Generative Engine Optimization for AI search engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity).

GEO Fundamentals Optimization for AI powered search engines. 1. What is GEO? GEO = Generative Engine Optimization Goal Platform Be cited in AI responses ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini SEO vs GEO Aspect SEO GEO Goal 1 ranking AI citations Platform Google AI engines Metrics Rankings, CTR Citation rate Focus Keywords Entities, data 2. AI Engine Landscape Engine Citation Style Opportunity Perplexity Numbered [1][2] Citation behavior varies by query/product ChatGPT Inline/footnotes Custom GPTs Claude Contextual Long form content Gemini Sources section SEO crossover 3. RAG Retrieval Factors Potential retrieval considerations include relevance, source quality, freshness and diversity. The platforms do not publish a universal weighting formula; do not assign invented percentages or infer citation probability from this checklist. 4. Content That Gets Cited Element Why It Works Original statistics Unique, citable data Expert quotes Authority transfer Clear definitions Easy to extract Step by step guides Actionable value Comparison tables Structured info FAQ sections Direct answers 5. GEO Content Checklist Content Elements [ ] Question based titles [ ] Summary/TL;DR at top [ ] Original data with sources [ ] Expert quotes (name, title) [ ] FAQ section (3 5 Q&A) [ ] Clear definitions [ ] "Last updated" timestamp [ ] Author with credentials Technical Elements [ ] Article schema with dates [ ] Person schema for author [ ] FAQPage schema [ ] Fast loading (< 2.5s) [ ] Clean HTML structure 6. Entity Building Action Purpose Google Knowledge Panel Entity recognition Wikipedia (if notable) Authority source Consistent info across web Entity consolidation Industry mentions Authority signals 7. AI Crawler Access Key AI User Agents Crawler Engine GPTBot OpenAI training crawler; search/user agents are separate ClaudeBot / Claude SearchBot / Claude User Distinct purposes; verify current official crawler docs PerplexityBot Perplexity Googlebot Google Search; verify separate product controls Access Decision Strategy When Selective access Match owner policy to documented training/search/user crawler purposes Block GPTBot Don't want OpenAI training Selective Allow some, block others 8. Measurement Metric How to Track AI citations Manual monitoring "According to [Brand]" mentions Search in AI Competitor citations Compare share AI referred traffic UTM parameters 9. Anti Patterns ❌ Don't ✅ Do Publish without dates Add timestamps Vague attributions Name sources Skip author info Show credentials Thin content Comprehensive coverage Remember: AI cites content that's clear, authoritative, and easy to extract. Be the best answer. Script Script Purpose Command scripts/geo checker.py GEO audit (AI citation readiness) python scripts/geo checker.py <project path When to Use This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview. Example User request: Use @geo fundamentals for this task: Generative Engine Optimization for AI search engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity). Limitations Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above. Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment specific validation, testing, or expert review. Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing. The bundled checker scans at most30 selected source files; it does not crawl/render pages, validate schema, verify original data or measure AI citation probability. Public Markdown/docs can be relevant but are excluded by this heuristic. Missing files mean not assessed, not passed. FAQ markup and crawler access do not guarantee citations; verify current platform eligibility and measure dated, reproducible query samples.

geo-fundamentals