GEO basics: how to get your small business cited by AI search
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) can sound new, but the idea is simple: help AI-powered search tools such as ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity and Gemini understand your business, trust it and mention it in their answers. If SEO gets you found in a list of links, GEO gets you named in the answer itself.
SEO vs GEO: what is the difference?
SEO helps your pages rank in search results. GEO helps AI tools pull your content into the answers they write. The two work together: strong SEO foundations make GEO easier, and GEO adds a few extra habits on top. Good news if you already follow our SEO basics: you are already part of the way there.
1. Answer questions directly
AI tools quote passages that answer a question clearly. Put the answer in the first sentence or two under a heading, then add detail. Pages that answer real customer questions, such as pricing, timelines and how things work, are the ones most often cited.
2. Write self-contained, factual passages
Short sections of roughly 100 to 200 words that make sense on their own are easy for AI to lift. Use specific facts, numbers and examples instead of vague claims, and say who, what and where plainly.
3. Show who is behind the content
AI tools favor trustworthy sources. Add author names, real company details, client results and an up-to-date About page. Keep articles current and show when they were last updated.
4. Add structured data
Schema markup is a small piece of code that tells machines exactly what your page is: your organization, services, articles, FAQs and reviews. It removes guesswork and makes your content easier to understand and cite.
5. Let AI crawlers in
Check that your robots.txt does not block AI crawlers such as GPTBot, ClaudeBot or PerplexityBot, and that your key content is readable without heavy JavaScript. Some sites also add an llms.txt file, a simple summary of the site written for AI tools.
6. Build your presence beyond your website
AI tools learn about businesses from many places: Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, directories, reviews and press mentions. Keep your name, description and contact details consistent everywhere, and link these profiles back to your site.
- Direct answers under clear headings
- Short, factual, self-contained passages
- Visible authors, company details and update dates
- Schema markup on key pages
- AI crawlers allowed and content easy to read
- Consistent profiles across the web
Our digital marketing services cover SEO, GEO audits, schema markup and content optimization, so your business gets found on Google and mentioned by AI assistants.
Want to know how visible your business is to AI search? Request your free estimate and we’ll help you choose the right solution.
