How can you improve your visibility in AI search engines like ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, Copilot and Perplexity?

Hi, I'm Eric Waterschoot. My name is Eric Waterschoot. And as an AI strategist, I get this question almost daily.

While Google remains the dominant way for people to discover information, a major shift is underway. Large language models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Google's AI mode, Copilot, Perplexity and DeepSeek are increasingly being used as primary discovery engines, not just assistants.

Users now expect :

For website owners, this means one thing: SEO is moving towards GEO (Generative Engine Optimization).

But GEO doesn't replace SEO. It builds on it.

From SEO to GEO: what's really changed?

GEO is often described as «the next version of SEO», but this formulation is misleading.

SEO doesn't disappear.

Generative engines still rely heavily on the same foundations that power traditional search.

The difference lies in the way content is selected and presented.

Traditional SEO aims to :

GÉO aims to :

In practice, GEO relies on search engine optimizationadding an extra layer of authority, clarity and value to citations.

How do AI search engines explore and index content?

AI search tools don't necessarily use a specific «traditional exploration + index + classification» processes exactly like Google. Instead, they combine selective exploration, selected indexes and real-time retrieval to generate answers.

Unlike Google, which relies on Googlebot to continuously explore and index vast swathes of the open Web, most AI-based search tools maintain smaller, higher-quality indices.

In addition to stored cues, many AI systems also use recovery on demand. When a user asks a question, the AI can retrieve new content in real time, evaluate multiple sources and synthesize an answer (sometimes even if the content is not continuously indexed).

Different platforms approach this hybrid model in different ways:

So, to ensure that your content is detectable in AI search :

Ensuring page indexability - Confirm canonical tags, remove unnecessary 404 or noindex directives and maintain a clean site structure.

Use SE Ranking's website audit tool to detect technical SEO problems that could prevent IA search engines from indexing your content correctly.

However, exploration capacity alone does not guarantee AI visibility.

SE Ranking's research shows that files like LLMs.txt currently have little or no influence on how tools like ChatGPT or Google's AI mode select and cite content. Technical access is therefore a prerequisite, but not in itself a lever for AI visibility.

How to check your search engine visibility IA

AI tools such as ChatGPT, Copilot and Perplexity AI generate responses based on databases, live search results, memory and past interactions. This means your site's visibility can be influenced in unexpected ways. Always test anonymously and online to get a more realistic view:

But manual testing has its limits. AI tools can always customize responses based on session context, model updates and prompt structure, so results will always vary.

That's why SE Ranking has developed tools such as ChatGPT Visibility Tracker, AI Overviews Tracker, AI Mode Tracker, which can be invaluable for AI and SEO strategists like me. In concrete terms, they enable you to:

This turns GEO from a conjecture into a measurable optimization.

What really drives AI citations (based on data)

To answer this question, SE Ranking recently analyzed :

And here are the factors that have the greatest impact on quotes in ChatGPT and AI Mode responses.

1. Domain authority

Authority is the strongest common denominator between AI platforms.

Sites that :

are far more likely to be cited by AI systems.

For ChatGPT in particular, the referent domains are the #1 ranking factor.

To give an example, sites with over 32,000 referring domains are 3.5 times more likely to be cited by ChatGPT than those with up to 200 referring domains.

2. Google visibility

AI systems do not operate independently of search engines.

Pages that are already performing well in Google :

are much more likely to appear in Google AI mode responses.

Research data shows that websites with over 1.16 million visitors are 3 times more likely to be chosen as a source by AI Mode than those with fewer than 2.7,000 visitors.

This makes Google organic traffic is the #1 predictor of AI citations.

3. Brand strength and recognition

AI systems favor recognizable brands.

Strong signals include :

For example, domains with millions of brand mentions on Quora and Reddit are around 4 times more likely to be cited by ChatGPT than those with minimal activity. For AI mode, reaching the point of 240,000 brand searches increases your chances of being cited by around 33 %.

4. In-depth, structured and regularly updated content

Pages that always work well:

are generally more likely to be cited in AI responses.

Research shows that content longer than 2,900 words works best for ChatGPT. For AI mode, this starts at 2,300 words.

What's more, for both AI systems, updating content every 2-3 months is considered an important ranking factor.

5. FAQ sections and question style titles

Including FAQs within the content helps AI identify clear answers.

Important information:
FAQ diagram markup in itself, has no measurable impact on AI citations. Structure beats metadata.

A practical GEO action plan

1. Build and reinforce authority signals

2. Maintain organic visibility on Google

3. Create in-depth, well-structured content

4. Strengthen your brand's presence beyond your website

Tools such as Plannable help maintain consistency without overburdening your team

What doesn't work to increase the visibility of AI research:

Bonus tip: use AI follow-up questions to obtain information

AI tools like Perplexity and Copilot generate follow-up questions based on search queries. This reveals gaps in content that you can use as inspiration for new content:

SE Ranking's content editor helps you optimize this content for traditional search so you can generate more organic traffic from Google.