How to make ChatGPT and Gemini know you: playbook for startups

How to make ChatGPT and Gemini know you: playbook for startups

By Allison Reed, head of SEO at Ohayu.com

SEO has been the main way to get traffic online since the 1990s. Then, in 2022, the release of ChatGPT made people start talking about a new thing: GEO, or generative engine optimization.

SEO basics are still the rules for building a strong site, even if people use AI more. But now, how people see and trust your brand also depends on what they see in Gemini, ChatGPT, Claude, and other chatbots.

1. Google still owns the search stage

Everyone’s hyping about AI taking over, but the numbers show Google remains dominant. In 2024, Google had more than 5 trillion searches. That is roughly 14 billion searches every day.

ChatGPT saw 37.5 million search-like prompts per day. It's nearly 373 times fewer than Google (Rand Fishkin, Datos research).

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The gap is huge. But ChatGPT and other AI tools are growing faster than any other new search competitor we’ve seen in years, and their share will expand.

2. SEO still matters, even in AI Overviews

When Google rolled out generative AI Overviews, powered by Gemini, it was unclear what's next for SEO now.

But here’s the thing: Gemini doesn’t have its own independent index. It still pulls from Google’s existing search infrastructure, layers of ranking, trusted sources, top voices, niches, and topicality.

Random sites don’t appear in AI Overviews. Most of them are top-SERP pages from Google search results for similar search queries.

To appear in AI-enhanced results, sites still need the same old SEO fundamentals: crawlable pages, clean HTML, heading hierarchy, correct metadata, authority links, and high-quality content.

Example: a blog page on ‘Mobile networks in Ghana’ ranks at the top of Google and also feeds AI Overviews. The blog setup is SSR (WordPress). The article contains unique human-written content with basic on-page SEO optimization.

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GEO works as an addition to SEO. AI tools capture new behaviors, but authority and solid SEO are still the ticket to being visible.

3. Basics are non-negotiable

As backlinks, authority, crawl health, and relevance decide if your site even has a chance, you can’t skip SEO. We’ve already shared a full SEO guide for startup founders, but here are the 3 core essentials:

  • Authority still rules. Backlinks from trusted sites are one of the strongest signals search engines can’t ignore. The most valued ones are earned via journalist pitching and storytelling.
  • You should create something people can trust. Share experience, show who you are, and add signals like sources, contacts, and licenses so Google and AI know your business is real.
  • The site should be clean and fast. A clear site structure, working markup, and good speed still decide your rankings.

4. Keywords alone won’t get you visibility

GEO is about making content visible inside AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. They don’t crawl and rank like Google. LLMs retrieve data from multiple sources.

ChatGPT relies on Exa AI to filter spam and rank trustworthy pages. Exa scans web content, scores it for trustworthiness, and removes spam before passing results into ChatGPT.

Gemini pulls from the same Google index we optimize for with SEO, but in terms of product research, it heavily leans on Shopping Graph (6+ billion products), Merchant Center, and partner APIs.

LLMs break content into chunks and pull the pieces they trust most.

What this means for startups and content creators: the keyword stuffing game is over. Now, content matters more than ever. It should be clear, credible, and easy for AI systems to reuse.

5. GEO starts with small moves

Here's what you can do right now:

  • Monitor your brand in AI tools. Check if Gemini or Perplexity mention you using Ahrefs or referral filters in your analytics.
  • Check mentions outside your site: Trustpilot, app stores, media, and review sites, Wikipedia, forums, blogs. Update the info, where you can.
  • Work on PR. Tier-1 outlets like Forbes, PC Mag, or TechRadar can boost visibility. Media mentions, expert comments, startup rankings, listings, and awards are also great.
  • Write all your content in natural language. Exact-match keywords that ignore grammar don’t work for SEO or GEO.
  • Add to your blog posts fact-based answers to real questions. Check what AI overviews already show for your query and add something new, such as a stat, a date, a brand name, or a location.

For example, we simply added exact eSIM store names at Haneda airport in this blog post, and they appeared in multiple AI overviews:

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GEO isn’t a replacement for SEO. It’s an extra channel layered on top. Treat it as an addition, not a rebuild. Here’s a quick table to keep in mind:

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A healthy mix looks like 70% focus on strong SEO basics and 30% experimenting with GEO.

Early on, founders can manage the basics themselves: clean crawl errors, publish clear content, and earn a few real backlinks. As the site grows, bring in a specialist.

Be careful with “AI SEO” packages; most offer tricks that deliver little value. Stick to best practices, common sense, and your own data.

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