GEO Fundamentals
Optimization for AI-powered search engines.
1. 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 <project_path> |