More of your customers are asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Google's AI Overviews for recommendations instead of scrolling a page of blue links. When they ask 'who's a good digital agency in Sydney?', an AI answers directly and cites a few sources. Being one of those cited sources is the new front page. This is Generative Engine Optimisation, or GEO.
How AI engines choose what to cite
AI answer engines pull from sources they can access, understand and trust. They favour content that's clearly written, well-structured, factually grounded, and corroborated across the web. Much of what makes you rank in traditional search also makes you citable — but there are GEO-specific moves that help.
Let the AI crawlers in
Check your robots.txt explicitly allows the AI crawlers — GPTBot, ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, OAI-SearchBot and Google-Extended. If you block them, you opt out of being cited entirely. Many sites block them by accident.
Write answer-shaped content
Structure content so a machine can lift a clean answer: clear headings phrased as questions, a direct answer in the first sentence, then supporting detail. Add a concise summary near the top. This 'citation-ready' structure makes it easy for an engine to quote you accurately.
Add an llms.txt and strong schema
An llms.txt file gives AI models a clean map of your key content. Organization, LocalBusiness and Article schema help engines understand your entity and expertise. Together they make you legible to machines, not just browsers.
Build corroboration across the web
AI engines trust claims that appear consistently in multiple credible places. Being mentioned on reputable directories, review sites, and industry publications — with consistent details — increases the odds you're surfaced as a trustworthy answer.
Demonstrate real expertise (E-E-A-T)
Named authors with genuine credentials, first-hand experience, and factual accuracy all feed the trust signals engines rely on. Anonymous, generic content is easy to ignore; specific, experienced, clearly-attributed content gets cited.
Measure your AI visibility
Actually ask the engines the questions your customers ask, and see whether you appear. Track it over time as you improve. GEO is early enough that consistent effort compounds quickly.
Where GEO fits
GEO doesn't replace SEO — it extends it. The same authority, clarity and structure that rank you also get you cited. If you want your brand appearing in AI answers, our GEO / AI SEO service covers crawler access, citation-ready content and schema, and you can book a GEO audit.