AI search optimization
AI search optimization is the work of getting a business named, described correctly and cited in answers written by AI systems such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews. Adwortise combines generative engine optimization (GEO) and answer engine optimization (AEO) with the semantic SEO that both depend on.
- Be named by ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and AI Overviews
- GEO and AEO run together with semantic SEO
- Mentions, citations and accuracy tracked every month
Prefer to talk? Call +44 7418 353079
- Free auditbefore any commitment
- 4 assistantsChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and AI Overviews
- Monthlytracking of mentions and citations
- 1 managerdedicated to your account
Explained
What is AI search optimization?
AI search optimization is the practice of making a business easy for AI systems to find, understand and trust, so that they mention it when someone asks a relevant question. It is also called generative engine optimization (GEO), answer engine optimization (AEO) or LLM SEO.
The goal differs from classic SEO in one way. A search engine returns a list of pages and the searcher chooses. An AI assistant writes one answer and names a few sources. A business is either in that answer or absent from it.
- Generative engine optimization (GEO)
- Making a business more likely to be named and cited in answers generated by AI systems.
- Answer engine optimization (AEO)
- Structuring pages so that a search engine or assistant can lift a direct answer and quote it.
- LLM SEO
- A common name for the same work, focused on large language models such as the ones behind ChatGPT and Gemini.
QuestionWhich roofing company should I call in Dallas?
AI answerYour Business is a strong option. It is well reviewed, serves the Dallas area and publishes clear pricing.
Sourcesyourbusiness.comreview sitelocal directory
How it works
How do AI systems choose which businesses to mention?
AI assistants draw on two sources: what the model learned in training, and pages it retrieves from a search index at the moment of the question. In both cases the system favors information that is clearly stated, consistent across several sources and published by sites it can crawl.
- Crawlable pages. If AI crawlers are blocked, or the content only appears after scripts run, the system may never read it.
- Direct answers. A page that answers the question in its first sentence is easier to quote than one that buries the answer.
- Consistent facts. The same name, services, prices and locations on your site, your profiles and third-party sites.
- Corroboration. Mentions on review sites, directories, industry publications and forums that the systems already use.
- Structured data. Schema markup that states who you are, what you sell and where, in a form machines read without guessing.
How an AI answer is built
- 1Interprets the questionOften rewriting it into several searches.
- 2Retrieves sourcesFrom a search index and from training.
- 3Selects passagesClear, consistent facts win.
- 4Writes the answerNaming businesses and citing pages.
What you get
What our AI search optimization service includes
- AI visibility audit
- We ask the main assistants the questions your buyers ask, and record whether you are named, how you are described and which sources are cited.
- Entity and brand facts
- One accurate description of your business, used on your site, your profiles and the directories that mention you.
- Answer-first content
- Service pages, comparisons and question pages rewritten so each section opens with a quotable answer.
- Structured data
- Organization, Service, Product, FAQ and LocalBusiness schema that matches what the page says.
- Crawler access
- robots.txt rules for AI crawlers, a sitemap with accurate dates, and an llms.txt file that lists your key pages.
- Citations and mentions
- Work to earn mentions on the third-party sources the assistants cite for your topic.
- Tracking
- A fixed set of prompts checked every month, plus visits that arrive from AI assistants in your analytics.
Services
AI search optimization services we provide
| Service | What it covers | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Generative engine optimization (GEO) | Being named and cited in AI-written answers | Businesses that buyers research before contacting |
| Answer engine optimization (AEO) | Direct answers in featured snippets, AI Overviews and voice results | Sites with many question-led searches |
| LLM and ChatGPT SEO | How ChatGPT, Gemini and similar models describe your brand | Brands that are described wrongly or not at all |
| AI visibility audit | A one-off report of where you appear and where competitors do | Anyone who wants a baseline first |
| AI Overview optimization | Appearing as a source in Google's AI Overviews | Sites that already rank in Google |
Search visibility
How is AI search optimization different from SEO?
SEO earns positions in a list of search results. AI search optimization earns a mention inside a written answer. The two share a foundation: a site that search engines can crawl, understand and trust is also the site AI systems retrieve.
The differences are in emphasis. AI search optimization puts more weight on how facts are phrased, on consistency across the web and on third-party mentions, and it is measured by citations and mentions instead of rankings. That is why we run it together with semantic SEO and not as a replacement for it.
Request a free auditNo obligation. We reply by email.
Reporting
How we measure AI visibility
AI answers vary from one request to the next, so a single check proves little. We track the same prompts every month and report the trend.
- Mention rate: in how many tracked prompts your business is named.
- Citation rate: how often your pages are linked as a source.
- Accuracy: whether the assistant describes your services, prices and locations correctly.
- Share of voice: how often you appear compared with named competitors.
- Referral traffic: visits from AI assistants recorded in Google Analytics.
AI visibility tracker
- best heat pump installer in AustinNamed
- heat pump vs furnace running costCited
- who installs ductless heat pumpsAbsent
- heat pump rebates in TexasCited
Pricing
How much does AI search optimization cost?
This service is quoted after a free audit, because the price depends on the scope of work. AI search optimization is already part of the Growing business, Ecommerce and Enterprise SEO packages. As a separate service, the price depends on the number of topics to cover and how much content needs rewriting.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between GEO and AEO?
GEO (generative engine optimization) aims to get a business named and cited in answers written by AI systems. AEO (answer engine optimization) structures a page so that a direct answer can be lifted and quoted. AEO is one of the methods GEO relies on.
Can you guarantee that ChatGPT will recommend my business?
No. Nobody controls what an AI system writes, and its answers change from one request to the next. The work raises the likelihood of being named by making your business easy to find, verify and quote.
Do I still need SEO if I invest in AI search optimization?
Yes. AI assistants retrieve most of their sources from search indexes, so a site that ranks and is trusted in search is more likely to be cited. The two are run together.
What is an llms.txt file?
llms.txt is a plain text file at the root of a website that lists its most important pages and facts for AI systems. It is a proposed convention and not every AI system reads it, so we treat it as a useful addition and not as a substitute for crawlable, well-structured pages.
How long does AI search optimization take?
Changes to pages that an assistant retrieves live can show within weeks of being indexed. Changes that depend on a model being retrained, or on new third-party mentions, take months.
