AI Visibility / GEO

Get your local business recommended by AI.

Half your customers are already asking ChatGPT, Google AI, and Perplexity where to go and who to hire. If you're not in those answers, someone else is. We fix that within 90 days.

The shift

AI search is eating traditional search (and most local businesses have no idea)

Google AI Overviews now appear on over 40% of searches. ChatGPT search has 100+ million weekly users. Perplexity is growing faster than any search engine in history.

Here's what that means for your local business: fewer people are clicking the blue links. They're reading the AI-generated answer and acting on it. If you're not in that answer, you're invisible to a growing chunk of your market.

Traditional local SEO still matters. But it's not enough anymore. Ranking #1 on Google doesn't help when the AI overview answers the query before anyone scrolls down.

40%+

of Google searches now show AI Overviews

100M+

weekly ChatGPT search users

4 engines

we track and optimize for

Sound familiar?

"We rank on the first page, but our leads have been dropping."

"I keep hearing about AI search but I have no idea how to show up in it."

"Our competitors are getting mentioned by ChatGPT and we're not even in the conversation."

This isn't a future problem. It's happening right now.

What is GEO

What is generative engine optimization?

Generative engine optimization (GEO) is the practice of optimizing your local business so AI systems cite you, recommend you, and link to you when people ask questions related to what you do.

You might hear it called different things. Answer engine optimization (AEO). LLM SEO. AI search optimization. ChatGPT SEO. They all describe the same core idea: making sure your local business shows up when someone asks an AI "who's the best [service] near me?"

Traditional SEO Generative Engine Optimization
Goal Rank on page 1 of Google Get cited in AI-generated answers
Where you show up Google search results ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude
What matters Keywords, backlinks, technical SEO Citations, brand mentions, structured data, topical authority, reviews
User behavior Click your link, visit your site Read the AI answer, act on its recommendation
Time to results 3-6 months 60-90 days for initial mentions

GEO isn't a replacement for SEO. It's the next layer. And the local businesses that add it now will own the space before their competitors even understand what happened.

What we do

What we actually do

We don't just optimize your website. We build the entire signal ecosystem that AI systems pull from when they generate answers about local businesses.

AI Visibility Audit

We check your current presence across four AI engines (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude) using real queries your customers are asking. Most local businesses score 0 out of 4.

Structured Data & Entity Optimization

AI systems rely on structured data to understand what your business is, what you do, and where you operate. We build out your schema markup, knowledge panel signals, and entity associations.

Citation & Mention Building

The more authoritative sources that mention your business, the more likely AI systems are to surface you. We build citations across directories, industry publications, and review platforms.

Content Optimization for AI Citability

Your existing content probably buries the answers AI systems are looking for. We restructure pages to lead with direct answers in the formats AI models prefer to cite.

Review & Reputation Signals

AI engines weigh review volume, sentiment, and recency when deciding who to recommend. We build systems that drive consistent, genuine reviews across the platforms that matter.

Monthly AI Visibility Tracking

Every month, we run your top queries through all four AI engines and track whether you're being mentioned, your position, and who else is showing up. Real data, not guessing.

Process

How it works

01

AI Visibility Audit

We test the exact queries your customers are typing into ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude. You get a scorecard showing where you appear and who's getting recommended instead.

02

Gap Analysis & Strategy

We identify exactly why AI systems aren't recommending you. Missing structured data? Weak citations? Content AI can't parse? We find every gap.

03

Optimization & Signal Building

Schema markup, citation building, content restructuring, review campaigns, entity optimization. Everything AI systems need to confidently recommend you.

04

Monthly Tracking & Reporting

Every month, we re-run the 4-engine visibility check. You see exactly which AI engines mention you, for which queries, and how your visibility is trending.

Results

What AI visibility looks like in practice

We've been monitoring AI visibility for clients since early 2025, tracking mentions across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude every month.

Multifamily Properties, Carteret NJ

2 of 3 top Google AI results are our clients

When someone asks Google AI "apartments in Carteret NJ," The Arthur and 29 Washington (both our apartment SEO clients) are recommended by name with pricing and amenities.

