GEO: Getting ChatGPT and Gemini to Recommend You

More and more people no longer “Google it”: they ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity. And when someone asks “who’s the best AI consultant in Colombia?” or “recommend an agency to automate my WhatsApp,” the AI answers with a short list of names. If your business isn’t on that list, you don’t exist for that customer. I’ve spent months optimizing my own presence so these models mention me, and applying the same approach with btodigital clients. In this article I’ll explain GEO without the hype: what it is, how it differs from SEO, and what to do, step by step, to get recommended by ChatGPT and the rest.

What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the discipline of preparing your content, your brand and your data so that generative AI models —like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or Copilot— understand you, cite you and recommend you when someone asks them about what you do. Put simply: SEO ranks you in a list of ten blue links; GEO places you inside the answer the AI writes and hands directly to the user.

The core difference is this: in traditional search, the user sees several options and chooses. In generative search, the AI has already chosen for them and delivers a synthesis with two or three recommendations. GEO works to make you one of those recommendations, not a link the user will never scroll down to see.

How is GEO different from SEO?

They share a root —both chase visibility— but the goal, the “judge” and the signals change. With SEO you optimize for a ranking algorithm that orders pages; with GEO you optimize for a language model that reads, understands and synthesizes. SEO rewards domain authority and links; GEO rewards clarity, structure, and information that’s easy to extract and cite.

Aspect	Traditional SEO	GEO (generative engines)
Goal	Rank in the results list	Get cited inside the AI’s answer
Who decides	Ranking algorithm (Google)	Language model (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity)
What the user sees	10 blue links	A written answer with 2-3 recommendations
Key signal	Authority, backlinks, keywords	Clarity, citable structure, consensus across sources
Winning format	Page optimized for the click	Direct answer, concrete facts, clear entity
Success metric	Position and traffic	Mentions and AI recommendations

It’s not that one replaces the other. In practice, good GEO stands on good SEO: if your site is fast, crawlable and well structured, both Google and the AI crawlers read it better. The difference is what you optimize on top of that foundation.

How do AI models decide which businesses to recommend?

This is the question business owners ask me most, and the honest answer is there’s no public formula. But based on how these systems work and what I observe optimizing real presence, the patterns are clear. Generative models tend to recommend businesses that roughly meet these conditions.

First, consensus. If several independent, trustworthy sources mention your business in the same context, the model reads that as a strong signal. It’s not enough for you to say you’re the best; the ecosystem has to say it.

Second, a clear entity. The AI needs to understand, without ambiguity, who you are, what you do, where you operate and for whom. If your brand is described consistently across your site, directories, reviews and mentions, the model builds a reliable “profile” of you.

Third, content that’s easy to extract. Models favor concrete, structured, directly written information. A clear answer to a specific question is far more citable than three paragraphs of filler.

Fourth, being in the sources the AI reads. ChatGPT with search, Gemini and Perplexity crawl the web in real time and lean on reference sites. If you’re not where they look, they can’t recommend you.

What concrete steps do I take to show up in ChatGPT and Gemini?

This is what I apply to my own presence and to btodigital projects. It’s not theory: it’s the actual work list.

1. Write answer-first. Open each topic with the direct answer, in one or two sentences, before adding context. Models extract exactly those self-contained snippets. If your article forces the reader through 500 words to reach the answer, the AI won’t find it easy to cite. This very article is structured that way on purpose.

2. Define your entity clearly. Make it explicit on your site, without ornament, who you are, what you offer, where and for whom. A concrete “about” page with verifiable facts is worth more for GEO than ten vague pages. Consistency between your site, your profiles and your directories reinforces that entity.

3. Structure content to be citable. Use question-shaped headings, lists, tables and short paragraphs with one idea each. The easier it is for the model to isolate a fact or a definition, the likelier it is to use it. Well-written FAQs are gold for GEO.

4. Mark up your data with schema. Structured data (Schema.org in JSON-LD format) tells machines what each thing is: an organization, a service, a review, a frequently asked question. It doesn’t guarantee the citation, but it cuts ambiguity and helps your entity be understood correctly. At btodigital we implement it as a technical baseline on the sites we optimize.

