GEO Fundamentals
Optimization for AI-powered search engines.
- What is GEO?
GEO = Generative Engine Optimization
Goal Platform Be cited in AI responses ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini SEO vs GEO Aspect SEO GEO Goal #1 ranking AI citations Platform Google AI engines Metrics Rankings, CTR Citation rate Focus Keywords Entities, data 2. AI Engine Landscape Engine Citation Style Opportunity Perplexity Numbered [1][2] Highest citation rate ChatGPT Inline/footnotes Custom GPTs Claude Contextual Long-form content Gemini Sources section SEO crossover 3. RAG Retrieval Factors
How AI engines select content to cite:
Factor Weight Semantic relevance ~40% Keyword match ~20% Authority signals ~15% Freshness ~10% Source diversity ~15% 4. Content That Gets Cited Element Why It Works Original statistics Unique, citable data Expert quotes Authority transfer Clear definitions Easy to extract Step-by-step guides Actionable value Comparison tables Structured info FAQ sections Direct answers 5. GEO Content Checklist Content Elements Question-based titles Summary/TL;DR at top Original data with sources Expert quotes (name, title) FAQ section (3-5 Q&A) Clear definitions "Last updated" timestamp Author with credentials Technical Elements Article schema with dates Person schema for author FAQPage schema Fast loading (< 2.5s) Clean HTML structure 6. Entity Building Action Purpose Google Knowledge Panel Entity recognition Wikipedia (if notable) Authority source Consistent info across web Entity consolidation Industry mentions Authority signals 7. AI Crawler Access Key AI User-Agents Crawler Engine GPTBot ChatGPT/OpenAI Claude-Web Claude PerplexityBot Perplexity Googlebot Gemini (shared) Access Decision Strategy When Allow all Want AI citations Block GPTBot Don't want OpenAI training Selective Allow some, block others 8. Measurement Metric How to Track AI citations Manual monitoring "According to [Brand]" mentions Search in AI Competitor citations Compare share AI-referred traffic UTM parameters 9. Anti-Patterns ❌ Don't ✅ Do Publish without dates Add timestamps Vague attributions Name sources Skip author info Show credentials Thin content Comprehensive coverage
Remember: AI cites content that's clear, authoritative, and easy to extract. Be the best answer.
Script
Script Purpose Command
scripts/geo_checker.py GEO audit (AI citation readiness) python scripts/geo_checker.py