LLM SEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)
LLM SEO (also called GEO — Generative Engine Optimisation) is the emerging practice of optimising content to be cited or recommended by AI chatbots and generative search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
Reviewed by Alexander Yarovenko · Updated: 2026-07-03
What is LLM SEO / GEO?
LLM SEO (or Generative Engine Optimisation / GEO) is an emerging field that focuses on optimising content to be cited, referenced, or recommended by large language model-based AI systems — including ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Bing Copilot, and other AI-powered search and answer engines.
Traditional SEO vs GEO
| Traditional SEO | GEO / LLM SEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Target | Google's ranking algorithm | LLM training data and retrieval systems |
| Goal | Rank in SERP blue links | Be cited/recommended by AI responses |
| Click model | User clicks link | AI cites you; user may or may not click |
| Signals | Backlinks, content, technical SEO | Authority, citations, schema, brand mentions |
How LLMs Choose Which Sources to Cite
LLMs and AI search systems (especially retrieval-augmented generation / RAG systems like Perplexity and AI Overviews) prefer sources that are:
- Authoritative — high E-E-A-T, trusted by other authoritative sites
- Accurate and factual — consistently correct information that matches training data
- Comprehensive — cover topics in depth with clear structure
- Well-structured — clear headings, concise answers, tables, and lists
- Frequently cited — sources already cited elsewhere in the web signal authority
GEO Optimisation Tactics
- Build brand authority — Wikipedia entries, authoritative mentions, Knowledge Graph presence
- Use structured data — Schema markup helps AI systems parse your content
- Write directly answerable content — concise Q&A format; direct, quotable statements
- Be consistently cited — earn links and mentions from authoritative sources
- Publish original research — unique data that AI systems can't find elsewhere
- Build topical authority — be the definitive source on your niche