AEO is not a separate technical shortcut
Google explicitly says its generative search features use the same core ranking and quality systems as Search. It does not require a special AI schema, tiny “chunks,” or an llms.txt file. OpenAI’s publisher guidance focuses on allowing OAI-SearchBot to crawl pages that may appear in ChatGPT search summaries and citations.
1. Make the important facts easy to retrieve
On every service page, answer the obvious questions in visible text: what the service does, who it is for, what it costs, what is included, how long it takes, what evidence supports the offer, and where the business works. Use descriptive headings and plain statements before longer explanation.
2. Publish information only you can provide
Generic summaries compete with thousands of nearly identical pages. Better source material includes original calculators, real prices, decision frameworks, examples from delivered work, measurement definitions, and honest limitations. That gives both people and retrieval systems a reason to use your page.
3. Keep the entity consistent
Use the same business name, service descriptions, domain, founder identity, and contact information across the website and credible third-party profiles. Contradictory names or outdated offers create ambiguity. Structured data can reinforce visible facts, but it should never claim something the page does not show.
4. Allow the right crawlers
| System | What matters | Where to measure |
|---|---|---|
| Google AI Overviews and AI Mode | Normal Google indexing and snippet eligibility | Google Search Console |
| ChatGPT search | Do not block OAI-SearchBot on pages you want cited | Analytics referrals tagged from ChatGPT |
| Microsoft Copilot and Bing AI | Bing indexing, clear content, current URLs | Bing Webmaster Tools AI Performance |
5. Make claims supportable
Use real examples, dates, methodology, source links, and named ownership. When a number cannot be verified, do not invent one. Search and answer systems need material that can be grounded; buyers need the same thing before they trust you.
6. Update pages when the offer changes
Stale pricing and retired services weaken trust. Keep the sitemap current, remove dead offers cleanly, update structured data with the visible page, and submit meaningful changes through the webmaster tools you use. Bing specifically recommends IndexNow for faster discovery of additions, updates, and removals.
What not to do
- Create hundreds of near-duplicate question pages.
- Add invisible FAQ or schema content that users cannot see.
- Promise placement in ChatGPT, AI Overviews, or Copilot.
- Treat crawler access as a substitute for useful content.
- Chase fake mentions or citations on low-quality websites.