted source.
The best part is that the user may not even need to click through to your site to trust your brand. You’re already part of the conversation.
SEO
Search Engine Optimization is all about making your website rank higher on search engines like Google, so people can find you when they’re actively searching for something you offer.
GEO
It is focused on how often AI engines reference your content, as well as the number of people who visit or engage with your site.
For example, ChatGPT recommends your brand in response to 80 out of 100 queries related to your domain.
SEO
Focuses on on-page elements, such as meta tags & header tags, as well as backlink building.
For example, you optimize a web page by adding keywords & building backlinks.
GEO
Focuses on structured data (schemas), clear content formatting & credibility.
For example, you can create a blog with a clear structure & apply schema markup, making it easier for AI to cite.
Aspect | GEO | SEO |
Objective | Rank high on Google/Bing | Cite in AI-generated answers |
Content Type | Keyword-optimized, long-form | Structured, expert-driven, easy to summarise |
User Interaction | Click to read full content | Get quick answers; brand cited directly |
Metrics Tracked | Traffic, DA, backlinks | Citation count, brand mentions, sentiment score |
Optimization Style | Meta tags, backlinks | Schema markup, FAQs, tables, examples |
Adopting an SEO-centric approach alone is no longer sufficient. Generative AI engines operate under a different set of rules, so although SEO still counts, GEO requires efforts beyond SEO.
Let’s explore where the two overlap as well as why you need both.
Both SEO & GEO aim for visibility, whether it’s ranking on the first page of Google or appearing in a ChatGPT response. They’re designed to help your brand stand out organically on search engines (AI/Traditional)
The great content wins remains the same. GEO & SEO both prioritise high-quality, relevant, as well as trustworthy content that
The better your content, the more likely it is to rank well as well as be cited by AI engines.
In addition, providing the right information to the user matters for both GEO and SEO. Your content needs to be
Good UX improves performance for all users, whether they are humans reading your blog or AI systems scanning it for answers.
Both GEO and SEO rely on data, tracking metrics like
Your strategy can be fine-tuned with the help of this feedback loop.
Quick page loads, mobile-friendliness, structured data, as well as crawlability are all essential for search engine optimization as well as for GEO.
At the end, you are supposed to be indexed on the search engine to be cited on AI search platforms.
Google & ChatGPT might disregard your page if it is unorganized.
SEO has long relied on backlinks & domain authority. GEO examines content credibility & trustworthiness and your brand mention in authoritative sources. Your authority increases your visibility in both cases, so the more credible you are, the more likely you are to be ranked or cited.
Just like SEO evolves with Google’s algorithm updates, GEO changes as AI models improve. What worked last year may not work tomorrow. Continuous learning is essential for staying visible & relevant in both spaces.
Generative Engine Optimization is uncharted ground for most marketers. But just like SEO, you can’t optimize without some key metrics. The most successful brands are already tracking specific metrics that help them appear more frequently in AI-generated responses.
Here’s a breakdown of the most essential GEO metrics you should be tracking regularly.
Brand Visibility indicates how frequently your brand appears in prompts related to your niche or industry across AI search engines. It provides an overview of whether LLMs see you as a credible brand when answering relevant user questions. It is a highly valuable metric, especially for commercial prompt analysis.
For example, if you’re trying to win prompts like Best CRM for startups or Affordable project management tools, you want your brand to show up naturally in the AI’s response. This metric tells you if you’re showing up.
(Snippet)
This is your AI citation score, which is one of the most direct indicators of your success in GEO.
Let’s say an AI model references 15,000 unique sources while responding to 1,000 prompts in your industry. You can see how many more citations feature your website compared to your competition’s using the Source Mention metric.
Why does it matter? Mentions of your source in AI responses bring in traffic & credibility without the need for a click, in contrast to traditional SEO.
More mentions = More brand exposure = More high-intent users entering your funnel
You can see how frequently your brand name is mentioned in the other source citations, across both commercial & informational prompts.
