Generative engine optimization, in plain English.
Why it matters
How AI decides who to recommend
AI models don't pick at random. They repeat what trusted sources say about businesses like yours. These five signals come up again and again in the answers we check.
Reviews and ratings
AI leans on review sites (Google, Yelp, TripAdvisor and the ones for your industry) to decide who's good. Recent, detailed reviews that mention what you do and where count most.
Directories and listings
Google Business Profile, Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Business Connect and industry directories tell AI who operates where. Missing or half-finished listings mean you're easy to skip.
Your own website content
Clear services, prices (or starting prices), your service area and a real FAQ. If your site answers the question, AI can quote you. If it only says “quality service since 1998”, it can't.
Articles and forums
“Best of” round-ups, local news, niche blogs and Reddit threads. AI repeats the businesses real people and editors name.
Consistency across the web
The same name, address, phone, hours and services everywhere. Conflicting details make AI less confident, and it recommends someone else.
GEO vs SEO
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| What you're aiming for | A high spot in a list of ten blue links | Being one of the few businesses named in the answer |
| Where it happens | Google and Bing results pages | ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews |
| What the customer sees | Many options, they click and compare | One answer with two or three names |
| What matters most | Keywords, backlinks, page speed | Reviews, listings, clear answers on your site, mentions in trusted sources |
| How you measure it | Rankings and clicks | How often AI names and links you (an AI Visibility Score) |
| How they relate | Still worth doing | Builds on good SEO; most fixes help both |
How to improve your AI visibility in 5 steps
Find out where you stand
Ask the AI models the questions your customers ask, and note who they name. Citovate does this for you across ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews, and turns it into a score.
Fix your listings
Claim and complete Google Business Profile, Yelp, Bing Places and the directories for your industry. Same name, address, phone and hours everywhere.
Answer the questions on your website
Add a page for each main service with what it includes, starting prices and your service area, plus an FAQ written the way customers ask.
Earn reviews that say what you do
Ask happy customers to mention the service and the town. “Best hibachi for our birthday party in Austin” is worth more than “great!”.
Get mentioned where AI looks
Local round-ups, industry blogs, community forums. Then re-check every week to see which changes moved the answer.
Measure it, understand it, fix it
GEO questions
What does GEO stand for?
Generative engine optimization. “Generative engines” are AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Grok, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews that write an answer instead of showing a list of links.
Is GEO the same as SEO?
No, but they overlap. SEO is about ranking in search results. GEO is about being named in an AI answer. Good SEO helps, but AI also weighs reviews, listings and mentions in other sources much more heavily.
Do small businesses really need GEO?
If customers find you by asking “who's the best … near me”, yes. More of those questions now go to AI, and it names only a few businesses.
How long does GEO take to work?
Listing and website fixes can show up within weeks. Reviews and mentions build over months. That's why we recommend a weekly check: you see what moves the answer.
Can I pay to be recommended by AI?
No. There's no way to buy a spot in ChatGPT or Claude answers. You earn it with the signals AI trusts, which is what GEO is about.
How do I check what AI says about my business?
You can ask each AI model yourself, or get a free AI Visibility Score from Citovate: we ask all four the questions your customers ask and show every answer.