- AI crawler access
- Entity & citations
- Visibility tracking
GEO · Visibility in AI assistants
Generative engine optimization agency: make your brand the answer
As a generative engine optimization agency, we help ChatGPT and other AI assistants find, understand and cite your brand. We build on SEO: crawler access for each engine, first-hand content, a consistent entity and official measurement tools.
Personal reply, No obligation, English, Español
What it is
When the answer arrives before the click
Buying decisions increasingly start with a question to an AI assistant: “which booking software suits a small hotel?”, “which physio in Palma de Mallorca treats running injuries?”. The answer cites a handful of sources. If your brand isn't one of them, you're left out of that conversation, however well your site ranks.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) improves those odds: engines can access your content, understand it and have reason to cite you. Some call it LLM SEO or AI search optimisation; we treat it as the next layer of good SEO, not a bag of tricks.
Google's answer surfaces (AI Overviews, AI Mode and featured snippets) belong to our AEO service; this hub page for our AI visibility work focuses on conversational assistants.
In depth
Where GEO comes from: a research term, not a standard
GEO means earning visibility inside the answers AI engines write. The term wasn't coined by Google or OpenAI but by an academic paper, “GEO: Generative Engine Optimization” (Aggarwal et al.; Princeton, Georgia Tech, the Allen Institute and IIT Delhi), posted on arXiv in November 2023 and published at KDD 2024.
Even so, generative engine optimisation, like AEO, remains an industry term rather than a platform standard. Google's May 2026 guide to AI search acknowledges both terms, warns that many popular “hacks” aren't effective in its search and that SEO best practice remains the foundation.
In depth
How AI assistants decide whom to cite
When they search the web, assistants don't answer from memory alone: they query an index, retrieve relevant pages and ground the answer in them (retrieval-augmented generation, or RAG). If your page isn't indexed, or doesn't answer clearly, it rarely makes the cut.
Google's systems also use query fan-out, running related searches across a question's subtopics and combining the results, so topical depth gives you more ways in. Each engine has its own index:
- ChatGPT: its search can only show your site if OAI-SearchBot can crawl it.
- Claude: Claude-SearchBot crawls for its search index.
- Perplexity: its own index, built by PerplexityBot.
- Microsoft Copilot: tied to Bing, whose Webmaster Tools show which of your pages it cites.
- Gemini and Google's AI features: Google's systems; in Search, a page must be indexed and snippet-eligible.
In depth
What Google says: no extra requirements
Google is explicit: AI Overviews and AI Mode have no additional requirements. No special files, markup or “AI text” are needed; the only technical condition is that a page is indexed and eligible to show with a snippet.
Its myth list adds that you needn't chunk content, rewrite it for AI, chase inauthentic mentions or obsess over structured data. Pages built for every question variation or fan-out query, mainly to manipulate answers, count as scaled content abuse; since May 2026, Google's spam policies explicitly cover generative AI responses.
What Google calls the most influential long-term factor in generative AI search is non-commodity content: a unique, first-hand or expert view. A language school explaining why it changed how it assesses students offers what “7 tips to study better” never can; content marketing creates exactly that.
In depth
Technical access: crawlers, robots.txt and the CDN
First, we check that each engine can read your site. AI companies run separate bots for training, search and user fetches, and robots.txt may be shutting the wrong door.
Robots.txt is only half the picture. Since 1 July 2025, Cloudflare has blocked known AI crawlers by default and asks new domains to choose, so a CDN setting nobody checked can hide a site from AI search. We audit robots.txt, CDN and WAF rules, server logs and rendering alongside technical SEO, then agree a written bot policy, so you can stay open to AI search and decide separately on training. The map as of October 2026:
- OpenAI: OAI-SearchBot powers ChatGPT search and respects robots.txt; GPTBot collects training data and respects it too; ChatGPT-User fetches on a user's request, where robots.txt may not apply. Blocking GPTBot doesn't remove you from ChatGPT search; blocking OAI-SearchBot does.
- Anthropic: ClaudeBot (training), Claude-SearchBot (search) and Claude-User (user fetches) honour robots.txt and must be blocked separately.
- Perplexity: PerplexityBot indexes for search, not training, and respects robots.txt; Perplexity-User generally ignores it.
- Google: Google-Extended governs Gemini training and grounding in the Gemini apps, not Search. To limit AI Overviews or AI Mode, use nosnippet, data-nosnippet, max-snippet, noindex or Search Console's generative AI features control.
In depth
llms.txt: what it is and what it won't do
The llms.txt file is a proposed Markdown summary of your site for language models. Google has confirmed its search engine doesn't use it, and that it has no positive or negative effect on visibility. It isn't a ranking lever.
Google put this in writing in June 2026, echoing John Mueller and Gary Illyes in 2025, and said keeping one for other services is fine. As of October 2026, we have seen no sign that any major AI engine uses it. We publish one only as a low-effort extra.
