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SEO, AEO and GEO: how to get found and cited in AI search

Fourteen guides on ranking in Google and being cited by AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT search and Perplexity, based on each platform's own documentation.

Updated ·14 guides·By Rinku Singh

Short answer: AEO and GEO are SEO with a different goal, not a separate discipline. AI answer engines cite pages that are crawlable, indexed and eligible for a snippet, so ordinary SEO is the foundation. What earns the citation is a specific, answer-first page with checkable evidence: dated numbers, named sources and your own data. Google says there is no special AI schema and its Search does not use llms.txt. Start with SEO vs AEO vs GEO, then the checklist, then the guide for the engine your buyers use.

Start here: recommended reading order

New to the topic? Read these 4 guides in order.

  1. SEO vs AEO vs GEO: Differences and What to Do First — definitions, a comparison table and what to prioritise first.
  2. AEO and GEO: How to Get Cited in AI Search (2026) — each engine's requirements and a 12-point checklist.
  3. How to Get Cited by AI Search Engines: Content Guide — what research shows AI engines cite, and a page template.
  4. AI Crawlability Audit: AI Technical SEO Checklist — make sure AI crawlers can actually reach your pages.

Foundations

Understand what changed and what did not

Start here if you are weighing AI search against classic SEO or paid search.

SEO vs AEO vs GEODefinitions, comparison table and priorities for small businesses.Read guide →AEO and GEO checklistEach engine's documented requirements and a 12-point checklist.Read guide →SEO vs Google Ads for leadsCosts, timelines and a worked SEO vs Ads break-even.Read guide →

Engine by engine

Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity

Each engine has its own crawler, controls and reporting.

Google AI Overviews and AI ModeEligibility, Search Console AI report, query fan-out, 90-day plan.Read guide →ChatGPT search SEOOAI-SearchBot rules, firewall checks, Bing's role and tracking.Read guide →Perplexity SEOPerplexityBot vs Perplexity-User, setup and tracking.Read guide →

Content and markup

Make pages worth citing

Content quality decides citations; markup only removes ambiguity.

Content AI engines citeCited-format research, citation assets and a page template.Read guide →Structured data for AI searchWhich schema still matters for AI features, and what was retired.Read guide →Does llms.txt help?What Google, OpenAI and Perplexity say about llms.txt.Read guide →

Technical access and measurement

Let AI crawlers in and track the results

Run the crawler audit, then set up a tracking panel.

AI crawlability auditrobots.txt per AI crawler, firewall, logs and rendering.Read guide →AI visibility trackingPrompt panel, AI reports, GA4 AI channel regex, template.Read guide →

Local, industry and agency choice

Apply it to your business

The same principles for local businesses and developers, and how to judge an AEO agency.

Local business AI searchBusiness Profile, reviews, NAP and near-me answers.Read guide →Real estate SEO and local searchProject and locality pages and organic visit tracking.Read guide →Choosing an AEO agencyWhat AEO services include, ₹ pricing and red flags.Read guide →

Which guide do I need?

If you want to…Read
Understand AEO and GEO vs SEOSEO vs AEO vs GEO
Appear in AI Overviews or AI ModeGoogle AI Overviews and AI Mode
Get cited in ChatGPT or PerplexityChatGPT search SEO + Perplexity SEO
Check AI crawler accessAI crawlability audit
Decide on schema or llms.txtStructured data for AI search + Does llms.txt help?
Measure AI mentions and leadsAI visibility tracking
Hire an AEO or GEO agencyChoosing an AEO agency

Related GrowthSparx services, industry pages, free calculators and documented client results.

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FAQ

Common questions

What is the difference between SEO, AEO and GEO?

SEO aims to rank pages and win clicks. AEO aims to have a passage from your page used as the direct answer in featured snippets, voice and AI Overviews. GEO aims to have ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Mode mention and cite your brand accurately. All three depend on crawlable, indexed, useful pages.

How do I get into Google AI Overviews?

Make sure the page is indexed and eligible to show with a snippet, Google's only stated technical requirement, and that your site is not excluded in Search Console's generative AI setting. Then publish a specific, answer-first section for each sub-question buyers ask, backed by your own data. Inclusion is never guaranteed.

What structured data helps AI search engines cite my pages?

No markup directly causes an AI citation; Google says there is no special AI schema. Markup that removes ambiguity helps: Organization for identity, Article or BlogPosting with real authors and dates, LocalBusiness for real locations and Product for ecommerce, all matching the visible page.

How do I get my website cited in ChatGPT search?

Allow OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt and make sure your firewall does not block OpenAI's published IP addresses; OpenAI says sites opted out of OAI-SearchBot are not shown in ChatGPT search answers. Blocking GPTBot, the training crawler, is a separate setting. Then answer specific questions with dated facts.

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