AI search optimization · AEO & GEO

AI Search Optimization That Gets You Mentioned, Not Just Ranked

We optimize how ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity and Gemini understand and describe your brand, so the next generation of search sends real customers to you.

Content structured so AI models can read, trust and quote it
Tracking of exactly when and how your brand appears in AI answers
Ongoing improvement as AI search changes, not a one-time fix
AI answer
ChatGPTGeminiPerplexityAI OverviewsCopilotClaude
Which agency should I hire for AI search optimization?

Based on expert reviews and trusted sources, here are three strong options:

1
Your BrandCited for clear, source-backed expertise
Source 1
2
3
Sources1 · yourbrand.com2 · review site3 · industry forum
Tracked daily
Mentions across 6 AI engines
15+Years of search expertise
500+Websites optimized for AI
10K+AI answers tracked monthly
3XAverage growth in AI mentions
97%Client retention rate
Chapter 01 · Know the difference

SEO vs AEO vs GEO: What's The Difference?

All three are about being found, but each one wins a different spot. Here is what each one actually does, and why you now need all three.

best crm software123Rank #1

SEO

Search Engine Optimization

Getting your pages to rank high on a search results page like Google.

Optimizes forYour position on the results page
ExampleRanking #1 for “best CRM software”
best crm for small teamsAnswer

AEO

Answer Engine Optimization

Getting your content chosen as the direct answer in featured snippets, voice search and AI Overviews.

Optimizes forBeing the answer, not just a link
ExampleYour page answering “what is the best CRM for small teams”
Which CRM should we use?Your Brand[1] yourbrand.com

GEO

Where search is heading
Generative Engine Optimization

Getting your brand cited or recommended inside answers written by ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and similar tools.

Optimizes forBeing trusted enough to quote
ExampleChatGPT naming your company when asked for a recommendation
We run all three together: SEO earns the ranking, AEO wins the answer and GEO earns the mention.
Chapter 02 · The mechanics

How AI Engines Actually Decide What To Cite

Every AI answer goes through the same basic pipeline before your brand ever gets a mention. We optimize your content for each stage of it.

01 · Crawl & indexBillions of pages02 · RetrievalA few dozen matches03 · GroundingFacts cross-checkedYour page04 · CitationOne source quoted01 · Crawl & indexBillions of pages02 · RetrievalA few dozen matches03 · GroundingFacts cross-checkedYour page04 · CitationOne source quoted
01

Crawl & index

AI engines crawl the open web, or draw on Google's and Bing's existing indexes, to build the pool of content they can answer from.

02

Retrieval

When someone asks a question, the engine pulls the small set of pages most relevant to that exact query, out of billions.

03

Grounding

Retrieved content is cross-checked against other sources to confirm the facts before it is allowed into the answer.

04

Citation

The clearest, most credible and best-structured source is quoted or linked inside the answer the person actually reads.

yourbrand.com/guides/best-crmWhat Is The Best CRMFor A Small Team?Short answer:Written by a CRM consultantExpert reviewed · Brand verifiedUpdated Sep 202668%Source ↗PlanUsersPriceLoads in 0.9s123456
Chapter 03 · The playbook

Anatomy Of A Page AI Wants To Quote

These six things most consistently decide whether an AI engine quotes you or skips you. Each number matches a spot on the page.

1

Match how people actually ask

Headings written in the natural phrasing people type or speak to AI tools, not just the keywords you would target for Google.

2

Answer the question directly

Open with a clear one or two sentence answer before any story or context. AI engines lift the first clean answer they find.

3

Clear entity signals

Named authors, real credentials and consistent brand details, so AI models can confidently connect your name to the topic.

4

Fresh, fact-dense content

Current information backed by real numbers and linked sources. AI engines favor content that reads as accurate and up to date.

5

Write in extractable chunks

Short self-contained paragraphs, lists and tables that can be lifted out cleanly on their own.

