When someone asks ChatGPT "who are the best app developers for startups?" or "which CRM should a small clinic use?", the brands in the answer win attention before a single website is visited. Generative engine optimisation (GEO) is the practice of earning those mentions. Here's how to get mentioned by ChatGPT and other AI assistants.
How to get mentioned by ChatGPT: how assistants choose
AI assistants draw on two sources:
- Training data: what the model learned from the web before its cutoff, which shapes which brands it "knows".
- Live search: many assistants now search the web in real time and cite pages, which works much like SEO.
To be mentioned, you need to be findable in live search and widely and consistently described across the web.
1. Make your site readable by AI crawlers
- Serve key content in the HTML (prerendered or server-rendered), not only via JavaScript.
- Check robots.txt: allow the search and citation crawlers you want (for example OAI-SearchBot, ChatGPT-User, PerplexityBot, Claude-SearchBot), and decide separately on training crawlers.
- Publish an
llms.txtfile summarising your key pages. - Keep a clean sitemap and fast pages. Our technical SEO checklist covers the rest.
2. Describe your business clearly and consistently
AI systems build an understanding of entities from consistent descriptions. Use the same name, one-line description, services and location on your website, Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, directories and social profiles. Add Organization structured data with sameAs links to your profiles.
3. Publish content AI wants to cite
- Original data: surveys, benchmarks, pricing research.
- Clear definitions and comparisons: "X vs Y", "what is", "how much".
- Expert guides with named authors and real examples.
- Answer-first structure with headings that match questions (see how to appear in AI Overviews).
4. Earn mentions on trusted third-party sites
AI answers about "the best" options often draw on review sites, industry lists, news coverage and community discussions. Get listed on reputable directories, collect genuine reviews, contribute expert quotes to publications and take part in relevant communities.
5. Build topical authority
Cover your core topics deeply with a cluster of linked articles. A site known for one subject is more likely to be cited than one with scattered posts.
6. Monitor your AI visibility
- Regularly ask major assistants the questions your customers ask, and note whether and how you're mentioned.
- Track referral traffic from AI assistants in your analytics.
- Correct inaccurate information at its source: update your site and profiles.
GEO vs SEO
| SEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank in search results | Be mentioned and cited in AI answers |
| Key signals | Relevance, links, technical health | Clarity, authority, consistent brand info, citations |
| Measurement | Rankings, clicks | Mentions, citations, AI referrals, branded search |
They overlap heavily: strong SEO is the foundation of GEO. Read SEO in 2026 for the full picture.
Frequently asked questions
Can I pay to be mentioned by ChatGPT?
There is no way to buy organic mentions in AI answers. Visibility comes from being findable, trusted and widely referenced.
How long does GEO take?
Live-search citations can improve within weeks of publishing strong content. Changes in what models "know" from training data take longer.
Should I block AI crawlers?
Blocking search and citation crawlers stops assistants from citing you. Many businesses allow those while making a separate choice about training crawlers.
Conclusion
To get mentioned by ChatGPT and other AI assistants, be easy to crawl, consistent everywhere, genuinely useful and referenced by trusted sources. Kafsols helps businesses with SEO, AEO and GEO. Book a call to check your AI visibility.
