How to appear in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI answers (GEO)

For ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google's AI Overviews to cite your website you need three things: their crawlers must be able to read it (do not block them in robots.txt), the content must answer specific questions clearly in the first paragraphs, and your business must have consistent authority signals (Google listing, mentions, structured data). There is no trick or secret tag: Google says so in writing. What there is, is work done well, and a small business can do it.

GEO, AEO and why you should care

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) or Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the name given to optimising a website so AI assistants use it as a source when answering. The difference from classic SEO: you no longer compete just for a click on a list of ten results, but to be one of the two or three sources the AI cites in an answer. For a local business, the typical question is not "what is branding", but "which web design agency is there in Torrent?" or "how much does an online shop cost in Valencia?". If your website does not answer it, the AI will cite someone who does.

What Google says officially

The Google Search Central documentation on AI features is unusually direct: "There are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, nor other special optimizations necessary". It is enough for the page to be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet. No "AI file" or special markup is needed either. Its recommendations are the usual ones, but with nuances worth reading carefully:

• Allow crawling in robots.txt and in the CDN or hosting.
• Make sure important content is in text, not only in images or video.
• Make sure structured data matches the visible text.
• Good page experience (speed, mobile).
• Keep the Business Profile and, if you sell, Merchant Center up to date.
• Internal linking so pages get discovered.

A useful detail: Google explains that AI Mode uses query fan-out, i.e. it breaks the question into several searches and looks for supporting pages for each one. That is why pages that answer one specific question well have more chances than a "bit of everything" page.

ChatGPT and Perplexity: let their crawlers through

Each assistant has its own bot, and many robots.txt files block them by default (some security plugins do it without warning). According to the OpenAI documentation, OAI-SearchBot is the one that decides whether you appear in ChatGPT search; ChatGPT-User visits pages when a user asks; and GPTBot is the model-training crawler. You can allow the first and block the last if you do not want your content used for training: they are independent. On Perplexity the equivalents are PerplexityBot (search results) and Perplexity-User (user-requested visits). Check your robots.txt and your server logs: if you never see those agents, something is holding them back.

Concrete steps for a small business website

1. Run the test. Ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google (with AI Overviews) what your customer would ask: "best [your service] in [your town]", "how much does… cost", "how to choose…". Note who they cite and why.
2. One page per question. Create pages or articles that answer those questions, with the answer in the first three lines and the detail afterwards. This very article follows that structure.
3. Headings that are questions, with short answers underneath. H2s and H3s phrased as questions, followed by 2-3 sentences that answer them, are what models extract most easily.
4. Concrete, dated facts. Indicative prices, timeframes, figures with their source and the date of the last review. AIs prefer to cite verifiable, recent content.
5. Structured data that tells the truth. Organization or LocalBusiness with name, address, phone and hours; Article with author and date; FAQPage on the frequently asked questions. Always matching what is visible.
6. A real author and "about us". Who writes, what experience they have, where the company is. Trust signals (E-E-A-T) matter to AI as much as to Google.
7. Consistency outside your website. Same name, address and phone on Google Business Profile, directories and social networks. AIs cross-check sources and distrust contradictions.
8. Earn mentions. Local press, traders' associations, suppliers, customers who cite you. One mention in a Valencian outlet is worth more than ten directories.
9. Measure. In Google Search Console, traffic from AI features falls under the "Web" type. In your analytics, filter referral traffic by chatgpt.com and perplexity.ai.
10. Do not write for the machine. Mass-generated content with no first-hand experience is what every platform is penalising. Write what you know.

What does not work (and will be sold to you anyway)

"llms.txt" files as a requirement (no major platform demands it), "special AI markup", repeating the keyword fifty times, or buying packages of "guaranteed ChatGPT citations". Nobody can guarantee a citation, just as nobody can guarantee the top spot on Google. In our marketing and SEO services we treat this as an extension of good old SEO: useful content, clean technique and patience.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a new website to appear in AI answers?

No. You need the current one to be crawlable, fast and to have pages that answer specific questions. If the site is very old or built on a platform that does not let you edit titles and structured data, then a rebuild is worth it.

Does blocking GPTBot cost me visibility in ChatGPT?

No. GPTBot is the training crawler; the one that determines whether you show up in ChatGPT search is OAI-SearchBot. You can block one and allow the other.

How long until I see results?

AIs rely on search indexes, so the timeframe is similar to SEO: weeks for new pages on a domain with authority, months for a domain that is just starting.

If you would like us to review how AI assistants see you today and which pages you are missing, tell us about your project.