AI search optimization for brands that want to be the answer
AI search optimization is the work of becoming a source that AI systems quote. Buyers now ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini or Google's AI Overview which tool to use, and the shortlist they get back rarely matches page one. We make your brand easy to find, easy to extract and easy to trust.
What is AI search optimization?
Generative engine optimization (GEO) is the practice of structuring content and brand signals so AI systems cite you in their answers. Answer engine optimization (AEO) makes a page the direct answer to a question. Both rely on clear answers, consistent entity facts, structured data, crawler access and trusted third-party mentions.
Also called generative engine optimization, GEO, answer engine optimization, AEO, LLM visibility.
Who this is for
- SaaS brands losing clicks to AI Overviews
- Companies that want to appear in "best tools" answers
- Brands that AI assistants currently describe wrongly
- Teams already ranking who want the next layer of visibility
Signs you need AI search optimization
- Competitors appear in AI Overviews for the terms you built the business on.
- ChatGPT describes your product inaccurately, or has never heard of it.
- Your page ranks well, but the answer above it quotes someone else.
- Clicks are falling while impressions hold steady.
- Nobody can tell you how often AI tools mention your brand.
- Your robots rules quietly block the AI crawlers you want.
How the work runs
Baseline your AI visibility
We run your priority buying questions through the major assistants and record who gets cited, and what they say about you.
Fix extraction
Direct answers near the top, clear definitions, comparison tables, FAQ blocks, and headings that match questions people actually ask.
Strengthen the entity
The same facts about your company everywhere: site, schema, profiles, directories and listings that AI systems read.
Open the doors
Correct robots rules for AI crawlers, an llms.txt file, fast responses, and clean HTML that does not hide content behind scripts.
Build citations
Mentions on the review sites, comparison lists and publications that assistants pull from when they assemble a shortlist.
Track mentions
Monthly re-testing of the same prompts, so you can watch share of answers move rather than guessing.
What you get
Clear deliverables, owned by one team, reported in plain language.
AI visibility baseline
Your priority buying questions tested across the major assistants, with who gets cited recorded.
Answer-first content
Clear definitions, quick answers, comparison tables and FAQs that AI systems can lift accurately.
Entity and brand signals
Consistent facts about your company across the site, schema, profiles and directories.
Structured data
Organisation, product, service, FAQ and article schema so machines read your pages correctly.
Citation building
Mentions on the review sites, comparison lists and publications that assistants draw from.
llms.txt and crawler access
Clean robots rules for AI crawlers and an llms.txt file pointing at your best pages.
SEO, AEO and GEO compared
| Question | SEO | AEO | GEO |
|---|---|---|---|
| What is the goal? | Rank in the list of links | Be the direct answer | Be cited inside an AI answer |
| Where does it show? | Google and Bing results | Featured snippets, People Also Ask, voice | AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude |
| Main lever | Relevance, authority, links | Clear structure and direct answers | Entity trust, citations, extractable facts |
| Measured by | Rankings and clicks | Snippet ownership | Citation and mention frequency |
| Needs the others? | Stands alone | Needs SEO underneath | Needs both underneath |
What this looks like in practice: IMQRScan in AI Overviews
IMQRScan sells into a category where buyers ask an AI assistant for a shortlist before they ever open Google. We rewrote the key pages so the answer sits in the first two sentences, added comparison tables and FAQ blocks, kept product facts identical across the site, the schema and third-party listings, and made sure AI crawlers could reach everything. IMQRScan content now appears in Google AI Overviews and AI-powered search results. This website runs the same setup, including a generated llms.txt file and schema in every template.
Questions buyers ask about AI search optimization
What is generative engine optimization?
GEO is the practice of structuring content and brand signals so AI systems such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews cite you in their answers.
What is the difference between GEO and AEO?
AEO aims to be the direct answer in snippets and voice results. GEO aims to be cited inside AI-generated answers. The same foundations support both.
Can you guarantee a mention in ChatGPT?
No honest provider can. AI systems choose their own sources. We improve the signals they rely on and track mentions so progress stays visible.
Does AI search optimization replace SEO?
No. AI answers mostly quote pages that already rank, so SEO stays the foundation. GEO adds structure, entity consistency and citations on top of it.
How do you measure AI visibility?
We test a fixed set of buying questions across the major assistants each month and record whether you are cited, described correctly and recommended.
Does an llms.txt file actually help?
It is not a ranking factor yet. It gives AI systems a clean map of your best pages and costs nothing, so we include one by default.
Should we block AI crawlers?
Only if you never want to be cited. Blocking GPTBot or ClaudeBot removes you from answers your buyers now read before they search.
How long does AI search optimization take?
Structural work can change extraction within weeks. Citation building and entity trust take three to six months, in step with your wider SEO.
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