6

Fast, crawlable pages

Quick, clean pages with content in the HTML, so AI crawlers can read them without technical roadblocks.

Chapter 04 · Where your customers are asking

Built For Every AI Engine, Not Just One

Each engine finds and ranks sources differently. We tune your content for how each one actually works, instead of following one generic checklist.

ChatGPT

Leans on: Live web search

Searches the web with its own crawler and search partners, and favors clear, well-structured pages it can quote directly.

Google AI Overviews

Leans on: Google's index

Built from pages already indexed and ranking in Google, helped by the structured data on your site.

Perplexity

Leans on: Real-time search

Runs a live search for every question and cites sources inline, rewarding fresh, specific, fact-dense content.

Claude

Leans on: Web search when enabled

Searches the web when a question needs current information, and favors clearly sourced, well-organized pages.

Microsoft Copilot

Leans on: Bing's index

Grounded in Bing search results, so Bing indexing, Bing Webmaster Tools and IndexNow all matter.

Gemini

Leans on: Google Search + Knowledge Graph

Draws on Google Search and Google's Knowledge Graph, and rewards clear entity and brand signals.

ReviewsForumsPressVideoDirectoriesWikipediaYourBrand
Chapter 05 · Beyond your website

AI Engines Trust What Others Say About You

AI tools rarely recommend a brand based on its own website alone. They look for agreement across reviews, communities, directories and the press. We build that footprint, honestly and consistently.

Reviews

Recent, consistent reviews on Google and the platforms your industry uses.

Forums

Genuine, helpful answers in communities like Reddit and Quora. Never spam.

Wikipedia & Wikidata

Accurate entity facts where your brand qualifies, and consistent profiles everywhere else.

Directories & lists

Listings on the trusted directories and “best of” lists in your niche.

Press & expert quotes

Features and quotes in publications AI tools already cite.

Video & podcasts

YouTube videos and episodes that answer your customers’ real questions.

Chapter 06 · Technical AI readiness

Can AI Crawlers Actually Reach Your Site?

Many sites block AI crawlers without knowing it, through robots.txt rules, firewall settings or content that only appears after JavaScript runs. We check access first, because nothing else works if the bots cannot get in.

CrawlerCompanyWhat it is used forOur usual advice
OAI-SearchBotOpenAIFinds and shows sites in ChatGPT search answers
Allow
GPTBotOpenAICollects content that may be used to train OpenAI models
Your choice
GooglebotGoogleGoogle Search, including AI Overviews and AI Mode
Allow
Google-ExtendedGoogleControls use of your content for Gemini models; does not affect Google Search
Your choice
BingbotMicrosoftBing search, which also grounds Microsoft Copilot answers
Allow
PerplexityBotPerplexityIndexes pages to show and link them in Perplexity answers
Allow
Claude-SearchBotAnthropicIndexes pages to improve search results in Claude
Allow
OAI-SearchBotOpenAI
Allow

Finds and shows sites in ChatGPT search answers

GPTBotOpenAI
Your choice

Collects content that may be used to train OpenAI models

GooglebotGoogle
Allow

Google Search, including AI Overviews and AI Mode

Google-ExtendedGoogle
Your choice

Controls use of your content for Gemini models; does not affect Google Search

BingbotMicrosoft
Allow

Bing search, which also grounds Microsoft Copilot answers

PerplexityBotPerplexity
Allow

Indexes pages to show and link them in Perplexity answers

Claude-SearchBotAnthropic
Allow

Indexes pages to improve search results in Claude

Training bots are a business decision; search bots decide whether you can be cited. Crawler names follow each company’s published documentation, and we re-check them every quarter.

Content in the HTML

Most AI crawlers do not run JavaScript, so key content must be in the page source.

Structured data

Organization, FAQ, Product, Article and LocalBusiness schema where it fits.

Sitemaps & IndexNow

Fresh sitemaps and IndexNow pings so Bing and Copilot see changes fast.

llms.txt (optional)

An emerging, optional guide file for AI tools. We add it where useful, without overpromising.