In depth
Entity and citations: authority AI can recognise
Our premise: assistants more readily recommend a brand they can identify unambiguously and see backed by independent sources. So we work on two layers: the entity (who you are, what you do, where and for whom) and citations (who talks about you).
The entity rests on consistency: the same name, description and details wherever you appear; Organization structured data with sameAs links; and a complete Google Business Profile for local businesses. Google says Business Profiles and Merchant Center feeds help businesses appear in its AI responses; local SEO covers that side.
Citations are earned, never bought: trade press, expert commentary, reference guides and genuine industry lists, built through digital PR. We also track how AI describes you, fix what you control at the source and request corrections elsewhere.
In depth
How we measure AI visibility
AI visibility can be measured, within limits, by combining two official reports with a prompt panel and your analytics:
- Search Console generative AI reports: available to every site since 31 August 2026; impressions, pages, countries, devices and dates for AI Overviews and AI Mode, but no clicks or CTR.
- Bing Webmaster Tools AI Performance: launched in public preview in February 2026; your citations in Copilot, Bing's AI summaries and selected partners, with the queries behind them.
- Prompt panel: real customer questions run regularly across the main assistants, recording whether you appear, how you are described and who is cited instead.
- Web analytics: visits and conversions from assistants, with reliable tracking that respects consent.
What's included
What our GEO service includes
Eight generative engine optimization services covering access, content, authority and measurement.
AI visibility snapshot
What the main assistants answer to your customers' questions today, and whether they cite you.
Engine-by-engine access audit
Robots.txt, CDN and firewall rules, server logs and rendering checked for every AI search crawler.
Bot and training policy
A written decision on search, training and user-fetch bots: what you allow and why.
Question and subtopic map
Real customer questions and follow-ups mapped to pages, with no duplicate page per variation.
Non-commodity content
Key pages rewritten answer-first, with your own data and first-hand experience AI can cite.
Consistent brand entity
Organization and sameAs markup, tidy profiles and one brand description everywhere.
Citation and mention plan
The sources assistants cite in your sector, and a plan to earn a place in them.
Tracking and reporting
Search Console, Bing, the prompt panel and analytics in one dashboard, with next steps.
How we work
How we approach GEO
Six phases: first what blocks visibility, then what builds it, measured throughout. More in our method.
Phase 01 / 06
Snapshot
First prompt panel and a Search Console and Bing review: how assistants see you today.
Phase 02 / 06
Access
We fix crawler blocks, CDN rules and rendering or indexing issues.
Phase 03 / 06
Entity
We unify brand details, add structured data and tidy profiles and directories.
Phase 04 / 06
Content
We strengthen the pages behind your most valuable questions with first-hand expertise.
Phase 05 / 06
Citations
We launch the earned-mention plan in the sources assistants consult in your sector.
Phase 06 / 06
Measure & adjust
We rerun the panel, cross-check official data and adjust priorities as each engine changes.
The SERMAN approach
Why do GEO with SERMAN
SEO foundations, not tricks
We follow Google's own framing: in its AI features, what works is SEO done properly. No miracle files or padded content.
One analysis per engine
Each assistant relies on different crawlers and indexes, so we audit each one, CDN included.
Honest measurement
We explain what official reports do and don't measure. If a tool records no clicks, we won't show you clicks.
Native Spanish and English
Assistants usually answer in the asker's language. As a GEO agency based in Mallorca, we work in both for clients on the island, across Spain and abroad.
What it is not
What GEO is not
- Not a guarantee: no AI SEO agency can promise that ChatGPT or AI Overviews will cite you.
- Not a magic file: neither llms.txt nor special markup gets you in on its own.
- Not manufactured mentions: we don't buy reviews, links or disguised paid listings.
- Not mass-produced pages for every question variation, which Google treats as scaled content abuse.
- Not advertising: organic answers can't be bought, and paid visibility is a separate service.
- Not a substitute for SEO: if your site isn't crawled or indexed properly, we start there.
What we measure
How we know AI can see you
Presence, accuracy and business impact, from official tools, the prompt panel or your analytics.
Impressions in Google's AI
AI Overviews and AI Mode impressions by page, country and device, from Search Console.
Citations in Copilot and Bing
Cited pages and their queries in Bing's AI Performance report.
Prompt panel presence
Which questions you appear in, and next to which competitors, engine by engine.
Description accuracy
Whether assistants get your services and location right, and which sources cause errors.
Visits and conversions from assistants
Sessions, enquiries and sales from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot and others.
Access health
AI search crawler visits in server logs, and no blocks at CDN level.
Tools & platforms
Tools we work with
- Google Search Console
- Bing Webmaster Tools
- Google Analytics 4
- Screaming Frog
- Cloudflare
- Semrush
- Ahrefs
- Schema.org
- ChatGPT
- Gemini
- Claude
- Perplexity
- Microsoft Copilot
Who it's for
A particularly good fit if…
- Your customers compare options by asking AI assistants before contacting you.
