Is AEO real, and how do you optimise for AI search visibility?

16 October 2026 · By John Carlsson

AEO is a real term, but Google treats it as SEO rather than a separate discipline. Google says AI Overviews and AI Mode use its core ranking systems, need no special schema or llms.txt file, and only require pages to be indexed and eligible for a snippet. Crawlable pages, clear text content and original, useful information are what improve AI search visibility.

What does Google say about AEO and GEO?

Answer engine optimisation (AEO) and generative engine optimisation (GEO) are names people use for work aimed at being seen in AI search results. Google acknowledges both terms in its guide to optimising for generative AI features, last updated on 10 July 2026. Its position is that optimising for generative AI search is optimising for the search experience, and so it is still SEO.

Google explains that AI Overviews and AI Mode are rooted in its core Search ranking and quality systems. That means the same signals that help a page in classic results are the ones that matter here. Google also advises checking third-party AEO or GEO advice against its official guidance before acting on it.

Do you need special schema or an llms.txt file?

No. Google states that there is no special schema.org markup you need to add for generative AI features. Structured data is still worth using as part of normal SEO, because it can make pages eligible for rich results, but it is not a key to AI Overviews.

The same applies to AI text files. Google Search does not use llms.txt or similar files, and Google says creating one will neither harm nor help your visibility or rankings in Google Search. You can keep one if another service reads it, but it will not change anything in Google.

Google also lists tactics it says to ignore, including chunking content into small pieces, writing for AI in special ways, and seeking inauthentic mentions.

How do you optimise for AI search visibility in Google?

Google's AI features documentation sets out a short list of requirements. To appear as a supporting link in AI Overviews or AI Mode, a page must be indexed and eligible to be shown in Google Search with a snippet. There are no additional technical requirements, and meeting them does not guarantee a page will be shown.

The recommended practices are standard SEO fundamentals:

Allow crawling in robots.txt and make sure your CDN or host does not block Googlebot.
Make content easy to find through internal links.
Provide a good page experience.
Keep important content in text form rather than only in images or video.
Make sure your structured data matches the visible text on the page.
Keep Merchant Center and Business Profile information up to date if they apply to you.

Beyond the technical side, Google asks for original, useful content. Its optimisation guide recommends non-commodity content that offers expert or first-hand insight beyond common knowledge, and says the core question is whether visitors would find the content satisfying.

If you want to limit what appears from your pages, Google points to the nosnippet, data-nosnippet, max-snippet and noindex controls. Googlebot robots.txt rules remain the main crawl control for Search, including AI features.

What about ChatGPT search and other AI engines?

Each AI search service runs its own crawlers, so check that you are not blocking them by accident. OpenAI's crawler documentation lists three user agents:

OAI-SearchBot, used to surface websites in ChatGPT search features. Sites that opt out will not appear in ChatGPT search answers, though they can still appear as navigational links.
GPTBot, which crawls content that may be used to train OpenAI's foundation models. Blocking it signals that your content should not be used for training.
ChatGPT-User, used for actions a person starts in ChatGPT, such as visiting a page to answer a question. It is not used for automatic crawling.

OpenAI notes that it can take about 24 hours from a robots.txt update for its search systems to adjust. Allowing OAI-SearchBot while blocking GPTBot is a valid choice if you want search visibility without training use.

How do you measure AI search performance?

Verify your site in Google Search Console. Google says traffic from AI features counts towards your overall search traffic and appears in the Performance report under the Web search type, and its optimisation guide points to the Generative AI performance report for monitoring. Use the URL Inspection tool to check how Google sees a page and whether your preview controls are visible to Googlebot.

Google also suggests tracking time on site and conversions in your analytics, since clicks from AI Overviews tend to come from visitors who spend more time on the site.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Can I block AI training but still appear in ChatGPT search?

Yes. OpenAI uses separate user agents. GPTBot crawls content that may be used to train its models, while OAI-SearchBot is used to show sites in ChatGPT search. You can disallow GPTBot in robots.txt and allow OAI-SearchBot. OpenAI says its search systems can take about 24 hours to adjust after a robots.txt change.

Will adding an llms.txt file hurt my Google rankings?

No. Google says it does not use llms.txt or similar AI text files in Search, and that creating one will neither harm nor help your visibility or rankings in Google Search. It is optional and only matters for other services that choose to read it. Your effort is better spent on crawlable, useful pages.