2 of 3

Top AI results are ours

90 days

Time to first mention

Google AI Mode showing our clients as top results for apartments in Carteret NJ

Therapy Practice, South Florida

Ranking in ChatGPT and Llama across South Florida

This geogrid shows AI visibility across an entire metro area for a therapy practice. Green means our client is being recommended. The AI visibility panel shows presence in ChatGPT (#14) and Llama (#2).

2

AI engines citing client

#2

Llama ranking

Metro-wide

Coverage area

Geogrid showing AI visibility across South Florida with ChatGPT, Llama, and Perplexity rankings

Commercial Elevator Company

Gemini #5, Perplexity #8, and dominating local search

A commercial elevator company now ranking in Gemini and Perplexity for their core keyword. Average ranking of 1.83 with 89.94% top-3 placements across the service area. Almost entirely green on the geogrid.

#5

Gemini ranking

#8

Perplexity ranking

Commercial elevator company geogrid showing dominant local rankings and Gemini #5 Perplexity #8 AI visibility

Professional Services Client

First deal closed directly from a ChatGPT recommendation

A client emailed our team: "1st ChatGPT Call today!" The lead came directly from ChatGPT recommending their business for a professional business valuation. NDA, proposal, and invoice followed.

Revenue

Direct deal from AI referral

ChatGPT

Source of the lead

Client email celebrating first deal from ChatGPT recommendation

We use DataForSEO's LLM Mentions tracking to run actual queries through each AI engine monthly. The same infrastructure enterprise agencies charge $5,000+/month to access.

Is this for you

Who needs generative engine optimization?

GEO is built for local businesses with a physical presence. If customers can visit you, call you, or hire you in person, this is for you.

Local businesses losing leads even though they rank well on Google. AI search is siphoning traffic before users ever see the organic results.

Service businesses in competitive markets where AI engines are already recommending your competitors by name.

Businesses already investing in SEO that want to protect and expand their visibility as search shifts toward AI.

Multi-location businesses that need consistent AI visibility across different markets.

If someone in your market is asking ChatGPT "who's the best [your service] near me" and you're not in the answer, you need GEO.

FAQ

Common questions

What is generative engine optimization?

Generative engine optimization (GEO) is the process of optimizing your local business and its content so AI-powered search engines like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Gemini recommend you in their responses. It's the AI search equivalent of ranking on page 1 of Google.

How is GEO different from regular SEO?

Traditional SEO focuses on ranking in Google's organic results. GEO focuses on getting cited in AI-generated answers. The tactics overlap (structured data, authority, content quality), but GEO adds citation optimization, entity signals, and content formatting specifically designed for how AI systems read and recommend local businesses. You need both.

Which AI search engines do you optimize for?

We track and optimize for four engines: ChatGPT (OpenAI), Google AI Overviews (Gemini), Perplexity, and Claude (Anthropic). These cover the vast majority of AI search traffic today. As new engines gain traction, we add them.

How long does it take to see results?

Most clients see initial AI mentions within 60 to 90 days. Full optimization across all four engines typically takes 3 to 6 months, depending on your starting point and competitive landscape. We track progress monthly so you can see exactly what's changing.

Do I need GEO if I already do SEO?

Yes. SEO gets you ranked on Google. GEO gets you recommended by AI. As more searches get answered by AI overviews and chatbots, the gap between "ranking well" and "actually getting chosen" will keep growing. GEO builds on your SEO foundation and extends it into AI search.

How do you track AI visibility?

We run your top commercial queries through all four AI engines every month and record whether your local business gets mentioned, your position in the response, whether a link is included, and which competitors appear. You get a visibility scorecard that tracks progress over time, not a vague "we think it's working."

AI visibility works best alongside local SEO and a conversion-optimized website. We build the full system.

Your next customer is asking AI right now.

No sales team. No runaround. Just a straight conversation with the person who runs the agency.

Mike Forgie, founder of Next Step Connect

Have a question?

Text us and get a real answer, not a bot.

Text Us Now (732) 784-8847

Usually responds within the hour

Free Visibility Report

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