Geo Fundamentals

1---
2name: geo-fundamentals
3description: Generative Engine Optimization for AI search engines (ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity).
4allowed-tools: Read, Glob, Grep
5---
6 
7# GEO Fundamentals
8 
9> Optimization for AI-powered search engines.
10 
11---
12 
13## 1. What is GEO?
14 
15**GEO** = Generative Engine Optimization
16 
17| Goal | Platform |
18|------|----------|
19| Be cited in AI responses | ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini |
20 
21### SEO vs GEO
22 
23| Aspect | SEO | GEO |
24|--------|-----|-----|
25| Goal | #1 ranking | AI citations |
26| Platform | Google | AI engines |
27| Metrics | Rankings, CTR | Citation rate |
28| Focus | Keywords | Entities, data |
29 
30---
31 
32## 2. AI Engine Landscape
33 
34| Engine | Citation Style | Opportunity |
35|--------|----------------|-------------|
36| **Perplexity** | Numbered [1][2] | Highest citation rate |
37| **ChatGPT** | Inline/footnotes | Custom GPTs |
38| **Claude** | Contextual | Long-form content |
39| **Gemini** | Sources section | SEO crossover |
40 
41---
42 
43## 3. RAG Retrieval Factors
44 
45How AI engines select content to cite:
46 
47| Factor | Weight |
48|--------|--------|
49| Semantic relevance | ~40% |
50| Keyword match | ~20% |
51| Authority signals | ~15% |
52| Freshness | ~10% |
53| Source diversity | ~15% |
54 
55---
56 
57## 4. Content That Gets Cited
58 
59| Element | Why It Works |
60|---------|--------------|
61| **Original statistics** | Unique, citable data |
62| **Expert quotes** | Authority transfer |
63| **Clear definitions** | Easy to extract |
64| **Step-by-step guides** | Actionable value |
65| **Comparison tables** | Structured info |
66| **FAQ sections** | Direct answers |
67 
68---
69 
70## 5. GEO Content Checklist
71 
72### Content Elements
73 
74- [ ] Question-based titles
75- [ ] Summary/TL;DR at top
76- [ ] Original data with sources
77- [ ] Expert quotes (name, title)
78- [ ] FAQ section (3-5 Q&A)
79- [ ] Clear definitions
80- [ ] "Last updated" timestamp
81- [ ] Author with credentials
82 
83### Technical Elements
84 
85- [ ] Article schema with dates
86- [ ] Person schema for author
87- [ ] FAQPage schema
88- [ ] Fast loading (< 2.5s)
89- [ ] Clean HTML structure
90 
91---
92 
93## 6. Entity Building
94 
95| Action | Purpose |
96|--------|---------|
97| Google Knowledge Panel | Entity recognition |
98| Wikipedia (if notable) | Authority source |
99| Consistent info across web | Entity consolidation |
100| Industry mentions | Authority signals |
101 
102---
103 
104## 7. AI Crawler Access
105 
106### Key AI User-Agents
107 
108| Crawler | Engine |
109|---------|--------|
110| GPTBot | ChatGPT/OpenAI |
111| Claude-Web | Claude |
112| PerplexityBot | Perplexity |
113| Googlebot | Gemini (shared) |
114 
115### Access Decision
116 
117| Strategy | When |
118|----------|------|
119| Allow all | Want AI citations |
120| Block GPTBot | Don't want OpenAI training |
121| Selective | Allow some, block others |
122 
123---
124 
125## 8. Measurement
126 
127| Metric | How to Track |
128|--------|--------------|
129| AI citations | Manual monitoring |
130| "According to [Brand]" mentions | Search in AI |
131| Competitor citations | Compare share |
132| AI-referred traffic | UTM parameters |
133 
134---
135 
136## 9. Anti-Patterns
137 
138| ❌ Don't | ✅ Do |
139|----------|-------|
140| Publish without dates | Add timestamps |
141| Vague attributions | Name sources |
142| Skip author info | Show credentials |
143| Thin content | Comprehensive coverage |
144 
145---
146 
147> **Remember:** AI cites content that's clear, authoritative, and easy to extract. Be the best answer.
148 
149---
150 
151## Script
152 
153| Script | Purpose | Command |
154|--------|---------|---------|
155| `scripts/geo_checker.py` | GEO audit (AI citation readiness) | `python scripts/geo_checker.py <project_path>` |
156 
157