How to get your site cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini

Search is no longer only ten blue links. People ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Copilot for answers — and those tools cite the pages they trust. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the work of making your pages easy for them to read, quote and link.

1. Answer the question in the first paragraph

AI models pull short, direct passages. Lead each page with a 40–60 word answer to the main question, then expand.

Tip: write headings as real questions ("How much does it cost?") and answer them right below.

2. Add structured data

Schema markup tells machines exactly what a page is. At minimum add Organization and WebSite on your homepage, and FAQPage wherever you answer common questions.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Your Brand",
  "url": "https://yourdomain.com"
}
</script>

3. Make your brand unambiguous

Use the same brand name in your title, og:site_name, logo alt text and schema. Consistent entity signals help models connect your pages to your brand.

4. Publish an llms.txt file

A plain-text /llms.txt at your domain root lists your most important pages with one-line summaries. It is a small file that makes your site easier for AI crawlers to navigate.

5. Measure AI referrals

You cannot improve what you do not measure. Trackly classifies clicks from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot and Claude separately so you can see AI traffic grow.

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Ready to see where you stand? Run your homepage through the free SEO + AEO checker — every failed check comes with code you can copy and paste.