"Do we need GEO?" "What about AEO?" We get asked this a lot. Our usual answer has been that they're mostly new labels for good SEO. That's a confident view, so we thought we'd test it properly against what the search and AI companies themselves say, rather than what people selling "AI visibility" packages say.
The short version: we were mostly right. But there are a few genuine extras worth doing, and most of them are about access and measurement, not secret tricks.
A quick note on sources. Below, we separate official documentation (Google, OpenAI, Perplexity, Anthropic, Microsoft) from vendor claims and correlation studies. We've deliberately not quoted any "X% more citations" statistics, because we couldn't find any that hold up as well as the official documentation does.
First, what do GEO and AEO mean?
- GEO (generative engine optimisation): work aimed at getting your content used and cited in AI-generated answers, such as Google's AI Overviews, ChatGPT search or Perplexity.
- AEO (answer engine optimisation): a similar idea, focused on being the answer when someone asks a direct question.
Google's own guide defines both terms in almost exactly those words, then adds: "From Google Search's perspective, optimizing for generative AI search is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO."
What Google actually says
Google has published two relevant pages on Search Central: "AI features and your website" and a newer guide to optimising for generative AI features in Search. They're unusually direct:
- AI Overviews and AI Mode are "rooted in our core Search ranking and quality systems". They retrieve pages from Google's normal index (Google calls this retrieval-augmented generation, or grounding), then show links to supporting pages.
- They may use "query fan-out", running several related searches behind the scenes to build an answer. That's why AI answers often cite a wider mix of sites than a classic results page.
- To be shown as a supporting link, a page "must be indexed and eligible to be shown in Google Search with a snippet". Google says there are "no additional technical requirements".
- There's "no special schema.org structured data" you need to add, and you don't need new "AI text files" or special markup.
Google's guide also has a mythbusting section listing things you can ignore for Google Search:
- creating llms.txt or other special AI files (Google says Search doesn't use them, and they "neither harm nor help")
- "chunking" content into tiny pieces for AI
- rewriting content just for AI or chasing every long-tail variation
- seeking inauthentic "mentions" around the web
- overfocusing on structured data, which isn't required for AI features but is still useful for rich results
What Google does emphasise is what it calls "non-commodity content": a unique point of view, first-hand experience and expert insight, rather than restating what's already out there. It says this is likely to matter more in the long run than anything else in the guide. It also warns that mass-producing pages for fan-out queries can breach its scaled content abuse policy.
So for Google, John's view holds up almost word for word. GEO is SEO.
Where the "it's just SEO" view needs an asterisk
Google isn't the only AI search engine, and the others don't all use Google's index. That's where the genuine extras come in.
1. Each AI search tool has its own crawler, and some control different things
This is the most useful and least understood bit. Several AI companies separate "crawling for search" from "crawling for training", with different robots.txt names (user agents):
- OAI-SearchBot (OpenAI): used to surface sites in ChatGPT's search features. OpenAI says sites that block it "will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers", though they can still appear as navigational links.
- GPTBot (OpenAI): crawls content that may be used to train OpenAI's models. OpenAI says each setting is independent, so you can allow OAI-SearchBot for search and block GPTBot for training.
- PerplexityBot: Perplexity says it's designed "to surface and link websites in search results on Perplexity" and isn't used to crawl content for training AI foundation models.
- Claude-SearchBot, ClaudeBot and Claude-User (Anthropic): Claude-SearchBot indexes content to improve Claude's search results, and ClaudeBot collects content that may be used for training. Anthropic says blocking Claude-SearchBot or Claude-User may reduce your visibility in Claude's search answers.
- Google-Extended: a common source of confusion. Google says it controls whether your content can be used to train future Gemini models and for grounding in Gemini Apps and Vertex AI. It "does not impact a site's inclusion in Google Search nor is it used as a ranking signal". Blocking Google-Extended won't remove you from AI Overviews or AI Mode. Those are part of Search, controlled through Googlebot and snippet controls such as nosnippet and noindex.
The genuine extra: check that your robots.txt (and any firewall or CDN bot protection) isn't accidentally blocking the search crawlers. OpenAI and Perplexity both say firewall rules can block their crawlers, and OpenAI recommends allowing its published IP ranges. Decide on training crawlers separately, as a business choice rather than an SEO one.
2. Bing matters more than it used to
Microsoft's Bing Webmaster Tools now has an AI Performance report, launched in public preview in February 2026. It shows how often your pages are cited in Microsoft Copilot, AI summaries in Bing and some partner integrations. Microsoft is careful to say citation counts don't indicate ranking or importance.
OpenAI also says ChatGPT search "sometimes partners with other search providers" and may surface links it obtained from a third-party search provider. It doesn't name the provider in the pages we checked.
The genuine extra: verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools as well as Google Search Console, submit your sitemap there too, and keep an eye on its AI Performance report.
3. Measure AI visibility separately
Google's guide points to a Generative AI performance report in Search Console. Its AI features page also says AI Overview and AI Mode traffic is counted within the normal "Web" search performance data. OpenAI says ChatGPT adds utm_source=chatgpt.com to referral links, so you can see that traffic in Google Analytics.
