How to get your business cited by ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews (GEO basics)
Short answer
AI answer engines such as ChatGPT search, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews build their answers from web pages they can find and understand. To be cited, a business needs clear, factual pages that answer real questions, the same business details everywhere, structured data, and settings that let these engines read the site. Nobody can guarantee a mention.
What GEO means
GEO (generative engine optimisation), sometimes called AIO, is the work of making your business easy for AI answer engines to understand and cite. It builds on classic SEO: if search engines cannot find and read your pages, AI answers usually cannot use them either.
How these engines find businesses
- Google AI Overviews use Google’s search index. Pages that are indexed and eligible for normal results can appear; Google does not require special markup for them.
- ChatGPT search uses its own crawler, OAI-SearchBot, together with other sources.
- Perplexity uses PerplexityBot to find pages it can cite.
- Claude and Gemini can also search the web when they answer.
Each engine decides on its own what to show. What you control is whether your pages are easy to find, read and trust.
Write answer-first pages
- Start pages and sections with a direct answer, then the details. A short “Quick answers” block on your home page works well.
- Use the questions your customers really ask as headings: prices, opening hours, areas you serve, how to book.
- State facts plainly: prices, what is included, where you are, how long things take.
- Add a FAQ section with real questions and answers.
Be consistent everywhere
Use the same business name, address, phone, opening hours and prices on your site, your Google Business Profile, maps, directories and social profiles. Conflicting details make engines less confident about you.
Technical basics
- Structured data (schema.org) for your organisation or local business, services, FAQ and breadcrumbs.
- A robots.txt that allows search engines and the AI crawlers you want, for example OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot and Claude’s crawlers. Google-Extended controls use for Gemini model training, not inclusion in Google Search or AI Overviews.
- An llms.txt file: a short, plain summary of your site for AI tools. It is a proposed convention (llmstxt.org), not an official standard, and engines are not required to read it, but it is easy to add.
- Fast pages that work on phones, with one address per language.
Earn mentions elsewhere
AI answers often draw on sources beyond your own site: reviews, local directories, press and industry lists. Ask happy customers for honest reviews, keep directory listings complete, and never buy reviews or links.
Measure it
Every month, ask the engines the questions your customers would ask, such as “best hair salon in [your city]” or “how much does [your service] cost in [your city]”. Note whether you appear, how you are described and which sources are cited. Answers change often, so look at trends rather than single answers.
With Mintinaj
Every site we build includes structured data, a sitemap, llms.txt and a robots.txt that lets AI answer engines read it. Our optional AI search visibility add-on (GEO) adds a quick answers block, regular checks of your target questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Gemini, and answer pages, from $39 a month (20% off next to any SEO plan). See the GEO plans.
Frequently asked questions
Is GEO different from SEO?
It builds on SEO. SEO helps pages rank in search results; GEO focuses on making your facts easy for AI answer engines to understand, trust and cite. Most of the groundwork is the same.
Can anyone guarantee that ChatGPT will recommend my business?
No. Each engine decides what to show, and answers change over time. Be wary of anyone who promises a guaranteed mention.
Should I block AI crawlers?
That is your choice. If you block the crawlers that AI answer engines use, they are less likely to cite your site. Training crawlers and answer crawlers are separate, so you can decide on each.
Do I need an llms.txt file?
It is optional and not an official standard. It costs little and gives a clean summary of your site, so we include one on every site we build.