Why this matters now
Buyers increasingly ask an AI assistant instead of scrolling ten blue links — and they usually act on the one recommendation they get. Google says AI Mode now has more than a billion monthly users, and ChatGPT has started showing ads to users in India. Being the brand AI names has become a growth channel of its own.
SEO vs AEO vs GEO — what's the difference?
| SEO | AEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank pages in search results | Be the direct answer an assistant gives | Be cited in AI-generated summaries |
| Where | Google, Bing results pages | ChatGPT, Perplexity, voice, featured snippets | Google AI Overviews & AI Mode, Gemini |
| Key moves | Technical health, keywords, links | Answer-first content, FAQs, entity consistency | Citable facts, schema, trusted mentions |
| Measured by | Rankings, clicks | How often you're named | Citations & AI impressions |
They aren't rivals — AEO and GEO are built on top of good SEO. Google's own 2026 guidance says AI features use the same SEO fundamentals.
How to get your business on ChatGPT: 9 steps
- Fix your identity. Use the exact same business name, address, phone and description on your website, Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, directories and social profiles.
- Write a crystal-clear About page. First two sentences: who you are, what you do, where, and for whom.
- Lead every key page with a direct answer. 40–60 words that answer the buyer's question, then the detail. This is the text AI tools quote.
- Add real FAQs. Use the questions customers ask on calls and WhatsApp — prices or ranges, timelines, comparisons, locations.
- Publish citable facts. Numbers, ranges, case results, specifications. Vague marketing copy rarely gets cited.
- Add schema markup. Organization or LocalBusiness, Service or Product, and FAQPage.
- Let AI crawlers in. Make sure robots.txt doesn't block OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, Googlebot or Bingbot — and get your pages indexed on Bing too. Optionally add an llms.txt file.
- Earn mentions and reviews. Local news, industry associations, partner sites, "best of" lists, Google reviews, Reddit and Quora answers. AI engines weigh what others say about you.
- Test every month. Ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Mode the questions your buyers ask. Track whether you, a competitor or nobody gets named. Start with the free AI visibility checker.
How to rank in ChatGPT search results
When ChatGPT searches the web, it pulls from pages that are indexed, fast, clearly structured and trusted by other sites. Pages that answer one question well, with a clear heading and a short direct answer, are easiest to quote. Keep important pages updated and dated — fresh, specific information tends to win.
Mistakes to avoid
- Blocking AI crawlers by accident in robots.txt or a security plugin.
- Different business names or phone numbers across listings.
- Mass-producing thin AI-written pages — that's exactly what Google's 2026 spam updates target.
- Expecting ads to fix organic visibility. They're separate.
FAQ
How do I get my business on ChatGPT?
You can't submit your business to ChatGPT. It learns about you from the web: your website, Google and Bing results, directories, reviews and mentions. Make those sources clear, consistent and answer-ready, and allow AI crawlers like OAI-SearchBot.
How long does it take to show up in ChatGPT answers?
Fixes to your own website can show within weeks once pages are re-crawled. Building enough third-party mentions and reviews to be recommended for competitive questions usually takes three to six months.
What is the difference between SEO, AEO and GEO?
SEO gets your pages ranked in search results. AEO (answer engine optimisation) gets your brand used as the direct answer in AI assistants and featured snippets. GEO (generative engine optimisation) is a closely related label for appearing in AI-generated answers like Google AI Overviews. In practice they overlap and build on each other.
Can I pay to appear in ChatGPT?
You can now buy ChatGPT ads in some markets including India, but ads are labelled and separate from organic recommendations. Paying for ads doesn't make ChatGPT recommend you in its normal answers.
Does Google say AEO is different from SEO?
Google's 2026 guidance says appearing in AI Overviews and AI Mode relies on the same SEO best practices. AEO is best seen as SEO plus answer-first content, entity consistency and off-site mentions.
Background: Google defines AI search optimization as SEO · Google I/O 2026 AI Mode coverage · latest AEO & SEO news.