If someone opens ChatGPT and types, “Who’s the best portrait photographer in LA?” or “Best certified home inspectors in Colorado Springs,” would your business show up?
Because your ideal customers (the ones you’ve envisioned, planned for, and built your business to serve) are already searching exactly like that.
Last week, we introduced GEO — Generative Engine Optimization: the practice of optimizing your digital presence so your brand shows up in AI-generated answers, not just blue links. Why does it matter? Because your goal isn’t only to rank on Google anymore. It’s to be the business AI recommends.
This guide shows you how to do it — step by step, with practical examples you can implement this week.
What “Ranking on ChatGPT” Really Means
Traditional SEO aims for a top position on a search results page. In AI search, “ranking” means being cited or named inside the answer. To do that consistently, you need to:
- Make your brand easy to understand (entity clarity),
- Make your claims easy to trust (reviews, citations, consistency), and
- Make your expertise easy to quote (clear, structured, human content).
At Succeeding Small, our philosophy is simple: bridge the gap between algorithm and audience. When you write for people and label content for machines, you win both.
The GEO Playbook: How to Get Found in AI Answers
1) Start with SEO Foundations (don’t skip the basics)
AI systems still lean on classic quality signals. Keep your house in order:
- Technical health: fast, mobile-friendly, accessible pages; crawlable architecture; XML sitemaps; clean internal links.
- Content quality: pages with depth and purpose that actually solve problems.
- E-E-A-T: show real-world experience (photos, case studies), author expertise (bios, credentials), authority (mentions, references), and trust (policies, contact info). Google’s people-first guidance and E-E-A-T framing remain useful north stars.
Quick self-check
- Can a new visitor tell in 10 seconds what you do, for whom, and why you’re credible?
- Do your top pages answer the questions you get on the phone every week?
2) Target Natural, Conversational Keywords
People don’t speak in fragments — and neither do generative engines. Expand beyond head terms to intent-rich phrasing:
- “Best landscaping company near me that uses eco-friendly materials”
- “Affordable mobile pet groomer in Denver”
- “Vet that does same-day appointments for older cats”
Use research tools and your own sales inbox to collect “how do I…,” “which is best…,” “who can…,” and “what’s the difference…” questions. Then build the exact answers into service pages, location pages, and blogs — in everyday language.
Formatting matters: put answers in scannable Q&A blocks, bulleted checklists, and comparison tables so AIs can parse structure (and humans can skim).
3) Write Content That Sounds Human (and is easy to quote)
Keyword stuffing is out. Clarity, voice, and proof are in.
Focus on:
- FAQ sections written in plain English.
- How-to and “best for” posts that explain trade-offs, not just features.
- Service pages with outcomes, timelines, pricing context, and next steps.
- Evidence: data points, brief citations, and named experts.
Make it machine-readable: add FAQPage structured data (where appropriate) so your answers are clearly labeled for algorithms and knowledge graphs.
4) Be Everywhere AI Looks (build your entity footprint)
If AI can’t validate you across sources, it won’t recommend you. Strengthen the signals that confirm you’re a real, reputable business:
- Google Business Profile (GBP): complete every field, choose precise categories, add services, hours, products, and fresh photos; keep data consistent with your site and major directories. Follow GBP guidelines to avoid suspensions or edits.
- NAP consistency: ensure name, address, phone match across your website, GBP, Yelp, Facebook, Bing Places, industry directories, and local chambers.
- Reviews & responses: a steady cadence of new, genuine reviews plus thoughtful replies is a powerful trust signal for both humans and machines. BrightLocal’s latest benchmark research underscores how strongly consumers rely on local reviews.
- Citations & mentions: secure accurate listings on authoritative, relevant sites; pursue local press and community features to diversify sources that “talk about” you.
Think of this as entity SEO: making your brand unmistakable wherever an AI (or person) checks.
5) Check and Track Your AI Visibility
You can (and should) test your presence directly:
- Ask ChatGPT: “What do you know about [Your Business Name]?”
- Ask industry + city queries and see whom it recommends — and why.
Inspect which sources it cites (GBP, your site, directories, reviews). Tighten any gaps you see.
Attribution tips:
- In GA4, watch for traffic arriving from links shared by AI tools (sometimes via direct/unknown). Use UTM parameters on links you deliberately seed in AI-facing contexts (e.g., your own prompts, public profiles, or tool integrations) so sessions resolve to a campaign/source you can measure.
Track brand search growth, GBP interactions (calls, messages, directions), and review velocity as proxy KPIs for improved AI visibility.
Practical GEO Checklist (Save This)
- Primary services and locations are mapped to dedicated pages
- People-first content with clear outcomes and proof points
- FAQs added to priority pages + valid FAQPage markup where appropriate
- GBP 100% complete, compliant, and consistent with site & citations
- NAP audits quarterly; fix mismatches on top directories
- Review program with request templates and response SOPs; monitor trends (e.g., recency, volume)
- UTM strategy for links you place in AI-adjacent contexts; GA4 views for branded queries and referral spikes
StoryBrand the Message (So People Say “Yes”)
In the StoryBrand model, your customer is the hero; you’re the guide. Translate features into outcomes:
- Problem: “I don’t know who to trust.”
- Plan: “Here’s how we work, what it costs, and when we’ll deliver.”
- Success: “Here are reviews, before-and-afters, and guarantees so you feel confident.”
Bring this into copy, reviews, and page structure. The clearer your promise, the easier it is for AI (and humans) to recommend you.
FAQs: Ranking on ChatGPT & AI Search
How do I rank on ChatGPT?
Answer: Make your brand easy to cite. Build people-first content, add structured data, and maintain consistent reviews and listings so AIs can verify you. Then test queries and refine the gaps you find.
Is GEO different from SEO?
Answer: GEO extends SEO. You still need technical health and strong content, but GEO emphasizes entity clarity, third-party validation, and conversational coverage so AIs feel confident recommending you.
Does E-E-A-T really matter for AI search?
Answer: Yes. Demonstrating experience, expertise, authority, and trust aligns with Google’s people-first guidance and provides the credibility cues generative systems look for.
Should I add FAQ schema to every page?
Answer: Use it where a page truly contains Q&A content. Markup helps machines understand your answers, but it must be accurate and appropriate to the page type.
What if ChatGPT lists my competitors?
Answer: Reverse-engineer the answer. Note the sources it cites (reviews, directories, press). Strengthen those areas, expand your Q&A content, and align your GBP and citations to close the gap.
How do I measure AI-driven traffic?
Answer: Use UTMs on links you place intentionally, monitor GA4 for branded/direct spikes, and track GBP actions and review velocity as leading indicators.
Will traditional SEO still matter next year?
Answer: Absolutely. Search behavior is hybrid. Keep investing in SEO fundamentals while layering in GEO tactics to earn mentions inside AI answers.
Ready to Show Up in AI?
AI search isn’t a maybe — it’s here. With the right strategy, your business can become the obvious recommendation in your market.
Succeeding Small helps Colorado small businesses grow with integrity-first marketing that blends SEO fundamentals with GEO execution — from content and schema to GBP optimization and review systems. Want to see where you stand and what to fix first? Contact our team and we’ll map your custom GEO action plan.
