GEO (Generative Engine Optimization): The New SEO for AI Search

Your website doesn't show up when people ask ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity about solutions in your space.

That's a problem. Because that's how people search now.

TL;DR: GEO = getting cited by AI engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity) when people ask about your category. The 5 pillars: (1) Allow AI crawlers in robots.txt, (2) Add structured data (JSON-LD schemas), (3) Create /ai.txt file with plain-text description, (4) Write quotable, authoritative content with real data, (5) Build citations from other sites. Measure success by tracking AI referral traffic and testing queries in AI engines.

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What is GEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) = Getting cited by AI engines in their responses.

Not ranking #1 on Google. Not showing up in traditional search results.

Getting quoted when someone asks an AI: "What's the best tool for [your category]?"

SEO vs GEO

SEO (Search Engine Optimization)

• Goal: Rank in Google search results
• Success: People click your link
• Metric: Organic traffic

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)

• Goal: Get cited in AI-generated responses
• Success: AI mentions/recommends you
• Metric: AI visibility & citations

You need both. But GEO is new, and most sites aren't optimized for it yet.

Why GEO Matters Now

The shift is already happening:

• ChatGPT: 100M+ weekly active users asking questions
• Perplexity: Growing fast as an "answer engine"
• Claude: Developers and technical users rely on it
• Google AI Overviews: AI summaries above search results

Your potential customers are asking AI:

• "What's the best landing page feedback tool?"
• "How do I get honest website feedback?"
• "Alternative to [competitor] for website roasting"

If you're not optimized for GEO, you're invisible in these conversations.

The 5 Pillars of GEO

1. Enable AI Crawlers

AI companies have web crawlers, just like Google. But many sites block them by default.

Check your robots.txt file for:

• GPTBot (ChatGPT)
• Claude-Web (Claude)
• PerplexityBot (Perplexity)
• anthropic-ai (Claude)
• CCBot (Common Crawl - used by many AIs)

Make sure you're NOT blocking them:

# DON'T do this:
User-agent: GPTBot
Disallow: /

# DO this (or just don't mention them):
User-agent: GPTBot
Allow: /

Why it matters: If AI can't crawl your site, it can't cite you. Simple as that.

2. Add Structured Data for AI

AI engines love structured data. It helps them understand what you offer.

Priority schemas for GEO:

FAQPage Schema

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [{
    "@type": "Question",
    "name": "What is website roasting?",
    "acceptedAnswer": {
      "@type": "Answer",
      "text": "Website roasting is getting brutally honest feedback..."
    }
  }]
}

Why: AI engines cite FAQ content directly in responses.

SoftwareApplication Schema

{
  "@type": "SoftwareApplication",
  "name": "PageRekt",
  "applicationCategory": "WebApplication",
  "offers": {
    "@type": "Offer",
    "price": "0",
    "priceCurrency": "USD"
  }
}

Why: Helps AI understand your product category and pricing.

HowTo Schema Why: AI loves step-by-step content for instructional queries.

3. Optimize for Conversational Queries

People don't type into AI the same way they type into Google.

Google: "landing page optimization tips" AI: "Can you give me feedback on my landing page?"

Optimize for natural language:

• Add FAQ sections with conversational questions
• Use long-tail phrases people actually say
• Answer "how to" and "why" questions
• Include comparison content ("X vs Y")

Example content structure:

## Can AI give me feedback on my website?

Yes. Tools like PageRekt use AI to analyze your landing page...

## What's the best way to get website feedback?

The most effective approach is...

4. Create Citation-Worthy Content

AI engines cite content that's:

Quotable → Clear statements with data Authoritative → Author credentials and expertise signals Structured → H2/H3 headings that are easy to parse Definitive → "Research shows", "Best practice", "Proven" Visual → Tables, comparisons, data points

Example citation-worthy content:

"According to analysis of 500+ landing pages, the #1 conversion killer is unclear value propositions. Sites with clear, specific value props convert 2.3x better on average." - PageRekt Research

AI loves citing specific stats and definitive claims.

