Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): Step-by-Step Process to Get Cited by AI

A weird thing has happened over the last year.

People still Google stuff, sure. But a growing chunk of “search” now looks like this: someone asks ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot, whatever, and they get a clean, confident answer. No ten blue links. No scrolling. No clicking. And if the answer does reference websites, it usually cites like… three of them.

So the obvious question is painful and practical.

How do you become one of those cited sources?

That’s what people are calling Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). And yeah, it overlaps with SEO. But it’s not just “do SEO and pray.” AI systems don’t rank the same way a classic search engine does. They assemble answers. They compress the web. They pick sources that feel reliable, structured, and easy to quote.

This guide is a step-by-step process you can actually follow. Not theory. Not vibes.

Let’s get into it.

What “getting cited by AI” actually means

When an AI cites you, it’s usually doing one (or more) of these things:

1. Pulling a specific fact, definition, list, or step-by-step process from your page.
2. Using your page as a supporting source for an answer it generated from multiple sources.
3. Quoting your brand name as an example tool, framework, or authority in a niche.
4. Using your content to ground an answer (especially in systems like Perplexity that behave more like “search with citations”).

So the goal isn’t just “rank #1.” It’s: be the easiest, safest source to quote.

That’s the GEO mindset.

GEO vs SEO (quick, important difference)

Traditional SEO is largely about:

• matching keywords
• earning links
• satisfying on-page intent
• technical hygiene
• competing on SERPs

GEO leans harder into:

• citation-ready formatting
• entity clarity (who you are, what you do, what this page is about)
• structured facts and summaries
• unique data or first-hand experience
• consistency across your site and the wider web
• and honestly… just being less fluffy

Some of the best GEO content looks almost boring. But it gets referenced because it’s clean and usable.

Step 1: Pick topics that AI engines want to cite

If your content is mostly “10 tips to be productive” level, you’ll struggle. AI doesn’t need your generic tips. It can generate those without you.

You want topics that naturally require sources:

Great “citation bait” topic types

• Definitions and frameworks: “What is GEO?”, “What is programmatic SEO?”, “Topical authority explained”
• Step-by-step processes: “How to set up X”, “How to audit Y”, “How to calculate Z”
• Comparisons: “A vs B”, “best tools for ___”, “alternatives to ___”
• Stats and benchmarks: industry numbers, adoption trends, pricing ranges, performance studies
• Original templates: checklists, SOPs, scripts, prompts, spreadsheet structures
• Policy / compliance / technical specifics: where accuracy matters

A simple filter I use

Ask: If an AI answers this question, would it feel risky without citing sources?
If yes, good GEO candidate.

Step 2: Build a “citable page” structure (this matters more than you think)

Most blog posts are written for humans skimming. AI engines also skim, but they prefer content that is easy to extract into a clean answer.

So format the page like you want to be quoted.

My default citable structure

1. Short definition (2 to 3 sentences)
2. Why it matters (bullets)
3. Step-by-step process (numbered list)
4. Examples (realistic)
5. Common mistakes (bullets)
6. FAQ (tight answers)
7. Sources / references (when relevant)

If you do nothing else in GEO, do this.

Also. Use headings that are extremely literal. Not clever. Literal.

Bad: “The secret sauce”
Good: “Step 3: Add citation-ready summaries to each article”

AI is more likely to quote what it understands immediately.

Step 3: Write a “definition block” at the top of every key article

This is one of the easiest wins.

Put a small, obvious definition near the top. Like:

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of structuring and publishing content so AI assistants can reliably understand it, extract key facts, and cite it as a source in generated answers.

That kind of block gets lifted constantly.

A nice pattern is:

• 1 sentence definition
• 1 sentence “how it works”
• 1 sentence “why it matters”

Not long. Not philosophical.

Step 4: Add summary sections that are basically pre-packaged quotes

You’re not “tricking” anything. You’re making your content usable.

Use sections like:

• Key takeaways
• Quick checklist
• TLDR
• In one sentence
• GEO checklist for this page

Example:

Key takeaways

• GEO content is formatted for extraction: definitions, steps, lists, FAQs.
• Pages with unique data, screenshots, or real workflows get cited more often.
• Consistent entity signals (About page, author bios, organization schema) reduce ambiguity.

Those bullets are quote magnets.

Step 5: Create real “information gain” (aka give AI something it can’t invent)

AI engines cite sources when they need grounding. If your page doesn’t add anything new, you’re competing with a thousand similar posts.

Here are reliable ways to add information gain without running a research lab.

Options that work

• Original screenshots of a process you actually did
• Mini case studies (“we changed X, result was Y after Z days”)
• Pricing tables you verified manually (date-stamped)
• Templates you built and tested
• Curated definitions with clear distinctions (what something is vs is not)
• Decision trees (“if you’re in situation A, do this. If B, do that.”)

Even a small, real example is huge. Because most content is still vague.

If you’re in SEO and content marketing specifically, one practical approach is to document your workflow end to end. Tools, steps, checks, outputs. The boring stuff.

That’s what gets cited.

Step 6: Make your site easy to understand as an entity (brand clarity)

This is the part nobody wants to do. But it helps a lot.

AI engines get confused when your brand is unclear. If they can’t confidently tell what you are, they hesitate to cite you.

To avoid this, ensure you have:

• A strong About page (plain English: who you help, what you do)
• Visible author bios with credentials or relevant experience
• A consistent brand name (don’t vary it across pages)
• Clear contact info
• A privacy policy and basic trust pages (yes, really)
• A clean site architecture (categories that make sense)

Also add schema where appropriate (more on that in a second). These steps not only enhance brand clarity but also play a crucial role in passing the EEAT SEO signals that Google looks for.