Why does it matter? The more your brand name appears in citations across other sources, even without a direct link, the more it signals to AI models that your brand is trusted & frequently discussed. This increases your chances of being recommended in AI-generated responses as well as cited directly in future answers.
It’s not just about visibility, it’s about brand positioning. The more you’re mentioned, the more you’re perceived as an authority in your industry. Over time, this helps boost your influence in both commercial & informational prompts.
Ranking at the top is essential in traditional SEO. The goal of GEO is to be ranked or cited early in the AI-generated answer.
It carries more weight if your brand is mentioned first or early in a list or comparison. Similar to how a highly ranked Google result influences conversion rates, this subtle positioning can have a similar effect.
Here you can see which websites are most often used by the AI when answering questions related to your industry.
Knowing which sources AI relies on the most allows you to outperform them by analyzing the kind of content, structure, as well as authority they use. This insight will show you who is already a top source, along with what they’re doing correctly, if you aren’t one yet.
By identifying news, blogs, review platforms, and marketplaces, you can strategically aim to get your brand mentioned on the top performing sources. It boosts your credibility with LLMs, making it more likely you’ll get cited in future AI-generated answers.
This metric indicates the types of websites AI models trust most when answering queries in your domain, including marketplaces, review sites, blogs, wikis, or news outlets.
Why is this important? Because it helps you understand where AI is pulling its answers from, so you can focus on the content distribution in the same categories..
Let’s make it clearer with an example.
For commercial queries, AI often draws from marketplaces, product review platforms, & comparison blogs. These platforms influence purchasing decisions, so getting mentioned here increases your chances of being cited in high-intent prompts.
For informational queries, AI tends to cite Wikipedia, educational blogs, or explainer sites that are seen as authoritative & neutral.
This metric helps you understand where the AI is focusing, providing a roadmap to get there.
This metric tracks what AI models are repeatedly bringing up in their responses across various prompts in your industry.
These recurring themes help you spot what’s gaining traction. By aligning your content with them early, you boost your chances of being cited in future AI-generated responses.
Being early to rank or be cited in a trending question gives you a head start in visibility.
|
GEO Element |
Why It Matters for GEO |
|
Content Relevance |
The more relevant your content, the more likely AI is to use it in responses. |
|
Content Quality & Depth |
AI prioritises in-depth, well-explained content that adds value. |
|
Trustworthiness & Credibility |
High credibility means higher chances of being cited by AI for factual queries. |
|
AI Crawlability & Structured Data |
Structured content is easier for AI to process & pull into responses. |
|
Topical Authority & Expertise |
AI favours authoritative voices in any niche. It builds trust in your content over time. |
|
Content Freshness & Timeliness |
AI models prioritise up-to-date content, particularly in tech or trending topics. |
|
Citations & Mentions |
Getting cited means your content is being trusted. It increases in visibility. |
|
Data Frequency & Consistency |
Regular output signals are relevant & active, both of which are appreciated by AI models. |
|
Verifiable Performance Metrics |
AI prefers data-backed content it can trust & quote. |
|
Technical Performance |
A poorly performing site can impact your crawlability & AI visibility. |
|
Localisation |
Local relevance enables AI to provide the most relevant answer to location-based or geo-specific queries. |
|
AI picks up tone. The content that feels biased or unclear might be deprioritised. |
|
|
Search Engine Indexing |
Pages that are effectively indexed by related search engines are more likely to be included in the data used by AI models. |
|
Social Proof, Reviews & UGC |
AI uses this as evidence of credibility & trust, especially in product or service-related prompts. |
|
Social Signals |
It’s a secondary signal, but AI may consider viral or well-discussed content more impactful. |
Before we get into how to optimize for AI engines, let’s take a second to talk about the why.
What’s the real goal of Generative Engine Optimization? It’s about making sure your brand shows up as a credible recommendation or citation in AI-generated answers, whether someone’s using ChatGPT, Gemini, or any other AI search tool.
