More customers now ask ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google’s AI answers before they call anyone. Those answers cite a small number of sources. Being one of them is the aim of GEO (generative engine optimization) and AEO (answer engine optimization). The field is young, so here is a plain split between what is likely true and what is still a guess.
What we are fairly confident about
- Clear, factual pages get quoted. Pages that answer a specific question in the first few lines are easier for AI tools to use.
- Consistent facts help. Your name, address, services and prices should match across your site, your profile and the directories you appear in.
- Trusted mentions help. Being referred to by reputable sites gives AI systems more reason to treat you as real.
- Structured data helps machines read your pages, though it is not a magic switch.
- Ordinary SEO still matters. Many AI answers lean on pages that already rank well.
What is still experimental
- How each AI tool selects its sources, which changes often and is not published.
- Whether any single tactic reliably earns a citation.
- How much traffic AI answers will send over time.
What to do this month
- Write down ten questions your customers ask. Type them into the main AI tools. Note who is cited.
- Rewrite your key pages to answer those questions directly.
- Fix any conflicting business details online.
- Check again in a month.
A note of caution
Be wary of anyone who guarantees a mention. No one controls what an AI tool says. Measure presence, not promises.
We include this work in our Growth and Scale plans, and sell it on its own from $1,000 a month. See AI Search Optimization for the details.