AI Engine Optimisation: The 2026 GEO and AEO Guide for Leaders
Getting cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews now matters more than ranking links. What the research says works, and how to judge a provider.
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AI Search Optimization
AI search rewards sources that answer clearly and earn trust. These guides cover answer-engine and generative-engine optimisation: getting cited by AI engines the honest way.
All AI Search Optimization Posts (6)
The Great Decoupling: Why SEO Clicks Are Vanishing in 2026
Search impressions keep climbing while clicks go flat. AI Overviews now answer the query on the page, so people read your content without visiting. Here's the verified data on the great decoupling, and the shift from counting clicks to measuring AI citations.
Enterprise AI Search Strategy: Win SEO and AI Answers in 2026
Ranking number one stopped being the finish line. With 68% of Google searches ending without a click in 2026, enterprises must win two games: the rankings that earn clicks, and the citations that earn visibility in AI answers.
Measuring Success When AI Answers Your Customers' Questions
How do you measure ROI when AI systems answer customer questions without generating website clicks or traditional conversion tracking?
GEO vs SEO: What Actually Wins AI Search Citations in 2026
The click is halving when AI answers the query. GEO and SEO aren't rivals: one earns the citation, the other the click. What the research proves works.
AI Search Is Real. The 740% Stat Was Not.
The "740% ChatGPT growth" stat was never verified. Here are the real numbers on AI search adoption, from OpenAI and Pew, and what they mean for your funnel.
Frequently asked questions
What is AEO and how is it different from SEO?
AEO, answer engine optimisation, is getting your content cited inside AI-generated answers from tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews, rather than ranked as a blue link. Traditional SEO optimises for a list of results a person clicks; AEO optimises for being the source an AI quotes. GEO, generative engine optimisation, is the same idea under a different name.
How do you get cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews?
You publish clear, accurate, well-structured content that directly answers real questions, back it with credible sourcing and identifiable authorship, and make it easy for AI crawlers to read. Answer engines favour content they can extract cleanly and trust, so structure, entity clarity and genuine expertise matter more than keyword density. There's no paid slot; citation is earned on substance.
What are the dark patterns in AEO to avoid?
Avoid fabricated statistics, fake expertise, cloaking content for bots, mass low-value pages, and manipulated reviews, all of which are designed to trick answer engines rather than inform readers. They carry the same legal exposure as any misleading marketing under UK consumer protection and ASA rules, and answer engines increasingly filter them out. The durable approach is accurate, sourced content that earns the citation honestly.