AI Search Guide

What Is AI Search Optimisation Called? GEO and AEO Explained

What is AI search optimisation called? Most people say GEO, generative engine optimisation, or AEO, answer engine optimisation; others say AI SEO or LLM optimisation. They describe the same goal: being found, cited and described accurately in AI-generated answers. This guide explains the terms, what is known to help and what is hype.

Updated 8 October 2026

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Based in Mussafah, Abu Dhabi Since 2018 Arabic & English

GEO, AEO and AI SEO in short

GEO, AEO and AI SEO are different names for improving how accurately AI assistants and AI search features describe and cite your business. In practice it means clear answer-first pages, consistent business details and trustworthy mentions elsewhere, on top of good SEO. Emirtech offers this in Arabic and English for businesses in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain and does not promise any mention or ranking.

Why are there so many names for it?

The field is new and no standard name has settled. GEO, AEO, AI SEO, LLMO and AI search optimisation all aim at the same outcome, appearing accurately in answers written by AI assistants. The names differ mainly by who coined them and where the work started, not by what the work involves.

Term	Stands for	Usually used when talking about
GEO	Generative engine optimisation	Being cited in answers written by generative AI systems
AEO	Answer engine optimisation	Being the direct answer in search features and assistants
AI SEO	SEO for AI search	Extending SEO practice to AI answers
LLMO	Large language model optimisation	Visibility in what language models say, a less common term

How do AI assistants choose which sources to mention?

Assistants that search the web retrieve pages and then summarise them, sometimes citing the sources. Others answer mainly from training data. How a particular system ranks sources is not public and changes, so anyone claiming a guaranteed method is guessing rather than reporting how the system works.

The assistants most relevant to UAE businesses include ChatGPT with search, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews and AI Mode. Each uses its own mix of web sources and rules, so results differ between them and over time.

What tends to help, and what is hype

What tends to help is ordinary quality: clear pages that answer questions directly, accurate and consistent business details, original expertise, mentions on trustworthy sites and pages crawlers can read. What is hype includes guaranteed citations, special files sold as ranking tricks and content produced in bulk with no real value.

Tends to help

Pages that start with a clear, direct answer, then give detail.
One consistent name, address, phone number and service list everywhere.
Original expertise, data and examples rather than copied text.
Accurate listings and mentions on trusted third-party sites.
Pages that can be crawled and that load properly on mobile.
Content that is kept up to date.

Treat with caution

Guarantees that an assistant will mention you.
llms.txt sold as a ranking tool: Google has said Search does not use it.
Bulk-generated pages written only to be quoted.
Fake reviews or fabricated mentions, which can backfire.

Google's own guidance for its AI features says ordinary good SEO applies and no special schema type is required.

How can I check whether AI assistants mention my business?

Write ten questions your customers might ask, ask each of them in the main assistants, in Arabic and English, and record whether your business is mentioned, cited or described correctly. Repeat monthly, because answers vary. Also check analytics for visits from AI platforms and the AI reports in Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools.

List the questions customers ask before they buy from you.
Ask each question in ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity and Google, in both languages.
Record who is mentioned, which sources are cited and whether your details are right.
Fix inaccuracies at the source: your own pages and the listings the assistants rely on.
Repeat each month and compare trends rather than single answers.

How we check AI visibility, and the limits of those checks

We combine three methods, and none of them gives a complete picture on its own.

Manual query sets: a fixed list of questions your customers ask, in Arabic and English, put to ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, Microsoft Copilot and Google AI Overviews each month. We record whether your business is mentioned, cited, described correctly or missing.
Citation tracking: we note which sources each answer cites, so we can see which pages and third-party listings the assistants rely on and correct mistakes at the source.
Search Console and analytics: Search Console shows impressions and clicks from Google Search. Clicks from AI features are counted inside the normal web totals, and Google is rolling out a separate Generative AI performance report to some sites; where it is not available we read the totals as a general signal. Analytics shows visits from AI platforms that pass a referrer.

Answers differ between runs, users, locations and settings, and some platforms share no usage data, so a manual check is a sample, not a measurement. We compare trends over several months, label results as observations and never present a single answer as proof.

What does this mean for UAE businesses?

UAE customers ask AI assistants in Arabic as well as English, and many questions are local, such as which company to use in Abu Dhabi or Al Ain. Clear bilingual pages, a complete Google Business Profile and accurate listings give assistants dependable facts to draw on.

If you want help, see our AI search optimisation service, which explains what we do, what we measure and what we do not promise.

Emirtech Technology
M44, Mussafah Industrial Area, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
+971 55 651 7843 · [email protected]

Answers

Frequently Asked Questions

Is GEO the same as SEO?

They overlap heavily. Good SEO gives AI systems pages worth retrieving. GEO adds attention to how answers are phrased, how your business is described across the web and how you are measured in AI answers.

Does llms.txt work?

Google has said it does not use llms.txt for Search, and evidence of any effect elsewhere is limited. It is optional and should not replace real content work.

Does schema markup help AI assistants?

Structured data can help describe a page accurately, but Google's guidance says no special schema type is needed for its AI features. Keep it consistent with the visible text.

Can I pay to be included in AI answers?

Organic mentions cannot be bought from an assistant, and anyone selling guaranteed placement is making a claim they cannot back.

Which AI assistants matter in the UAE?

ChatGPT, Microsoft Copilot, Perplexity and Google's AI features are the main ones to monitor. Check which ones your customers actually use.

How much does AI search optimisation cost?

UAE market ranges start from about AED 5,500 a month for focused programmes. See our pricing guide and AI search service page for detail.

How does ChatGPT decide which sources to cite?

When it uses web search, ChatGPT retrieves pages and may link to them; otherwise it relies on training data. The exact ranking is not published. Clear, crawlable pages, consistent business details and accurate listings give it better material to use. To see where you stand, ask it your customers' questions and record the answers.

What does Google Gemini use to answer questions?

Gemini can use Google's search systems and other sources, and the selection logic is not fully public. Pages that are indexable, helpful and consistent with your listings are the best preparation. Check by asking Gemini your key questions in Arabic and English and repeating monthly.

How does Perplexity choose what to cite?

Perplexity searches the web for each question and lists numbered sources, so it favours pages it can reach and quote easily. Write direct answers, keep the facts accurate and let its crawler read pages you want cited. Check by running your questions and noting which sources appear.

Do I need special markup to appear in Google AI Overviews?

No. Google says AI Overviews draw on pages that are indexed and eligible for Search and that no special markup or file is required. Appearances in AI features count inside the normal Web totals, and Google is rolling out a separate Generative AI performance report to some sites, so manual checks are still needed. Appearing is never guaranteed.

AI Search Optimisation (GEO / AEO)

Make your business easier for ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity and Google AI to find and cite.

SEO Services in Abu Dhabi

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Local SEO in Abu Dhabi

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What Digital Marketing Costs in Abu Dhabi

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