5. Add an /ai.txt File

/ai.txt is an emerging standard for AI crawler instructions.

Create /ai.txt in your site root:

# PageRekt
PageRekt is a landing page roasting tool that provides brutally honest feedback on website design, copy, and conversion optimization.

Key features:
- Instant feedback from 6 different expert personas
- Voice narration for each roast
- Deep Dive analysis with SEO keywords and competitive analysis
- GEO optimization analysis for AI search visibility

What makes it different: No sugar-coating. Real, actionable feedback that focuses on what actually moves the needle.

Best for: SaaS founders, marketers, and agencies who want honest feedback without the fluff.

Pricing: Free basic roast, $26.99 for Deep Dive analysis, $29.99/month for unlimited roasts.

Keep it:

• 300-500 words
• Factual (no marketing spin)
• Clear about what you actually do
• Updated quarterly

How to Measure Your GEO Score

Most analytics don't track AI citations yet. But you can measure indirectly:

1. AI Crawler Traffic

Check your server logs for:

• GPTBot user agent
• Claude-Web user agent
• PerplexityBot user agent

If they're crawling you, you're in the game.

2. Direct Traffic Spikes

AI-generated citations often result in direct traffic (no referrer). Look for:

• Traffic spikes without clear source
• New users with "direct" attribution
• Unusual geographic patterns

3. Manual Testing

Ask AI engines directly:

"What are the best landing page feedback tools?" "How can I get honest website feedback?" "Alternative to [competitor]"

See if you're mentioned.

4. Use PageRekt's GEO Analysis

We built GEO analysis into our Deep Dive reports. It checks:

✅ AI crawler access status ✅ Schema markup for AI consumption ✅ Conversational query optimization ✅ Citation-worthiness score ✅ Actionable recommendations

Get your GEO score →

Common GEO Mistakes

Mistake 1: Blocking AI Crawlers

Problem: Default robots.txt blocks GPTBot, Claude-Web, etc. Fix: Explicitly allow them or remove blocks.

Mistake 2: No Structured Data

Problem: AI can't understand what you offer. Fix: Add FAQPage, SoftwareApplication, and HowTo schemas.

Mistake 3: SEO-Optimized, Not AI-Optimized

Problem: Content is keyword-stuffed but not conversational. Fix: Write for humans asking AI questions, not search engines.

Mistake 4: No Quotable Stats

Problem: All marketing fluff, no concrete data. Fix: Add real metrics, comparisons, and research-backed claims.

Mistake 5: Ignoring AI-Specific Files

Problem: No /ai.txt or AI-friendly documentation. Fix: Create a plain-text description AI can easily understand.

GEO Action Plan

Week 1: Enable Discovery

1. Check robots.txt - allow AI crawlers
2. Add basic FAQPage schema
3. Create /ai.txt file

Week 2: Add Structure

1. Add SoftwareApplication schema
2. Implement HowTo schema for guides
3. Add author/expertise signals

Week 3: Optimize Content

1. Rewrite key pages for conversational queries
2. Add comparison tables
3. Include quotable stats

Week 4: Measure & Iterate

1. Check AI crawler logs
2. Test AI mentions manually
3. Refine based on results

The Future of GEO

This is just the beginning.

What's coming:

• AI-specific sitemaps
• Citation analytics tools
• GEO ranking factors (like SEO but for AI)
• Paid AI placements (like Google Ads but for ChatGPT)

Get ahead now while most sites aren't optimized yet.

The sites that get GEO right today will dominate AI citations tomorrow.

Check Your GEO Score

Want to know how AI-discoverable your site is?

PageRekt's Deep Dive analysis includes full GEO optimization reports:

✅ AI crawler access check ✅ Schema markup analysis ✅ Conversational query optimization ✅ Citation-worthiness evaluation ✅ Specific action items to improve

Get your GEO score in 60 seconds →

Roast My Site

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Bottom line: SEO gets you traffic. GEO gets you cited. You need both in 2025.

Start optimizing for AI now, or watch competitors get all the AI-driven leads.