Geo Fundamentals

---
name: geo-fundamentals
description: "Generative Engine Optimization for AI search engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity)."
risk: critical
source: community
date_added: "2026-02-27"
---

# GEO Fundamentals

> Optimization for AI-powered search engines.

---

## 1. What is GEO?

**GEO** = Generative Engine Optimization

| Goal | Platform |
|------|----------|
| Be cited in AI responses | ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini |

### SEO vs GEO

| Aspect | SEO | GEO |
|--------|-----|-----|
| Goal | #1 ranking | AI citations |
| Platform | Google | AI engines |
| Metrics | Rankings, CTR | Citation rate |
| Focus | Keywords | Entities, data |

---

## 2. AI Engine Landscape

| Engine | Citation Style | Opportunity |
|--------|----------------|-------------|
| **Perplexity** | Numbered [1][2] | Citation behavior varies by query/product |
| **ChatGPT** | Inline/footnotes | Custom GPTs |
| **Claude** | Contextual | Long-form content |
| **Gemini** | Sources section | SEO crossover |

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## 3. RAG Retrieval Factors

Potential retrieval considerations include relevance, source quality, freshness and diversity. The platforms do not publish a universal weighting formula; do not assign invented percentages or infer citation probability from this checklist.

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## 4. Content That Gets Cited

| Element | Why It Works |
|---------|--------------|
| **Original statistics** | Unique, citable data |
| **Expert quotes** | Authority transfer |
| **Clear definitions** | Easy to extract |
| **Step-by-step guides** | Actionable value |
| **Comparison tables** | Structured info |
| **FAQ sections** | Direct answers |

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## 5. GEO Content Checklist

### Content Elements

- [ ] Question-based titles
- [ ] Summary/TL;DR at top
- [ ] Original data with sources
- [ ] Expert quotes (name, title)
- [ ] FAQ section (3-5 Q&A)
- [ ] Clear definitions
- [ ] "Last updated" timestamp
- [ ] Author with credentials

### Technical Elements

- [ ] Article schema with dates
- [ ] Person schema for author
- [ ] FAQPage schema
- [ ] Fast loading (< 2.5s)
- [ ] Clean HTML structure

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## 6. Entity Building

| Action | Purpose |
|--------|---------|
| Google Knowledge Panel | Entity recognition |
| Wikipedia (if notable) | Authority source |
| Consistent info across web | Entity consolidation |
| Industry mentions | Authority signals |

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## 7. AI Crawler Access

### Key AI User-Agents

| Crawler | Engine |
|---------|--------|
| GPTBot | OpenAI training crawler; search/user agents are separate |
| ClaudeBot / Claude-SearchBot / Claude-User | Distinct purposes; verify current official crawler docs |
| PerplexityBot | Perplexity |
| Googlebot | Google Search; verify separate product controls |

### Access Decision

| Strategy | When |
|----------|------|
| Selective access | Match owner policy to documented training/search/user crawler purposes |
| Block GPTBot | Don't want OpenAI training |
| Selective | Allow some, block others |

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## 8. Measurement

| Metric | How to Track |
|--------|--------------|
| AI citations | Manual monitoring |
| "According to [Brand]" mentions | Search in AI |
| Competitor citations | Compare share |
| AI-referred traffic | UTM parameters |

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## 9. Anti-Patterns

| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
|----------|-------|
| Publish without dates | Add timestamps |
| Vague attributions | Name sources |
| Skip author info | Show credentials |
| Thin content | Comprehensive coverage |

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> **Remember:** AI cites content that's clear, authoritative, and easy to extract. Be the best answer.

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## Script

| Script | Purpose | Command |
|--------|---------|---------|
| `scripts/geo_checker.py` | GEO audit (AI citation readiness) | `python scripts/geo_checker.py <project_path>` |

## When to Use
This skill is applicable to execute the workflow or actions described in the overview.

## Example

**User request:**

> Use @geo-fundamentals for this task: Generative Engine Optimization for AI search engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity).

## Limitations
- Use this skill only when the task clearly matches the scope described above.
- Do not treat the output as a substitute for environment-specific validation, testing, or expert review.
- Stop and ask for clarification if required inputs, permissions, safety boundaries, or success criteria are missing.

The bundled checker scans at most30 selected source files; it does not crawl/render pages, validate schema, verify original data or measure AI citation probability. Public Markdown/docs can be relevant but are excluded by this heuristic. Missing files mean not assessed, not passed. FAQ markup and crawler access do not guarantee citations; verify current platform eligibility and measure dated, reproducible query samples.