5. Earn presence in the sources the AI reads. Mentions in media, directories in your sector, well-maintained profiles, articles that cite you. It’s not about piling up backlinks for their own sake, but about building the consensus I mentioned: having trustworthy sources associate you with your topic.

6. Cultivate real reviews. Reviews and ratings are trust signals that both search engines and models take into account. Consistent, authentic reviews strengthen your reputation as a recommendable entity. I’ve found that optimizing for AI without reviews is like showing up with no references.

7. Make crawling easy. Keep your site fast, accessible and don’t block AI crawlers. If your content depends on heavy JavaScript or sits behind walls, many models won’t read it. The technical SEO foundation still matters here.

If you want the full picture of how AI is changing your relationship with customers, I wrote a guide on conversational AI and agents for businesses in Latin America that works as a general map.

Why does GEO matter right now for your business?

Because search behavior is already shifting. Every query a potential customer puts to ChatGPT or Gemini is a query that no longer reaches your site the traditional way. If the AI doesn’t know you, that customer won’t even learn you exist. And the effect compounds: the more consensus and presence you build today, the harder it is for a competitor to displace you tomorrow, because reputation as an entity can’t be bought overnight.

I see it as a window of opportunity. Just as those who worked SEO early in the 2000s gained years of advantage, businesses that start working GEO now are building a position that’s hard to catch. The cost of entry is still low because few are doing it well.

How does GEO connect to conversation and sales?

GEO brings you the recommendation, but the recommendation alone doesn’t close the sale. When ChatGPT tells someone “reach out to this business,” that person will message you, almost always on WhatsApp, and expects an answer now. If no one replies, or someone replies three hours later, the recommendation is wasted. That’s why I think of GEO and conversational support as two halves of the same play: understand it better in from the funnel to the conversation, and if you’re torn between a rules-based bot and something that truly reasons, read AI agents vs chatbots.

When they recommend you, have someone ready to reply. Try Atendio free — AI WhatsApp assistants that support customers in Spanish 24/7, keep the context when handing off to a human, and run in coexistence with your current number. See plans and pricing.

If you’d rather see how this lands by sector, at btodigital we build AI WhatsApp chatbot implementations for companies tailored to the industry and use case.

Frequently asked questions

Does GEO replace SEO?

No. It complements it. SEO remains the technical foundation —a fast, crawlable, well-structured site— on which GEO builds. The difference is that SEO optimizes for Google’s ranking and GEO optimizes for AI models to cite you inside their answers. The ideal is to work both, since they share the same groundwork.

How long does GEO take to show results?

It depends on your starting point and your sector, and there’s no guaranteed timeline. Because models rely on consensus and on sources they crawl at a certain cadence, earning consistent presence and mentions takes time. It’s not a switch you flip; it’s reputation you build. That’s why whoever starts earlier accumulates an edge.

Do I have to pay for ChatGPT or Gemini to recommend me?

No. The recommendations these models make in their organic answers can’t be bought directly. They’re earned through entity clarity, citable content, presence in trustworthy sources and real reviews. That doesn’t mean some platforms lack their own ad formats, but the recommendation inside the answer responds to organic signals, not a payment.

Does structured data (schema) guarantee the AI will cite me?

It doesn’t guarantee it, but it helps. Schema cuts ambiguity and tells machines what each thing on your site is: your organization, your services, your FAQs, your reviews. That makes it easier for the model to understand your entity well. It’s a supporting signal, not a magic button.

How do I know if an AI is already recommending my business?

The most direct way is to ask it. Put the same questions your ideal customer would ask to ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity —“recommend a provider of X in my city”— and watch whether you appear, how they describe you, and who you’re listed alongside. Repeat the test periodically. It’s a simple manual audit that shows your starting point and your progress.

Does GEO work for small and local businesses?

Yes, and sometimes even more so. For a very specific local query, the consensus needed to stand out is usually lower than in saturated global categories. A local business with a clear entity, real reviews and presence in the right directories has a concrete shot at being the recommendation the AI hands to whoever asks about their area and service.