GEO: How to Get Your Site into AI Answers and AI Search
GEO is optimisation for AI answers: AI overviews in search, ChatGPT, voice assistants and others. What it is, how it differs from SEO and what to do on your site right now.
More and more people do not scroll through results; they get a ready answer from an AI block in search, from ChatGPT or another assistant. If your site is not among the sources of that answer, you might as well not exist. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the work of making AI systems find, understand and cite your site.
How GEO differs from SEO
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | A position in the list of links | Being cited as a source in an AI answer |
| Who reads | A search crawler | Search crawlers and AI models |
| What matters | Queries, links, behaviour | Clear answers, facts, structure, author trust |
| Result | A click to the site | A mention, a link in the answer, a visit |
The good news: GEO does not replace SEO, it builds on it. AI features in search draw sources from the same index.
What to do on your site now
- 01Direct answerin the first sentence
- 02Structureheadings and lists
- 03FAQshort answers
- 04Markupschema.org
- 05Authorreal experience
1. Answer directly
AI looks for a fragment that answers the question. The first sentence of a section should be the answer, not a warm-up. "An AI agent is a program that..." rather than "These days everyone is talking about AI...".
2. Use a clear structure
Question headings, short paragraphs, lists, comparison tables. Such text is easy to break into pieces and quote.
3. Add an FAQ
A block of frequent questions with short answers is almost ready-made material for an AI answer. FAQPage markup also helps search engines understand the structure.
4. Mark up your pages
Schema.org markup: who the author is, what the service is, the article, questions and answers. It is the language a site uses to explain itself to machines.
5. Show who is writing
An author with real experience, clear contacts, examples of work. AI, like people, needs to trust the source.
6. Give facts, not filler
Concrete steps, conditions, starting prices, limitations. AI does not quote empty text.
7. Do not block AI crawlers without a reason
Check that robots.txt does not deny access to the services whose answers you want to appear in.
How to tell GEO is working
- In Google Search Console and Yandex Webmaster, track queries and impressions, including new AI answer reports where available.
- Ask assistants about your topics and see whom they cite.
- Watch referrals from AI services in your analytics.
What not to do
- Do not write "for the AI". Write for people, clearly and to the point. That is the best GEO.
- Do not churn out hundreds of empty pages. Source quality beats quantity.
- Do not invent facts or reviews. It destroys trust with both people and machines.
FAQ
Is GEO a replacement for SEO?
No. It is a continuation of SEO. A site that is poorly indexed and does not answer questions will not appear in AI answers either.
How do I get into Google's AI answers?
Build clear pages with direct answers, markup and FAQs, get indexed well and build trust in the site. Nobody can guarantee it.
Do I need to rewrite my whole site for GEO?
Usually not. Start with your key pages and articles: direct answers at the top of sections, FAQs and markup.
How long until results show?
As with SEO, weeks to months. Pages first need to be indexed and earn trust.