AI search products can show links or citations, but their retrieval systems differ and no public source describes one formula shared across platforms. Site owners can start with published crawler and Search guidance and measure only what their available tools expose.
Start with platform documentation
Google Search Central says standard SEO best practices apply to AI Overviews and AI Mode, with no additional requirements or special schema. OpenAI documents OAI-SearchBot access for content that may appear in ChatGPT Search summaries and snippets. Perplexity publishes crawler guidance. Microsoft describes AI Performance citation measures in Bing Webmaster Tools and notes that they do not show ranking or answer placement.
These differences matter. A recommendation for one platform should not be presented as a universal citation formula.
Check access and page usefulness
- Confirm that important public pages are crawlable and indexable where intended.
- State what the business offers, who it serves, and which claims have support.
- Use structured data only when it describes visible page content and a relevant search feature.
- Link related pages so visitors can verify details and continue their research.
Measure observations separately
Record the platform, date, query, cited URLs, and any visible errors. Keep citation snapshots separate from rankings, referral traffic, and qualified inquiries. One answer does not establish a trend, and no audit can guarantee inclusion.
Use GEO as an industry term for this work, not as a promise of a separate ranking method. The practical review is about page clarity, technical access, and supported facts.