The two primary goals are:
Because these placements in AI responses are driving high-intent traffic, these users are already deep into the decision-making process.
It builds credibility & authority in the industry, where users are actively looking for answers. With more qualified visitors to your site, you ultimately achieve more conversions.
Let’s dive right into the steps:
You need a good understanding of the landscape before you try to compete in AI-powered search. Here’s how to get started:
Specify Your Industry & the Right Topics
Begin with broad terms before narrowing down to the most important topics or questions. While researching your industry, consider the kinds of questions that consumers would ask an AI assistant, starting at the top of the funnel & moving down the funnel.
Spot the Key Players
To find out which brands or publications show up most often in AI responses, use visble.ai Generative Engine Optimization tool to perform an analysis on hundreds of searches. Unexpected sources, such as specialised blogs or industry newsletters, can end up with more AI citations than well-known media sites.
Study the Winning Content Formats
Learn which kinds of content is most often mentioned by different AI models, whether it is in-depth how-to manuals, product comparison tables, or expert Q&As. You can direct your content strategy by learning the successful types.
Keep Tabs on Your Results to Find Out Trends
Instead of manually logging your results in a spreadsheet, use Visible.ai to simplify the entire process.
With Visible.ai, you can:
Once you’ve tracked a solid batch of prompts, look for patterns. This helps you identify which type of content consistently appear, as well as some unexpected brands that dominate specific topics.
By the time you finish this step, you will have a good idea of who’s dominating AI responses or what kinds of content is performing well. You identify where your brand has an opportunity to make a difference. This research becomes the foundation of your entire GEO strategy.
This research becomes the foundation of your entire GEO strategy!
Now that you’ve done your homework in Step 1, it’s time to start building the kind of content that gets picked up by AI-powered search tools. Think of this step as creating AI-ready content that is structured & super easy for AI models to cite in their responses.
AI Loves Structure, Pay Attention to Clarity & Structure
AI models prefer organized, easy-to-digest information. So give them:
The more structured it is, the easier it is for AI to reference. Hence, it is more likely that your brand will show up in its answers.
Create Comparison-Ready Content
Help the AI by creating side-by-side comparisons or detailed breakdowns that answer user questions.
Add Unique Insights & Expert Input
Don’t just repeat what everyone else is saying. Add something unique to your content.
This gives AI models something original & authoritative to help you stand out where everyone else is the same.
Speak the AI’s Language (Plain & Precise)
In fact, the clearer your language, the better.
By the end of this step, you should have a library of structured as well as citation-friendly content. This type of content is easily understood & referenced by AI in its answers.
You’ve created structured, high-quality content that’s built for AI. Now what?
It’s time to distribute your content across trusted citations that generative engines pull from.
The Secret Sources Behind AI Citations
Here’s a secret: not all citations come from big-name media outlets. AI models often reference niche sites, Reddit threads, or industry-specific forums. Now, reach out to them. Pitch a guest article or fresh data that adds value.
The goal is to get your voice on their platform, as AI already views them as trustworthy.
Use PR to Earn AI Trust
Good old PR still works. If you land features or quotes in high-authority publications, that content becomes part of the training data or reference set for AI models. Sponsored content or strategic partnerships on high-traffic industry blogs can give you a strong edge.
Don’t Forget Your Channels
While third-party credibility is powerful, don’t ignore your website. It’s your direct line to AI engines.
Make sure your blog or knowledge base:
Sometimes, AI will reference your content directly if it trusts your site enough.
By the end of this step, you’ll have a distribution plan that helps place your AI-optimized content in sources already favoured by AI models. The more often you appear in trusted outlets, the more likely you are to get cited in generative responses.
Now it’s time to make sure the technical foundation of your website supports all that great work. Think of this step as setting up the backstage so that AI engines can easily find, understand, & trust your content.
