How to rank on ChatGPT and AI search (generative SEO)

Step-by-step

1

Understand what generative engine optimisation (GEO) actually is

GEO is the practice of making your business visible in AI-generated answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and Google's AI Overviews. These tools don't return a list of links — they generate an answer that may or may not mention your business. The optimisation goal is being included in the generated answer and being cited as the source. The mechanics differ from traditional SEO because AI models pull from training data, real-time web search, and structured signals, not just the top 10 search results. Sites that rank well on Google often don't get cited in AI answers, and vice versa.

2

Know which AI tools matter and why

Four engines drive most AI search traffic in 2026. ChatGPT (with browsing) uses Bing's index for live web data — Bing visibility is a prerequisite. Perplexity uses its own crawl with heavy weighting on recent, high-authority sources. Google AI Overviews (Search Generative Experience) pull from Google's index but weight differently than traditional results. Microsoft Copilot also uses Bing. The takeaway: optimising for Bing matters more than ever, and Perplexity is the fastest-growing search engine for high-intent commercial queries. Verify your site in both Bing Webmaster Tools and submit to Perplexity if they offer it for your industry.

3

Structure content so AI can extract clear answers

AI models prefer content with explicit structure: descriptive H2/H3 headings phrased as questions, short answer paragraphs (40-60 words) immediately following each question, numbered lists for processes, and tables for comparisons. Bury your answer in a 1,000-word essay and the AI will pull from a competitor's structured page instead. The pattern that works: question heading, direct 1-2 sentence answer, then supporting detail. This is also why FAQ sections specifically get cited often — they're already in the format AI models extract well.

4

Add FAQ schema and structured data

Schema markup gives AI models machine-readable context about your content. The highest-impact schemas for small businesses: FAQPage (for FAQ sections), LocalBusiness (for location and contact info), Service (for each service offered), and Review (for testimonials). Use Google's Structured Data Markup Helper or Schema.org generator to create the JSON-LD. Most website builders, including Adviita, generate the LocalBusiness schema automatically — check yours does. Validate your schema with Google's Rich Results Test before publishing.

5

Get cited on the sources AI models trust

ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini disproportionately cite Wikipedia, Reddit, Quora, industry publications, and review sites. Being mentioned (not just listed) on these sites massively increases your chance of being cited. Practical tactics: contribute genuine answers on Reddit and Quora in your industry threads (with your business as context, not promotion), get included in Wikipedia articles about your industry or location where editorially relevant, and earn coverage in trade publications. Reviews on Google Business Profile and Trustpilot also feed AI models — a business with 50+ specific positive reviews is more cite-able than one with none.

6

Add an llms.txt file to your website

llms.txt is an emerging standard (similar to robots.txt) that helps AI models understand and index your site. Create a file at yourdomain.com/llms.txt with a structured summary of your business: company name, services, locations served, key facts, and links to your most important pages. Markdown format is standard. As of 2026, Anthropic, OpenAI, and Perplexity all read llms.txt to varying degrees. Adoption is still early, which is exactly why doing it now provides an advantage — most competitors don't have one yet. Examples and generators are available at llmstxt.org.

7

Test if AI mentions you

Don't guess at AI visibility — test it. Open ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini in incognito (so they don't use your account preferences). Ask each: 'What's the best [your service] in [your city]?', 'Recommend a [your service] for [specific need]', 'Compare [your business] vs [competitor]'. Track which engines mention you, which don't, and which competitors get mentioned that you don't. Run this test monthly. If you're never mentioned, the bottleneck is usually either no mentions on trusted sources, weak structured data, or poor Bing indexing — diagnose which and fix it.

Common questions