Home / AI search optimization (AEO) · Updated October 26, 2026

AI search optimization · AEO · GEO

Answer engine optimization services that get you named by AI.

When people ask ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google's AI who to hire, those tools name three or four businesses. Everyone else gets nothing. Right now, that list probably doesn't include you. We change that. You just approve.

  • Check what ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI say about you today
  • Get mentioned on the trusted sites AI tools read
  • Monthly re-check and a plain-English report
Free

Get your free AI Visibility Snapshot

We check who Google and ChatGPT recommend instead of you, why they're winning, and what to fix first. One page in 48 hours. No card. No sales call.

  • Who ChatGPT & Google recommend instead of you
  • Why they get picked over you
  • Your top fixes, in plain English

No card, no call. Or email hello@citeotter.com

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Your free snapshot will arrive within 48 hours. While you wait, see a sample.

In short

Answer engine optimization (AEO), also called generative engine optimization (GEO) or AI search optimization, is the work of getting your business named in answers from AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google's AI Overviews.

Case studies

Real work. Real numbers.

Case study · B2B software company

From about 200 to 11,000+ monthly visitors from Google in two months

Apr 2026Sep 2026
55×organic traffic
6×more keywords ranking
45×more page-one keywords

What we did: built free tools their customers search for, wrote pages around real searches, and fixed what stopped Google from reading the site.

AI visibility audit · national healthcare service

#2 on Google, but invisible in ChatGPT

NamedGoogle search, ranks #2
Not namedChatGPT recommends 4 others

Strong Google rankings don't mean AI recommends you. ChatGPT wanted independent proof this company didn't have yet. We mapped exactly which sources would close the gap.

Read the full audit →

Traffic figures are third-party estimates from Ubersuggest, October 2026. AI results as returned on October 25, 2026.

What's included

Everything AI tools look for, handled.

AI visibility audit

We ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI the questions your customers ask and record who gets named, and which sources they cite.

Mentions on trusted sites

Guest posts and niche edits on real, relevant sites, so independent sources talk about you. AI tools lean heavily on these.

Answer-ready pages

Clear pages on your site that answer the exact questions people ask AI, with the structure and schema that make them easy to quote.

Consistent business facts

Your name, services and details made consistent across your site and listings, so AI tools don't get mixed signals.

AI crawler access

We check that GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot and Google can read your site, and add an llms.txt file.

Monthly tracking

We re-run the same questions every month and show you where you're named, in a one-page report.

How it works

You just approve.

No tools to learn and no writers to chase. You see everything before it goes live.

We check

We ask the AI tools your customers' questions and see who gets named.

You approve

You see the plan, the sites and the articles before anything goes live.

We build

We publish the mentions and pages AI tools rely on.

We re-check

Every month we re-ask the same questions and report back.

Pricing

AI search optimization from $499 a month.

The Found plan ($499/mo) includes 3 DR 30+ placements, monthly AI tracking and a report. Growth ($999/mo) adds social posts and a new landing page every quarter. No contracts.

No contractsYou approve before anything goes livePlain-English report every month

Why it matters

What is answer engine optimization?

Diagram: how AI tools decide which businesses to recommend. 1, a customer asks. 2, the AI searches the web for guides, reviews, directories and news. 3, it weighs sources, favouring businesses many trusted sources mention. 4, it names 3 to 5 businesses.
AI tools repeat what trusted sources say. If independent sites don't mention you, you're usually not named.

Answer engine optimization (AEO), also called generative engine optimization (GEO) or AI search optimization, is the work of getting your business named in answers from AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google's AI Overviews.

How AI tools decide who to recommend

AI tools don't have opinions. They summarize what trusted sources already say. If independent sites, reviews and guides mention your business for a topic, you're far more likely to be named. If only your own website talks about you, you usually aren't.

How AEO is different from SEO

Classic SEO is about ranking a page. AEO is about being the name the answer mentions. The two overlap: strong links and clear pages help both. But AEO puts more weight on third-party mentions, consistent facts and pages that answer one question clearly.

Who it's for

Service providers and product brands whose customers ask "who's the best…" or "what should I buy…" questions: clinics, law firms, contractors, agencies, software and e-commerce brands.

FAQ

Questions, answered.

Can you guarantee ChatGPT will recommend me?

No, and nobody honestly can. AI companies decide their answers. We guarantee the work: real placements on sites that meet our standards, and a monthly report showing exactly where you're named.

How long does AEO take?

Placements go live in 10 to 14 days. AI tools update at different speeds, so most businesses should judge results over two to three months.

Do I still need SEO?

Yes. The same trusted sites and clear pages help you rank on Google and get named by AI. We do both together.

What's the difference between AEO and GEO?

They're two names for the same goal: being named in AI-generated answers. Some people say AEO (answer engine optimization), others GEO (generative engine optimization).

Which AI tools do you track?

ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI answers, using the questions your customers actually ask.

Other services

Every day you wait, a competitor gets the call. Let's end that this week.

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Show me who AI recommends instead of me
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