How do you get your business mentioned in AI answers?
Make sure each engine can reach your pages, then publish content that answers your buyers' exact questions directly and specifically. The foundations are the same everywhere; what differs is where each engine gets its sources, and so which blockers you need to check first.
New to the topic? Start with the complete guide to answer engine optimisation, then use the engine guides below for the specifics.
Where does each AI engine get its sources?
A general summary. Engines change often, so check each provider's current documentation before making technical changes.
| Engine | Typically sources answers from | First thing to check |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Training data, or live web search with source links | OAI-SearchBot allowed in robots.txt |
| Perplexity | Live web search for most questions, numbered citations | PerplexityBot allowed and not blocked by your firewall |
| Google AI Overviews | Pages in Google's index, shown within Search | Page indexed and snippet-eligible in Search Console |
| Gemini | Model knowledge, or grounding in Google Search | Indexed in Google; Google-Extended decision reviewed |
| Microsoft Copilot | Grounded in Bing search results, with citations | Site verified and indexed in Bing Webmaster Tools |
| Claude | Training data, or web search with citations | Anthropic's search crawler allowed in robots.txt |
Engine-by-engine guides
How to get cited by ChatGPT
How ChatGPT search finds and cites websites, what content it tends to link to, and six practical steps to give your business the best chance of being cited.
How to get cited by Perplexity
Perplexity searches the web for nearly every question and shows numbered sources. Here's how it picks pages to cite and what to change so yours is one of them.
How to get cited by Google AI Overviews
What Google says it takes to appear in AI Overviews and AI Mode, why indexing and snippet eligibility come first, and the GSC-led steps to improve your chances.
How to get cited by Gemini
How the Gemini app grounds answers in Google Search, the role of Google-Extended and your Business Profile, and practical steps to become a source Gemini can cite.
How to get cited by Microsoft Copilot
Microsoft Copilot grounds web answers in Bing search results. Here's how to get indexed in Bing, set up IndexNow and write pages Copilot can cite.
How to get cited by Claude
How Claude's web search finds and cites pages, how Anthropic's crawlers work, and practical steps to become a source Claude can confidently cite.
AI search visibility by industry
New to the terms? See the AEO glossary, or compare AI visibility tools.
How do you know if it's working?
Check the questions your buyers ask. Our done-for-you AI Visibility Report puts each question to AI answer engines with live web search and shows whether your site was cited, whether your business was named, and who was cited instead — reviewed by a person, R2,500 once-off. Subscribers can also re-check in the app as they publish. See what's in the report.
Frequently asked questions
What is AI search visibility?
AI search visibility is how often your business is cited as a source or mentioned by name when people ask AI answer engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, Microsoft Copilot or Claude the questions your buyers ask.
Do I need a different strategy for every AI engine?
Mostly no. The core work is shared: crawlable, indexed pages that answer specific questions directly. The differences are in the first checks, such as which crawler to allow or whether Bing has indexed you, and in emphasis, such as freshness for Perplexity or Search Console for Google.
Which AI answer engine should a business focus on first?
Start where your buyers are and where the foundations overlap. For most businesses, Google's index and Search Console data are the best starting point because they also support Gemini and AI Overviews, followed by a quick Bing check for Copilot and a robots.txt review for ChatGPT, Perplexity and Claude.
Can anyone guarantee my business will be cited by AI?
No. AI engines decide what to cite, and their choices vary by prompt wording, user and time. Anyone promising guaranteed AI citations is overselling. What you can do is remove blockers and publish content that makes you a clear, citable answer.