- You have seen assistants recommend your competitors rather than you.
- AI gets your services, location or what sets you apart wrong.
- Your site runs on Cloudflare or another CDN and nobody has checked its bot settings.
- You sell on trust: software, health and wellness, education, professional services or hospitality.
- You work in Spanish and English and want assistants to find you in both.
Compliance
Rules and policies we work within
GEO touches content, data and AI. These rules guide every project.
Google's spam policies
No scaled content abuse, bought links or artificial mentions, in classic results or in Google's AI answers.
Control over your content
You decide which crawlers get in. We also check snippet directives and Search Console's control for excluding content from Google's generative AI features, available worldwide by 31 August 2026.
Transparent use of AI
AI helps us research and draft; every text gets human editorial review, with Article 50 of the EU AI Act, applicable since 2 August 2026, in mind.
Consent-based measurement
Analytics attributing visits to assistants follow the GDPR and Spain's AEPD cookie guidance: no valid consent, no analytics cookies.
Industries
Where we apply it
Hospitality, Travel & Travel Tech
Direct bookings, reputation and visibility on Google, Maps and AI assistants for hotels, restaurants, experiences and travel tech.
Private Clinics, Aesthetics & Wellness
Marketing for dental, aesthetic, medical and wellness clinics: local search, AI answers, genuine reviews and multilingual booking.
Professional, Financial & B2B Services
Marketing for law, tax and advisory firms, financial services and B2B companies: citable expertise, AI visibility, LinkedIn and a measurable pipeline.
Tech, SaaS & Startups
Go-to-market strategy, AI answer visibility, LinkedIn, lifecycle automation and pipeline measurement for startups, SaaS and tech companies.
Education & Training
Education marketing for private universities, business schools, international schools and academies: student recruitment in Spain and abroad.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
What is ChatGPT SEO?
Getting ChatGPT's search to find your site, understand what you do and cite you. It takes access for OAI-SearchBot, clear first-hand content, a consistent brand entity and earned mentions. It is part of GEO, which also covers the other assistants.
How do I get ChatGPT to recommend my business?
There's no button, but the odds improve when its crawler can reach your site, your pages answer customer questions clearly, your brand is described consistently and independent sources mention you. We start by checking what it answers today.
How is GEO different from traditional SEO?
SEO targets rankings and clicks; GEO targets inclusion and citation inside generated answers. Both rest on crawling, indexing, quality and authority, and Google says its AI features need nothing extra. GEO adds per-engine crawler access, entity and citation work, and different measurement.
Is it worth creating an llms.txt file?
Not for Google, which has confirmed its search engine doesn't use the file. As of October 2026, we have seen no sign that other major AI engines do either. Keep one if you like, but it won't get you into ChatGPT or AI Overviews.
If I block GPTBot in robots.txt, will I disappear from ChatGPT?
No. GPTBot collects training data; ChatGPT search relies on OAI-SearchBot. Block GPTBot to keep your content out of training and you can still appear in answers. Blocking OAI-SearchBot, sometimes through a CDN rule nobody reviewed, is what removes you.
Can you measure how visible my brand is in AI answers?
Yes, within limits. Search Console shows AI Overviews and AI Mode impressions, not clicks; Bing Webmaster Tools shows Copilot citations. For other assistants we run a regular prompt panel; your analytics capture the visits they send.
Can a generative engine optimization agency guarantee I'll appear in ChatGPT?
No. No platform guarantees placement in its organic answers, which shift with the question, user and moment; be wary of anyone who promises it. We improve your eligibility and authority, and measure your presence openly.
Can I pay to appear in ChatGPT?
You can advertise, but that isn't GEO: organic answers can't be bought. ChatGPT ads have served in Spain since 24 August 2026, only on the Free and Go plans and, in the European Economic Area, contextually. Perplexity wound down its ads (reported February 2026), and Anthropic pledged that same month to keep Claude ad-free. See AI assistant advertising.
Related services
Pairs well with
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
AEO so Google can lift answers from your site into AI Overviews, AI Mode and featured snippets, through structure, useful data and measurement.
SEO
Organic visibility on Google and in AI answers: a solid technical base, bilingual content and genuine authority, run as one measurable programme.
Digital PR & Link Building
Links and brand mentions earned in real media: digital PR that builds your site's authority on Google and makes you a source AI assistants can cite.
Content Marketing & SEO Content
Expert content in English and Spanish that answers your customers, built to rank on Google and be cited by AI, with human editing on every piece.
Analytics, First-Party Data & Server-Side Tracking
GA4, first-party data, server-side tracking and Consent Mode v2 set up properly: reliable, lawful data you own, the base for campaigns and reports.
Insights
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