Get cited in AI search
Generative engine optimization (GEO) is how you earn citations inside the answers from ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude. Start with the free tools, guides, and AI-readiness audit below.
What is AI search optimization?
Search is splitting in two. Alongside the classic ten blue links, more and more answers now come straight from AI engines that read the web, synthesize an answer, and cite a handful of sources. Getting your site into that short list of citations is a different game from ranking #1.
The good news: the fundamentals overlap with great SEO. Clear, well-structured content, real expertise and trust signals, valid structured data, and fast, crawlable pages all help. AI search just rewards them more heavily — and adds a few new signals, like a clean llms.txt file, that classic search ignores.
Audit your AI-search readiness
Two free checks tell you whether AI engines can find your content and whether it's structured to be cited.
Per-engine SEO guides
Each AI engine cites a little differently. These guides break down what gets you cited in each one.
ChatGPT SEO
How to get cited as a source in ChatGPT search results — the full GEO playbook.
AI Search GuideAI Overviews SEO
Optimize for Google's AI Overviews — what gets cited, what gets ignored, and why.
AI Search GuidePerplexity SEO
Rank in Perplexity's answer engine — Reddit, structured data, and citation signals.
AI Search GuideGemini SEO
Optimize for Gemini's answers — entity recognition, schema, and source authority.
AI Search GuideClaude SEO
Get cited in Claude's responses — long-form depth, factual density, and clarity.
AI search articles
Deeper how-tos on llms.txt, AI crawlers, and getting cited in generative answers.
llms.txt: The Complete 2026 SEO Guide for AI Search
Master the markdown file ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini check when answering questions about your site. Spec, structure, real examples from Anthropic + Vercel + Mintlify.
Technical SEO · 10 minHow to Create a Perfect llms.txt File (AI-Powered, 2026)
Generate a spec-conformant /llms.txt for your site in seconds. Walk through the workflow: crawl, AI categorize, edit, ship. Includes the full validation checklist.
Technical SEO · 8 minllms.txt vs robots.txt: What's the Difference and Why Both Matter in 2026
Two root-level files, opposite purposes. robots.txt blocks crawlers; llms.txt curates content for AI agents. Side-by-side comparison and how to ship both.
Social & AI · 22 minLLM Optimization Guide 2026: Rank in AI-Powered Search
How to appear in ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Structured data, brand mentions, and answer-first content.
Social & AI · 18 minHow to Fix LLM Optimization Issues: AI Search Ranking Guide 2026
Optimize your content for ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. The complete LLM SEO guide.
Social & AI · 12 minAI Crawlers & Robots.txt 2026: GPTBot, ClaudeBot, Perplexity — Allow or Block?
Should you block AI crawlers? Complete guide to managing GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, and Google-Extended in robots.txt.
See where you stand in AI search
Run a free InstaRank SEO audit — it scores your AI-readiness alongside 100+ other SEO signals in one report.
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AI Search SEO FAQ
Common questions about GEO and getting cited in AI answers.
What is AI search optimization (GEO)?
GEO — generative engine optimization — is the practice of making your content easy for AI answer engines to understand, trust, and cite. Instead of just ranking blue links, you're earning a citation inside the AI's answer across tools like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google's AI Overviews.
How is GEO different from traditional SEO?
They share a foundation — crawlable, well-structured, trustworthy content — but AI engines lean harder on clarity, extractable answers, factual density, structured data, and strong E-E-A-T signals. They also read sources classic search ignores, like your llms.txt, when deciding what to cite.
Which AI engines should I optimize for?
Optimize for the whole family rather than one engine. The same fundamentals — clear answers, schema, authoritative sources, and freshness — lift you across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude at once, so you rarely need engine-by-engine tactics.
How do I check if my site is ready for AI search?
Run the free LLM Optimization audit. It scores answer-readiness, FAQ and structured-data coverage, and E-E-A-T signals, then lists exactly what to fix. The LLMs.txt checker confirms AI agents can find and load your most important pages.
What is an llms.txt file and do I need one?
llms.txt is a simple markdown file at your site root that tells AI agents which pages matter most when answering questions about you. It's an emerging standard — adding one is a low-effort signal that can improve how accurately AI engines represent your site.