AI engines rely on web crawlers to discover content. If your site is hard to navigate or slow to load, AI models might miss or avoid your pages. Here’s what to focus on:
Use Schema Markup to Speak AI’s Language
Schema markup is like adding metadata tags to your pages that help AI understand exactly what your content is about. It instructs the AI engine to determine whether a page is a product, FAQ, or something else. This extra clarity boosts your chances of being cited accurately.
Implement an LLMS.txt File for Better AI Visibility
One of the newer, powerful tools to guide AI models is the LLMS.txt file. Think of it as a roadmap specifically designed for language models & generative AI to better understand your website.
Here are some best practices to create an effective LLMS.txt!
Keep it simple | Use clear, concise language with a clean Markdown structure so AI can easily parse it. |
Provide a summary | Begin with a brief description of your website’s purpose to provide context. |
List key sections | Highlight important areas, such as Services, Blog, & Documentation, with brief explanations. |
Use descriptive links | Link to main pages only, not every single post, as well as describe why those pages matter. |
Ensure AI readability | Use plain text formatting, avoid fancy styling, and use straight quotes (‘ or ’) instead of curly ones to prevent encoding issues. |
Update regularly | As your site evolves, keep your LLMS.txt current to maintain AI accuracy & relevance. |
Place it in the root directory | This makes it easily discoverable by AI engines scanning your site. |
Adding an LLMS.txt file provides AI models with a clearer understanding of your site’s structure & content priorities, making it easier for them to surface your brand in relevant generative responses.
Security matters, not just for your users but also for AI engines. Having HTTPS (SSL certificates) signals that your site is safe, boosting trust & crawl priority.
By the end of Step 4, your website will be technically optimized for AI discovery & citation, leading the way for stronger visibility as well as authority in generative search results.
Now comes the essential part- tracking your impact! It is vital to measure the performance of your content in AI responses. Let’s see how to do that.
Start with the Right Tools
Make use of AI visibility tracking tools to help you monitor how often, where, or in what context your brand shows up in AI-generated answers.
Here are a few metrics you’ll want to keep track of.
Track Before & After Changes
Every time you publish a new piece of content, especially a well-structured guide or comparison, monitor the effect.
Spot the Gaps
If you are not mentioned in the answers to specific prompts, it shows you where to focus next. Search those prompts to analyze & turn missed opportunities into content ideas that align directly with user intent.
By the end of this step, you’ll have a live dashboard or simple report that gives you a clear view of your performance in AI answers. These insights let you make strategic moves instead of playing guessing games.
GEO isn’t a set-it-and-forget-it game!
The AI world is constantly evolving, and the brands that succeed are those that adapt. Here is how to do that.
Scale What’s Working, Repeat Your Wins
If something’s clicking, run with it. Figure out what’s gaining traction, then scale those wins.
Let Go of What’s Not
Not every content format will hit. If your long-form pieces never get cited, consider creating something more structured, such as a how-to guide or a side-by-side comparison. The key is learning, not clinging.
Keep Tabs on the Bigger Picture
New AI models & answer engines are popping up all the time. If you’re only optimizing for one model, you could miss out on growing ecosystems that your audience is already using.
Every few weeks, revisit the landscape & make adjustments as needed.
Treat It Like a Living Strategy
What works today might not work six months from now. AI models are updated, or new content types emerge. So, try monthly check-ins or ongoing content audits to help you stay proactive, not reactive.
Over time, you’ll develop a repeatable feedback loop. It becomes a system that constantly improves your brand’s visibility in AI responses.
Think of it as your brand’s real-time reputation engine for AI search.
Generative Engine Optimization is the future of how people discover brands or products. If your strategy is still built around old-school SEO alone, you’re missing where the real action is happening- inside AI-powered answers.
The rules have changed, but the opportunity has never been greater. It’s time to upgrade your SEO playbook to meet your audience where they’re searching, due to AI.
You Experimentation Lab for AI Search Optimization
Visble all rights reserved © 2025