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What does this blog cover
Lots of people now type a question into ChatGPT or Google and just read the answer it gives them. They don’t click on any website after that. So if the answer mentions your business, you get noticed; if it doesn’t, you probably don’t. That’s why small businesses are looking into generative engine optimisation.
This is a simple GEO checklist for small business owners. We’ll explain what generative engine Optimization is, how SEO vs GEO are different, how to get cited in AI Overviews and ChatGPT, and give you nine steps you can finish in a few weeks.
Why does this matter for small businesses
Google reports that AI Overviews is used by more than 2.5 billion people per month, while AI Mode exceeded 1 billion users. Chat GPT crossed 900 million weekly users in early 2026, according to Open AI.
Clicks on regular results go down when an AI summary is shown. A 2025 study tracked what about 900 US adults did on Google. When there was an AI summary, they clicked a normal result in 8% of visits. When there wasn’t one, it was 15%. And only 1% of visits had a click on a link inside the summary.
Still, the traffic that comes from AI tools is small for most websites. It’s around 1% or less of visits, and two bigger studies from 2026 found about 0.3%. Google search sends way more. So this is something to do on top of SEO and not in place of it.
What is generative engine Optimization
You’re trying to make your content easy for AI tools to pick up and use in their answers. ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Google AI Mode, Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot are the main ones.
You’ll hear the names ‘answer engine optimisation’ and ‘AI search optimisation’ too, and they mostly mean the same work. Some people say answer engine optimisation is for short, direct answers and generative engine optimisation is for the longer answers AI writes. You end up doing both on the same pages, so I wouldn’t worry about the difference much.
SEO vs GEO:
| Basis | SEO | GEO |
| What do you want? | Your page ranks in the list of links. | Your business is named or linked in the AI answer. |
| What you get | A click | A mention, a link, and sometimes a click |
| What helps? | Pages Google can crawl, useful content, links, and a good experience on the page | The same things, plus clear facts, real numbers and mentions on other sites |
Google itself says that doing AI search optimisation is still SEO from its side. AI Overviews and AI Mode have the same Google index as regular search and occasionally do a few searches in the background to generate one response. If Google cannot index a page, the page will not be included in a response.
So SEO vs GEO is not really a choice between the two.
At 360 Digital Idea, we look at generative engine optimisation as SEO with a few extra things added. It’s not a separate job for us. I think most small websites would get more from fixing their basic pages than from buying some new AI tool.
The GEO checklist for small businesses:
Here are the steps for how to get cited in AI Overviews and ChatGPT, and none of them use any tricks. It’s better to go in order, since the first few steps decide if the rest will matter.
Let the bots in
Check your robots.txt file, but also the firewall or CDN configurations, since a rule on the hosting or CDN may block bots even when the robots.txt is correct. Google has to be able to crawl and index the page.
For ChatGPT search, you need to allow a bot called OAI-SearchBot. OpenAI says sites that block it won’t show up in ChatGPT search answers. GPTBot is a different bot that is used for training, so you can block GPTBot and still allow OAI-SearchBot.
Check Search Console
Google added a setting in Search Console where site owners can choose if their site shows up in its AI features. If you turn it off, you get no traffic or impressions from those features. It’s worth a quick check that it’s still on for your site.
Start with the basics.
Optimise pages for performance and mobile. Keep all the critical content as visible text on the page rather than within the images.
Link your pages to each other so they’re easy to find. Google says these still matter for its AI features.
Answer first
Under each heading, provide the answer in one or two sentences followed by additional information. For example, a dental clinic might have a heading “How long does a root canal take?”
The first lines can give the normal time, and the next paragraph can say what changes it. You don’t need to break your pages into tiny pieces for AI. Google says it isn’t needed. Clear headings and a direct answer at the start are enough.
Write what only you know
Google’s guide says original content based on real experience will probably matter more than any other tip in it. A page called “7 tips for first-time homebuyers” could have been written by anyone. A page about what you actually saw on real jobs couldn’t. So add your own numbers and photos, things that went wrong, and the questions your customers keep asking.