Chapter 07 · Quick self-check

How Ready Is Your Website For AI Search?

Tick every statement that is true for your site today. It takes under a minute and shows where you stand before you talk to anyone.

Our key pages open with a direct, one or two sentence answer
We use Organization, FAQ and Product or Service schema
Our robots.txt and firewall allow AI search crawlers
Important content loads without needing JavaScript
Our brand name, address and details match everywhere online
Our content was updated in the last six months, with sources cited
We are mentioned on review sites, forums or press in our niche
We know what ChatGPT says when asked about our category
Your AI readiness0 / 8
Tick the statements that applyYour result and next step will appear here as you go.
Trusted by leading brands

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Chapter 08 · How we work

How We Get You Cited, Step By Step

Every project follows the same clear process. We study how AI models pull answers, then build your content and signals to match.

01
02
03
04Ongoing
Step 01

Research

Find what AI models say about you and your competitors today
See which sources ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity cite in your industry
Build a plan on real AI search data, not guesswork
Step 02

Review

Audit content, schema and crawler access for AI readiness
Flag pages that are confusing or invisible to AI
Fix the highest-impact issues first
Step 03

Launch

Rewrite and structure key pages so AI can read them clearly
Add schema and structured data across your site
Publish content that answers what customers ask AI
Step 04

Improve

Track brand mentions across AI platforms
Share progress in a live visibility dashboard
Keep adjusting as AI models change their sources
Chapter 09 · What we track

The Questions We Track For Your Brand

We map the real questions buyers ask AI at every stage of their decision, then check each one across every major engine. Example shown for a project management software brand.

People learning about a problem. Being named here puts you on the shortlist before they compare anyone.

What is the easiest way to manage projects for a small team?
How do agencies keep client projects on track?
Is a spreadsheet enough, or do we need project software?
Which features matter most in a project tool?

People weighing options. AI answers here decide who makes the final two or three.

Best project management tools for small businesses
YourBrand vs the top alternatives
Which project tools have the best free plan?
Most reliable project software for remote teams

People close to buying. Accurate, positive answers here protect conversions you have already earned.

Is YourBrand worth the price?
What do real users say about YourBrand?
Does YourBrand integrate with Slack and Google Drive?
How long does it take to set up YourBrand?
For every prompt, we record
Whether your brand is mentioned
Where you appear in the answer
Whether the tone is positive, neutral or negative
Which of your pages are cited as sources
Which competitors are named instead

Checked on ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Copilot and Claude.

Chapter 10 · The end result

This Is What Getting Cited Actually Looks Like

Once your content and signals are in place, AI engines start recommending you directly, instead of leaving you out of the answer.

BeforeAI assistant
Who should I hire for AI search optimization?

Here are some popular options: Agency A, Agency B and Agency C are often mentioned for SEO services.

Your brand: not mentioned
After NextFumeAI assistant
Who should I hire for AI search optimization?

A few agencies offer this, but NextFume is frequently cited for its structured, source-backed approach to AEO and GEO, with clear tracking of citations across ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews.

Source: nextfume.com

Illustrative example of an AI answer. Wording differs between engines and changes over time.

AI Visibility ReportSeptember 2026
Sent monthly
AI citations47Up from 12 last month
Engines citing you4 of 6ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, AI Overviews
Top winning query3 engines“best B2B agency”
AI citations per month

This month's priority fix: add FAQ schema to the pricing page, ranked highest for impact against effort.

Chapter 11 · Full transparency

You'll Always Know Exactly Where You Stand

No black box and no vague activity logs. Every month you get a plain-English report showing what changed, where you were cited and what we are fixing next.

Every fix is ranked by real impact on AI visibility, not by what is easiest to bill.

Citations and mentions, engine by engine
Prompts won, lost and still open
Competitors named in your key answers
A clear priority list for next month
Case snapshots

Real Results From AI Search Work

A look at what changed once we started optimizing for how AI engines actually choose their answers.