Step 7: Use schema for clarity (not for “ranking hacks”)

Schema is not magic, but it reduces ambiguity.

At minimum, most sites should have:

• Organization schema
• WebSite schema
• Article schema on blog posts
• BreadcrumbList
• FAQPage schema where you actually have FAQs

If you publish how-to content, HowTo schema can help, but only if it’s implemented properly and the steps are truly steps.

The goal here is simple: make it harder for machines to misinterpret your page.

Step 8: Write FAQ sections the way AI actually answers

Most FAQ sections are fluff.

Good GEO FAQs are tight, specific, and fact-based. Think of them as training data for how you want to be quoted.

Example GEO-friendly FAQ questions

• What is the difference between GEO and SEO?
• How do AI assistants choose sources to cite?
• What formatting increases the chance of citations?
• What types of content are least likely to be cited?

Answer each in 2 to 5 sentences. Add a short list if needed. No rambling.

Step 9: Update content like you mean it (freshness is a trust signal)

A lot of AI citations skew toward pages that:

• look maintained
• include recent dates
• reference current tools, versions, pricing, features
• don’t contradict reality

So build a simple refresh habit:

• review top pages every 60 to 90 days
• update screenshots, stats, pricing, feature lists
• add “Last updated” (if it’s honest)
• remove dead tools and outdated advice

If you’re publishing at scale, this is where automation helps. You don’t want to manually rewrite 80 articles every quarter.

This is one reason people use platforms like SEO software, because it’s built for hands-off content marketing workflows where content can be generated, scheduled, published, and updated without turning into a full-time job. If you’re curious, their AI SEO editor is a good place to see how the writing and optimization workflow is designed.

Step 10: Create a topic cluster that makes you the “default source” in your niche

One page might get cited once. A cluster gets cited repeatedly.

Here’s the play:

1. Pick one core topic (example: “GEO for SaaS”)
2. Build 6 to 12 supporting articles that answer sub-questions
3. Interlink them heavily and logically
4. Add a “hub” page that summarizes the whole cluster

AI engines like sites that demonstrate depth, not just one-off posts.

And yes, internal linking still matters here. It helps both crawlers and models map your site.

If you want a list of content tools and approaches that support this kind of cluster building, this roundup is relevant: AI writing tools. (Even if you don’t use the tools, it gives you a good landscape view.)

Step 11: Make your content quotable (micro level writing tweaks)

This sounds small, but it changes everything.

Write sentences that stand alone

Bad: “This can be helpful in many situations.”
Good: “GEO works best for content that includes definitions, steps, and verifiable facts that an AI can safely quote.”

Use consistent terminology

If you call it “Generative Engine Optimization” on one page, don’t call it “AI Search Optimization” on another unless you’re clearly defining the relationship.

Prefer concrete over clever

You’re not writing a novel. You’re writing something that might be extracted into one paragraph in an AI answer.

Step 12: Track citations (the imperfect but practical way)

There’s no single perfect “AI citation tracker” yet. But you can still monitor impact.

Things you can do

• Search your brand name in Perplexity and see where it cites you.
• Ask ChatGPT / Claude: “What are the top sources for X?” and see if you show up (not scientific, but directional).
• Monitor branded search growth in Google Search Console.
• Watch referral traffic from AI-centric sources (Perplexity, Bing, etc) in analytics.
• Track rankings for definition queries and “best tools” queries. Those often translate into AI citations later.

Over time, you’ll notice which pages get mentioned more. Then you replicate the structure.

A practical GEO checklist (copy this)

If you want the whole process in one place, here.

GEO page checklist

• Clear title that matches a real question
• Definition block in the first 100 to 150 words
• Key takeaways section (3 to 6 bullets)
• Step-by-step numbered process
• Examples or mini case study (even a small one)
• FAQ section with short answers
• Internal links to related pages
• Organization and Article schema in place
• Updated date and content freshness checks
• No fluff intros that delay the point

Where SEO software fits into this (if you want to scale GEO content)

You can absolutely do GEO manually. One great page at a time. That’s how most sites start.

But if your goal is to build clusters and keep them updated without living inside Google Docs, you need a system.

That’s basically the pitch for SEO software. It scans your site, builds a keyword and topic strategy, generates SEO-optimized articles, and can schedule and publish them automatically. Which is the unglamorous part that still matters. Consistency.

If you want to explore it, start with their AI SEO editor and see if the workflow matches how you like to write and review. It’s not about pressing a button and hoping. It’s about producing a steady stream of structured, citable pages that you can refine over time.

Common GEO mistakes I see constantly

Writing “thought leadership” with no extractable facts

If the post is all opinions and metaphors, there’s nothing to cite.

Hiding the answer

If your definition appears after 700 words of throat clearing, you’re making it harder for both humans and machines.

Publishing one isolated page

GEO rewards topical depth. One page can pop off, but clusters win.

Not updating tool lists and stats

If your post says “as of 2022,” you’re done. Even if the advice is still good.

Confusing branding

If your site doesn’t clearly communicate who you are, what you offer, and why you’re credible, AI models tend to cite someone else.

Wrap up (what to do this week)

If you want a simple plan that actually moves you toward getting cited:

1. Pick 3 topics in your niche that require sources.
2. Rewrite or publish one page using the citable structure (definition, steps, FAQs).
3. Add one real example or template to make it uniquely useful.
4. Build two supporting articles and interlink them.
5. Refresh your About page and author bios so your entity signals are clean.

That’s it. Not glamorous. But it works.

GEO is basically this: write like you expect your content to be lifted into someone else’s answer. Because it will be.

If you do it right, your brand becomes the source. Not just another page.