Use real numbers, quotes and sources
A 2024 academic study on generative engines tested this. Pages that added statistics, expert quotes and clear mentions of sources showed up in AI answers up to 40% more in the tests, and stuffing in keywords did very little. It was a research test, so I wouldn’t expect the same result on your site. Be sure the number you choose can be backed up.
Maintain consistency in the details.
Your name, address, phone number and opening times should match across your website, Google Business Profile and other directories. According to Google, both Business Profile and Merchant Centre may improve the visibility of your location and product information in AI-generated answers.
If you sell products, keep the product feed updated.
Get real mentions.
AI answers also use what people say about you on blogs, videos, reviews and forums. In that 2025 study, Wikipedia, Reddit and YouTube were some of the most common sources in AI summaries. So ask happy customers for reviews, answer questions on forums you actually use, and put up a few useful videos.
Test it yourself.
Once a month, ask ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Perplexity the questions your customers usually ask. Ten questions is enough to start with. Write down which businesses get named and which pages get linked. Search Console also has a report for generative AI. I’d be careful with paid tools that say they show Google’s own data, since Google says no outside tool can see that.
At 360 Digital Idea, we work on SEO, content writing, local SEO and Google Business Profile, and we also offer AEO and AI SEO services. If you don’t want to do all this alone, you can look at what we do on 360digitalidea.com.
What can you skip?
Google’s guide lists a few popular things that don’t help in its search.
| Tactic | What to know? |
| llms.txt file | Google ignores it. You can add one for other tools if you want. |
| Special AI markup | Not needed. Write for people. |
| Fake mentions | Not as helpful as they look |
| Keyword stuffing | Did very little in the 2024 study |
Final thoughts
You don’t really need a new plan for generative engine optimisation. Your pages should be easy for Google and ChatGPT to reach, your answers should be easy to pick up, and you should have facts that only you have, plus mentions from real people. If you want one thing to remember about how to get cited in AI Overviews, make sure the page is indexed and has useful, specific content.
Pick your three most important pages and go through this GEO checklist for small business owners on those first. If you’d like someone to look at them, the team at 360 Digital Idea can go through it with you.
FAQs
Q1. What is generative engine optimisation?
It’s making your content easy for AI tools like ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews to find and use in their answers. It’s sometimes called AI Search Optimisation and largely consists of standard SEO techniques together with factual data.
Q2. Is answer engine optimisation the same as generative engine optimisation?
Yes, more or less. Some marketers use answer engine optimisation for short direct answers and generative engine optimisation for AI-generated long answers, but it all refers to the same web pages.
Q3. SEO vs. GEO – is it an either/or decision?
No. Google says its AI features use its normal search systems, and Google search still sends a lot more traffic than AI tools. Keep doing SEO and add the GEO steps on top of it.
Q4. How to get cited in AI Overviews for a small website?
The page needs to be indexed and able to show a snippet; your site needs to be allowed in Google’s AI features in Search Console, and the content should be original and easy to read. There’s no way to promise a citation, though.
Q5. Is an llms.txt file needed?
Nope, because Google ignores those files. If you wish to create one for some other service, though, go ahead: it will neither help nor harm you.
Q6. Will blocking GPT-Bot protect my website from ChatGPT?
No, that’s not going to happen. GPT-Bot is for training purposes, and OAI-SearchBot is for search. You configure both separately via the robots.txt file, and if you want to be visible through ChatGPT search, just let OAI-SearchBot through.
Q7. How long does AI search optimisation take?
No one can tell you a definite date.
Google says indexing and showing a page is never guaranteed, and the AI answers and links change from one search to another. I’d check once a month and look at the results over a few months.
Q8. Can a small business compete with big brands in AI answers?
On narrow and local topics, I think so. Big sites can’t copy your own photos, local details, customer questions and real experience.