SaaS platform
312%more AI citations in 90 days

Product pages restructured with direct answers and schema, from zero AI mentions to citations on ChatGPT and Perplexity for core use-case queries.

B2B services
8top-value queries where they are the most cited source

Went from appearing in no AI-generated answers to leading the citations for eight of their highest-value queries.

DTC brand
4xmore branded AI mentions

Structured FAQ content and cleaner entity signals quadrupled how often the brand was named in AI shopping recommendations.

E-commerce
97%of priority pages AI-readable

A full-site audit and restructure so nearly every priority page could be parsed and quoted cleanly by AI crawlers.

Individual results vary by industry, starting point and how much content there is to work with.

Why teams choose us

AI Search Expertise And Real Strategists, Working Together

Being visible in AI answers takes more than good SEO habits copied over. It takes a team that studies how these models retrieve and cite information.

Specialists who study how ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity source answers
Clear reporting on where and how your brand appears
Strategies built around your industry, not a generic checklist
Monthly re-testing as AI models update their sources
Results for brands of every size, from local to global
AI searchspecialists
Schemaand structured data experts
15+ yearsin SEO
4.9 / 5client rating

Get Cited Where Your Customers Are Actually Asking

1,345+Projects delivered
15+Years of experience
12+AI & SEO experts
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Client success stories

Teams Who Switched To Us

A few honest words from clients who moved their AI search strategy to our team.

Their team caught exactly why ChatGPT kept recommending our competitor instead of us. Within a month, that had changed.

Marketing Director, SaaS Platform

What stood out was actually seeing our brand show up inside AI answers, with proof, not just a promise.

Founder, DTC Brand

We had solid SEO rankings but zero AI visibility. They fixed that fast, and we can finally see it in the reports.

Growth Lead, B2B Services
Free AI visibility audit

Stop Being Invisible In AI Search Results

Tell us your brand and your most important customer questions. We will check what ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews say about you today.

You get a short, practical list of what to fix first, with no obligation to work with us.

15+Years in search
1,345+Projects delivered
97%Client retention

Request A Free AI Audit

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Questions, answered

AEO & GEO Questions, Answered

The questions we are asked most. Reach out if you need anything else explained before you get started.

What exactly are AEO and GEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) are about getting your brand mentioned and cited inside AI-generated answers, on tools like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Perplexity, not just ranked on a results page.

How is this different from regular SEO?

Traditional SEO gets you a ranking on a results page. AEO and GEO get you quoted inside the answer itself, so we focus on how AI models read, trust and cite content, as well as how search engines crawl it.

Will this replace our existing SEO work?

No, it builds on it. Strong SEO fundamentals still matter, because many AI engines draw on search indexes. We layer AEO and GEO on top so your content works for both traditional search and AI answers.

How soon will we see results?

First changes usually go live within two to three weeks of the audit. Early citations typically appear within six to eight weeks, once AI crawlers have picked up the updated content. Broader visibility across several engines tends to build over three to four months.

How do you track mentions inside AI answers?

We run your priority prompts across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Copilot and Claude on a regular schedule, and log every mention, position, citation and competitor in a dashboard you can check anytime. You also get a monthly summary.

Can you guarantee that ChatGPT will recommend us?

No one can honestly guarantee that. AI answers change by engine, wording and over time. What we can do is remove the barriers, strengthen the signals AI engines rely on and show you measurable progress every month.

Should we block or allow AI crawlers?

Search crawlers such as OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, Bingbot and Googlebot should usually be allowed, or you cannot be cited. Training crawlers like GPTBot and Google-Extended are a business choice, and we explain the trade-offs before changing anything.

Do you also handle schema and structured data?

Yes. We add and maintain the schema markup, structured data and technical formatting that help AI systems understand your content correctly.

Will you sign an NDA and keep our data private?

Always. Keeping your brand and business information private is something we never compromise on.