Quick answer
Google says its AI Overviews and AI Mode run on its core Search ranking systems, so the pages that earn rankings are the pages that get cited: indexable, clear and original. In June 2026 Google added a note that Search does not need llms.txt files. ChatGPT search also needs to be able to crawl your pages.
If someone is selling you a "GEO" or "AI SEO" package, this page sets out what Google and OpenAI have actually published, so you can judge the offer yourself. We are an SEO agency, and some of this work is worth paying for. Some of it is not. It is part of our SEO help centre.
Check these first
- Is the page indexed? In Search Console, paste the URL into the URL Inspection bar at the top. If it is not indexed, it cannot be used in AI Overviews or AI Mode. Our guide to getting your website found on Google covers this.
- Can Google show a snippet? View the page source and search for
nosnippet,max-snippetanddata-nosnippet. Google says a page must be eligible to appear with a snippet to be shown as a supporting link in AI features. - Has the site been opted out? Search Console now has a site-wide Search generative AI control. Make sure nobody switched your site out of generative AI features.
- Does the page answer the question near the top? Read your first two paragraphs as a stranger would. If the answer is buried under an introduction, move it up.
- Is ChatGPT allowed in? Open yourdomain.com.au/robots.txt and check that
OAI-SearchBotis not blocked.
How AI Overviews and AI Mode pick sources
Google published a guide on optimising for generative AI features in Search on 15 May 2026. The core point: these features are built on the same ranking and quality systems as regular Search, so SEO fundamentals still apply. Google's separate AI features page says there are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode.
Google describes two techniques. The first is grounding: its ranking systems retrieve relevant, current pages from the index, and the model writes an answer that links to them. The second is query fan-out: for one question, the system runs several related searches at once. A page that genuinely covers a topic and its natural follow-up questions has more chances to be retrieved.
Google is also clear that spam policies apply here. In May 2026 it confirmed that attempts to manipulate generative AI responses count as spam.
What does not help in Google
| What you are sold | What Google says | What to do instead |
|---|---|---|
| An llms.txt file | Google Search does not need llms.txt or other AI text files, and ignores them | Keep one if other tools use it, but do not pay for it as a Google tactic |
| "AIO schema" or special markup | Structured data is not required for generative AI features, and there is no special schema for them | Use structured data for normal rich result eligibility |
| "Chunking" pages into small blocks | Not needed; Google says there is no ideal page length | Write sections with honest headings for human readers |
| Rewriting everything "for AI" | Not needed; the systems understand synonyms and meaning | Improve pages that are thin or out of date |
| Buying mentions across the web | Google says inauthentic mentions are not helpful | Earn real coverage, reviews and links |
On llms.txt specifically, the Search Central documentation updates log records a note added on 15 June 2026 that Google Search does not need llms.txt files, though you can keep them for other services.
What actually gets you cited
Original, first-hand content
Google's guide asks for what it calls non-commodity content: a unique point of view or first-hand experience, rather than a summary of what is already out there. For a local business, that means your real prices, your process, the problems you see on jobs, and photos of your own work. A generic "10 tips" article is exactly what an AI answer can already write without you.
Clear answers and honest structure
Put the direct answer early, then cover the questions people ask next on the same page. Use plain headings that describe each section. Google says to organise content with clear paragraphs and headings, and that semantic HTML helps where practical.
Crawlable, indexable pages
The page must be indexed and snippet-eligible. Content that only appears after heavy JavaScript, or sits behind a login, is harder for any system to use. Google also lists good page experience and reducing duplicate content.
Business Profile and product data
For local businesses, Google's guide points to Google Business Profile. Keep hours, services and categories accurate, because AI answers about local services can draw on that data. Our local SEO team handles this for Brisbane businesses.
None of this guarantees a citation. Google itself says meeting the requirements does not guarantee crawling, indexing or serving.
ChatGPT and other assistants
ChatGPT search uses OpenAI's own crawler, OAI-SearchBot. OpenAI's crawler documentation says sites that block OAI-SearchBot will not appear in ChatGPT search answers, although they may still appear as plain navigational links. OpenAI's publisher FAQ adds that changes to robots.txt can take about 24 hours to take effect.
GPTBot is a different crawler, used for training. You can block GPTBot and still allow OAI-SearchBot. A typical robots.txt that does this looks like:
User-agent: OAI-SearchBot
Allow: /
User-agent: GPTBot
Disallow: /Beyond access, the same principles apply. Assistants that search the web tend to cite pages that answer the question clearly and are easy to fetch. Check your hosting firewall or security plugin as well: some block unfamiliar bots by default.
Measuring AI visibility
- Search Console. Google introduced Search generative AI performance reports in June 2026, and says they reached all sites worldwide by 31 August 2026. They show impressions in AI features by page, country, device and date. AI Overview and AI Mode traffic also stays inside your normal Performance report under the Web search type.
- Third-party trackers. Tools that test a set of prompts in ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity give a rough sample of how often you are cited. Treat them as estimates. Google's guide warns against tools that claim access to internal Google metrics.
- Your enquiries. Add "How did you find us?" to your contact form, with an AI assistant option.
How this page is built
We wrote this guide the way we suggest you write yours. The direct answer sits in the first box. Each section answers one question a reader would ask next. Every platform claim links to the Google or OpenAI page we checked, and the byline below shows who wrote it and when it was last checked. There is no llms.txt trick or special markup involved.
Australian detail
AI Mode began rolling out in Australia in English in October 2025, alongside AI Overviews, and the Search Console reports are available to Australian sites. Filter the reports by country to separate Australian visibility from overseas impressions. If you are offered a GEO package, ask for a written list of deliverables and check each one against the table above. Australian Consumer Law applies to marketing services too, so claims of "guaranteed AI citations" deserve a sceptical read.
When to get help
A specialist will check indexing, snippet controls and crawler access, then compare your key pages with the pages AI answers currently cite for your services, and plan content around the gaps.
See how our AI search optimisation work fits into SEO, or talk to our SEO team.
Related guides: why website traffic drops and how to get your website found on Google.
About this guide
Written by Amann Jhamb, Director of AR Digital Solutions, 17 years in web design, SEO and paid ads. Last checked: 3 November 2026 against Google Search Central: Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search. Change note: first published 3 November 2026. Part of our SEO help centre.