The rise of conversational AI has changed how people discover answers online. Instead of scanning a list of blue links, many users now ask ChatGPT, Gemini, or Google’s AI Overviews for a concise, trustworthy answer, and those systems increasingly cite web sources. GEO (Google AI

Generative Extraction / Overviews, broadly speaking, the signals that let Google find and summarize web content) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) are the strategies that help your content be the one those models pick, cite, or summarize. Put simply: AEO is optimizing to be the answer; GEO is optimizing to be the source Google’s generative layers extract from.

Below are 10 practical, easy-to-apply tips you can implement today to improve your chances of being surfaced, cited, or summarized by ChatGPT-style answer engines (including Gemini). Each tip includes a one-line “do this now” action.

1) Write tight, question-first headings (chunk for extraction)

AI answer engines love predictable structure. Use question-style H2/H3 headings that match how people ask things conversationally, e.g., “How long does X take?” or “Best way to do Y?”. Keep each section small (150–300 words) and focused on a single claim or step so models can extract a concise answer without noise.
Do this now: Add a short question heading and a 3–5 sentence answer at the top of each major section.

Why it works: Generative systems extract chunks of text that directly answer user prompts. If your page has discrete Q→A chunks, it’s far easier to be selected.

2) Lead with the answer (put the summary first)

Start with a 1–2 sentence summary (the “answer in one line”) before deeper explanation. AI systems prefer pages that give an immediate, extractable takeaway and then back it up with detail.
Do this now: For any paragraph that answers a query, put a bold or short summary sentence at the top.

3) Use precise factual signals (numbers, dates, metrics)

Give unique, verifiable data, exact numbers, case-study results, original stats, and dates. AI models favor content that provides information gain: facts or figures that are not generic. If you can add a short table of results or a one-paragraph case study, it increases your chance of being cited.
Do this now: Add a single bullet or mini-table with 2–3 metrics (e.g., “reduced churn 18% in 6 months”).

Why it works: Content that demonstrates novel or verifiable information stands out to models that attempt to choose the most informative sources.

4) Show E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

AI answers prefer sources that show credentials and trust signals. Add short author bios, publication dates, citations to primary sources, and clear sourcing when you make claims. If you have first-hand experience, say so (briefly), “From our analysis of 1,200 pages…”, and link to supporting data or methodology.
Do this now: Add a 2-sentence author bio and a link to a credentials page near the top or bottom of the article.

Why it works: Google and other AI systems lean on signals of expertise and trust when selecting sources for summary answers.

5) Use structured data and FAQ schema selectively

Add schema markup (FAQ, HowTo, Article) where appropriate to make it machine-readable. While schema alone won’t guarantee selection, it makes your content easier to parse and signals intent clearly to crawlers and extraction layers. Keep FAQ answers short and direct.
Do this now: Add JSON-LD FAQ schema for 3–5 common questions in the article.

Why it works: Structured markup helps search and AI systems understand the intent and parts of your page for potential summarization or citation.

6) Be the canonical, consistent source across formats

If you publish similar advice in multiple places (blog, PDF guide, case study), make sure one canonical page aggregates the best material and links to the rest. AI systems prefer consistent, authoritative sources, repeated, consistent messaging across domains and formats improves likelihood of citation.
Do this now: Create a single “definitive” page and cross-link your related assets to it.

7) Optimize for conversational queries and long-tail prompts

People ask natural language questions to chat AIs. Include conversational phrases and long-tail variations in headers and the first 100 words. Use an FAQ section that mimics how users phrase follow-up queries.
Do this now: Add 5 conversational question variations into an FAQ block.

Why it works: Models match user intent conversationally; content that mirrors those phrasing patterns is a better match.

8) Make citations clickable and obvious

When you reference studies, link to the source near the sentence that cites it. AI agents that can browse the web prefer sources with clear attributions and visible links because they can verify or include them in an answer. Visible, high-quality outbound links increase trust.
Do this now: For each key claim, add one inline link to a primary source or reputable reference.

9) Improve retrieval by fixing site health and speed

Technical issues, slow pages, broken canonical tags, poor HTML semantics, make it harder for indexing and retrieval layers to parse your content. Run a basic site audit (speed, structured data, sitemaps, robots) and fix obvious errors. A clean, fast site is more likely to be scraped and used.
Do this now: Run one page through a speed test and fix anything under 90 in core web vitals.

Why it works: AI extraction pipelines rely on clean HTML and timely crawls. Speed and crawlability are still practical signals for being discoverable.

10) Track citations and iterate (measure where you appear)

You need metrics for AEO/GEO similar to rank tracking for SEO. Monitor mentions and citations in ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews using tools or manual spot checks. Track what content gets cited and rework pages that are close matches but not selected.
Do this now: Create a simple spreadsheet to log each time your site is cited by an AI tool and the query that triggered it.

Why it works: Data-driven iteration helps you understand which article formats, headings, or facts actually get used in AI answers. Over time this produces repeatable wins.

Quick checklist you can run through in 30 minutes

1. Add a one-line answer sentence at the top of your main pages.

2. Convert 3 subheadings to question-form H2s.

3. Add an author line with credentials.

4. Insert 2–3 data points or a micro case study.

5. Add FAQ JSON-LD for 3 questions.

6. Fix any broken links and run a speed test.

These small, focused edits dramatically increase the chance your content is parseable and citable by AI systems.

“To win in AI answers, make your content concise, evidence-backed, and easy for models to extract, A clear summary, short Q&A chunks, and visible trust signals are your best bets.”, Russell Lobo.

Final notes & realistic expectations

AEO/GEO is an evolution, not a magic bullet. Traditional SEO fundamentals, relevance, links, and technical health, still matter. The key difference is packaging your expertise so an AI can extract it: short answers, clear facts, author signals, and accessible structure. The field is changing quickly; experiment with formats, measure what gets cited, and lean into unique data and experience that only you can provide.