Home › Knowledge base › Basics
What is GEO?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), sometimes also AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), describes measures that get AI-based systems such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews or Claude to draw on a website as the basis of their answers.
The difference from classic SEO
SEO optimises for a results list that people click. GEO optimises for a language model building the content into a formulated answer — often with a source, often without a click. Since Google folded AI Overviews and AI Mode into normal search, and ChatGPT and Perplexity gained a permanent web search, the two fields blur: the same page has to rank and be citable. The technical basics overlap heavily; the goals still differ.
First prerequisite: be fetchable
AI crawlers such as GPTBot, ClaudeBot or PerplexityBot must be allowed to load the page. This often fails on a robots.txt rule or a WAF that turns bots away with a blanket 403. citeglass checks both side by side.
Second prerequisite: be readable without JavaScript
Most AI crawlers run no or only limited JavaScript. If the content is only assembled in the browser, the machine sees an empty page. Server-side rendering or prerendering solves this.
Third prerequisite: be structured understandably
A clear heading hierarchy, structured data (JSON-LD), meaningful titles and an optional llms.txt help the model judge topic, context and citability.
Fourth prerequisite: appear trustworthy
Named authors, a legal notice, an Organization schema with sameAs links and a visible date are signals AI systems consider when choosing sources — analogous to Google's E-E-A-T concept.
What GEO cannot do
No technical check guarantees that a model will cite you by name. That also depends on content quality, topic and competition. GEO makes sure you're in the running at all. And the field is young: crawler names, llms.txt support and how the providers weigh signals change several times a year — a state you keep up with, not a project you finish once.
Check your own site
citeglass shows in about 30 seconds where your website is unreadable for AI systems — free and without login.
Read on
General information, not legal advice. GEO is a young field — recommendations may change.