The genuine extra: set up a simple view of AI referrals (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot) in your analytics, so you're working from your own data rather than guesses.
Google also warns: "No third-party tool has access to our internal ranking or AI systems." Treat "AI visibility scores" from third-party tools as estimates.
The usual GEO checklist, checked against evidence
Here's how the common GEO and AEO advice stacks up:
- Structured data (schema): worth doing for rich results and to describe your business clearly, but Google says it isn't required for AI features and there's no special AI schema. Keep it matching the visible content, as Google asks.
- Answer-first content: sensible for readers, and consistent with Google's advice to organise content with clear headings and sections. Google also says you don't need to rewrite content specially for AI or chop it into chunks. Write clearly for people first.
- Entity and brand mentions: Google says its AI features can reflect what's said about you across the web, but that chasing inauthentic mentions doesn't help. Real reviews, press, a complete Google Business Profile and genuine community presence fit its advice. Bought mentions don't.
- Freshness: Google describes grounding as a way to improve the "freshness" of AI responses, and Microsoft lists "freshness signals" among the things that can shift citation patterns. Neither gives a formula. Keep important pages accurate and dated, and update them when facts change. Don't just change the date.
- How citations get chosen: Google says AI Overviews and AI Mode pull supporting links from its index, and ChatGPT says it ranks results "using multiple factors" with placement not guaranteed. Perplexity's crawler documentation doesn't explain how it picks citations. Anyone claiming to know the exact formula is guessing.
- llms.txt: a proposed file that summarises your site for AI tools. Google says Search doesn't use it. Some other services may, and Webflow's own help article describes it as experimental with unclear effects. If you want one, it's quick to add. Just don't expect it to move the needle on Google.
Where Webflow fits in
Most of what matters here is foundational technical SEO, and that's an area where a well-built Webflow site starts in good shape:
- Clean, semantic HTML: Webflow lets a developer choose proper heading levels and semantic elements, which Google says helps readability and accessibility. It's only as good as the person building it, though, which is why Webflow has a learning curve.
- Robots.txt control: Webflow lets you write your own robots.txt rules in Site settings > SEO > Indexing. So you can allow or block specific crawlers like OAI-SearchBot or GPTBot by name, and Webflow's help article includes an example of Content-Signal AI usage preferences.
- Sitemaps: Webflow auto-generates a sitemap and adds it to robots.txt by default, which makes submitting to both Google and Bing straightforward.
- Schema: Webflow has a schema markup field in page settings, including CMS templates bound to Collection fields, as well as custom code.
- Speed and hosting: pages are served through Webflow's managed hosting and CDN, which supports the "good page experience" Google mentions.
- llms.txt: Webflow lets you upload one in Site settings > SEO > LLMs.txt, if you decide you want it.
None of that replaces the hard part, which is content with a genuine point of view. But it does mean that on Webflow you're working with the platform rather than bolting on plugins. Our guide on whether Webflow is good for SEO goes deeper into the settings, and Webflow vs WordPress compares how each platform handles them.
So, what should you actually do?
If your SEO is in good shape, AI search mostly takes care of itself. The extras are small:
- Keep doing good SEO: indexable pages, clear structure, fast pages and genuinely useful, first-hand content.
- Check robots.txt and any firewall rules so search crawlers (Googlebot, Bingbot, OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, Claude-SearchBot) aren't blocked by accident. Make a separate, deliberate choice about training crawlers.
- Verify your site in Bing Webmaster Tools as well as Google Search Console.
- Track AI referrals and Google's and Bing's AI reports, so you know what's actually happening.
- Keep schema accurate, and keep your Google Business Profile and key facts consistent across the web.
If you'd like help, we're happy to look at sites of any size, from a single landing page upwards. Our guide to hiring a Webflow expert explains what to look for, or you can get in touch.
Frequently asked questions
Is GEO different from SEO?
Mostly no. Google says optimising for its generative AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO". The genuine differences are practical, like making sure other AI search crawlers can access your site and tracking AI referrals separately.
Do I need special schema markup for AI Overviews?
No. Google says there's no special schema.org structured data needed for AI Overviews or AI Mode. Structured data is still worth using for rich results, as long as it matches the visible content.
Does blocking Google-Extended remove my site from AI Overviews?
No. Google says Google-Extended controls the use of content for Gemini model training and grounding in Gemini Apps and Vertex AI, and doesn't affect inclusion in Google Search. AI Overviews and AI Mode are part of Search.
How do I appear in ChatGPT search?
OpenAI says to allow OAI-SearchBot in robots.txt and make sure your host or CDN allows its published IP addresses. Placement isn't guaranteed. You can block GPTBot (training) separately without affecting search.
Does llms.txt help with AI search?
Google says its Search features don't use llms.txt and that it neither helps nor harms visibility in Google Search. Some other services may use it. It's an optional extra, not a requirement.
Can a Webflow site be optimised for AI search?
Yes. Webflow gives you control over robots.txt rules, sitemaps, schema markup, SEO metadata and semantic HTML, on managed hosting. Content quality and accurate setup still decide how well it performs.
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