How to Show Up in AI Searches with Organic SEO
- Andi Rivera
- Feb 19
- 4 min read
Many of our clients have been asking very specifically, “How do I show up in AI searches, like ChatGPT?”
If you’ve been wondering too, but don’t want to chase every new AI trend, you’re not alone. When the rules feel like they’re changing overnight, it’s easy to assume everything you’ve built needs to change too.
Even with all of the advancements in AI tools, the answer still starts with organic SEO - “organic” meaning opting for traditional, skilled search engine optimization over paying for ads. When organic SEO is prioritized as the foundation for every other SEO strategy, it becomes the very key to helping businesses show up inside AI tools.
You may be hearing the acronyms SEO, GEO, and AIO and wondering how it all works together with your website’s ranking. In this article, I’ll briefly cover what they are, and share a few well-tested best practices that keep La Mejor Website and our clients appearing in ChatGPT and other tools.
First: What Is SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the process of helping your website show up in search engines like Google when someone is actively looking for what you offer.
It includes:
Writing relevant, valuable content
Structuring pages properly
Using keywords strategically (without stuffing)
Optimizing page titles and meta descriptions
Technical website health
Google Business Profile optimization
And more
At its core, SEO is about answering real questions clearly and proving your business is relevant and trustworthy. That hasn’t changed.
So, What Is GEO?
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization.
This refers to optimizing your content so it can be referenced or cited by AI tools like:
ChatGPT
Google’s AI Overviews
Perplexity
Bing Copilot
Instead of showing 10 blue links directly to websites that can answer the search query, these tools generate summaries. And here’s the key: They still need website sources!
AI tools pull from well-structured, authoritative, relevant content across the web. Which means, if your website is already clear, helpful to visitors, structured well and focused on real human questions, you’re already positioned for GEO.
Our best practices below focus specifically on this piece and will show concrete steps to increase the likelihood of your business appearing there.
And What Is AIO?
AIO usually refers to AI Optimization for Google’s AI Overviews.
This is the AI-generated summary that sometimes appears at the top of Google search results.
It’s more specific than GEO.
Think of it like this:
SEO = showing up in traditional search results
AIO = appearing inside Google’s AI summary
GEO = appearing inside generative AI platforms more broadly
AIO is one placement. GEO is the bigger strategy.
AI tools don’t reward shortcuts.
They reward clarity, structure, and authority, which are the same qualities search engines have always valued. Many of our clients, and even our own agency, are being referenced inside ChatGPT responses.
And we haven’t changed our strategy dramatically. Why? Because what works for organic SEO is part of what works for GEO.
How to Show Up in ChatGPT Without Chasing AI Trends
These are foundational practices, which are part of a broader SEO strategy that includes technical optimization, ongoing content development, and strategic positioning.
1/ Custom Content Written for Humans (With SEO Built In)
We don’t produce generic, AI-flavored blog filler.
We write:
In your brand voice
For your target audience
Clearly explaining the value of your service or product
Addressing real objections and questions
AI tools prefer content that is:
Specific
Structured
Informative
Authoritative
That’s been our approach for years.
2/ Modern, Thoughtful Web Design
Visitors will quickly leave your website if it feels outdated or confusing.
When a visitor reaches your website via Google or an AI mention, the experience has to:
Build trust immediately
Be easy to navigate
Feel current and professional
Support your positioning
Design still matters. Possibly more than ever.
For more on what a truly engaging website experience looks like, and why it matters, see A User Experience Your Website Visitors Actually Want.
3/ Strategic FAQ Sections
This is a big one.
We consistently build thoughtful, highly relevant FAQ sections into service pages.
Why this matters: AI tools are trained to answer questions.
If your website clearly:
Asks the question
Answers it directly
Provides depth and clarity
You increase your chances of being referenced.
FAQs aren’t fluff. They’re structured authority. It also creates a fantastic user-experience for a website visitor to find helpful content and everything they need to know to make the choice to engage with your business. It’s a huge win-win!
4/ Coordinated, Page-Level SEO
We don’t treat SEO as an afterthought.
Each page:
Has a clear focus
Aligns keywords with intent
Supports topical depth
Reinforces related content across the site
That semantic clarity helps both search engines and AI systems understand what your business actually does.
5/ Google Business Profile Still Matters
Local SEO is still incredibly powerful.
Even in an AI world:
Proximity
Reviews
Category relevance
Profile optimization
All influence visibility. We’re still leveraging Google Business Profiles strategically, and it continues to work.
To go deeper into how a properly optimized profile supports your overall SEO and visibility, check out How Google Business Profile Directly Affects Your Website’s SEO Ranking.
And, if you want to see how your website is positioned for AI visibility, we can take a look.
Is SEO Dead?
No, but clearly, it’s been evolving. AI tools are reshaping how information is delivered, but they are not inventing information out of thin air.
They rely on:
Authoritative websites
Well-structured content
Clear expertise
Strong brand signals
In other words, the businesses that invested in strong organic SEO are not behind. They’re often ahead.
We’re not pivoting away from organic SEO. We’re actually doubling down on it, even more strategically because the fundamentals still prove to us they work. And in many cases, they’re the very reason businesses are now appearing inside AI responses.
If you’re curious how your website is positioned in this new landscape, we’re happy to take a look. The platforms may evolve, but strong foundations don’t. We build organic SEO strategies that position businesses for long-term visibility, including inside AI tools.
Let’s help you show up in ChatGPT.
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