How to Get Cited by ChatGPT: A VibeWriters Guide to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

By Jonathan James

Back in the day you wanted to get on page one of Google.

Today you’re lucky if you’re mentioned at all.

Search has changed. People now ask ChatGPT. Or Perplexity. Or Bing Copilot. These tools don’t just rank links—they generate answers. Which means your website might be used... without ever being seen.

This post introduces Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)—a new strategy for visibility in the age of LLMs. If you're a copywriter, marketer, or content strategist, this is your cheat sheet for staying relevant when AI is the front page.

What Is GEO?

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization.

While traditional search engines return a list of links, Generative Engines (like ChatGPT or Perplexity.ai) synthesize responses using multiple sources, then write their own answer. Your content might be paraphrased, cited inline—or skipped completely.

GEO helps ensure your content gets picked up and cited.

Why This Matters

In the past, traffic depended on rankings. Now it depends on citations.

If your content isn’t cited in an LLM’s response, it’s invisible. There’s no blue link to click. No metadata. Just a sentence—maybe informed by your work, maybe not.

GEO is the strategy for being seen in a world of generated answers.

What the Research Shows

A 2024 paper from Princeton and IIT Delhi introduced the GEO framework and tested what actually increases citation in LLM answers. Findings:

• Quotations, citations, and statistics can boost visibility up to 40%
• Fluent, structured content is more likely to appear
• Keyword stuffing (a classic SEO move) does not help
• Lower-ranked websites benefit most—GEO levels the field

These results were tested across 10,000 real queries using a benchmark called GEO-bench.

How to GEO Your Content

Here’s how to optimize your content for generative engines:

1. Add Quotable Lines

LLMs love clean, standalone quotes. Make sure your writing includes punchy lines that are easy to pull.

Before:

We help small businesses optimize their workflows.

After:

“Most small businesses waste 15–20 hours a week on broken systems.”

2. Include Statistics

Numbers build credibility and often anchor AI responses.

Example:

Only 4% of marketers have a documented AI prompt strategy.
(Cite your source if possible.)

3. Cite Your Sources

Even if readers don’t click, LLMs notice citations.

Example:

According to the 2024 CMI Report, only 29% of teams use AI consistently.

4. Improve Fluency and Structure

LLMs prefer content that’s well-structured and easy to parse:

• Short sentences
• Clear headers
• Minimal filler
• Clean formatting

Make your content scannable and professional.

5. Use Domain-Relevant Language

Use the actual terms your audience expects.

Example:
Instead of “heater thing,” say “dual-stage gas furnace.”
Instead of “fancy pipe,” say “borosilicate glass manifold.”

6. Optimize for Subjective Impression

LLMs decide what to cite based on relevance and uniqueness. Ask:

• Does my content say something different?
• Does it add clarity or context?
• Is it self-contained enough to be dropped into an answer?

Bonus Prompt:

“Cite Me”

Use this prompt to retrofit existing content:

Rewrite this content to maximize citation in an LLM-generated answer.
Add: 1 quote, 1 stat, 1 source. Improve fluency and structure.

Apply it to:

• Your About page
• A high-performing blog post
• Your sales copy or lead magnet

Then test with a tool like Perplexity.ai and see if your content gets cited.

Final Thoughts

Generative engines are changing how content is discovered.

If you don’t show up in the answer, you don’t show up at all.

GEO is the visibility strategy for the post-search era. It rewards clarity, specificity, and credibility—exactly the traits good content should already have.

Want more tools like this? I’m building a full library of VibeCards—creative frameworks, smart prompts, and strategy tools for copywriters and marketers.

Follow @vibecopy or DM me to get early access.

Outta-CITE. 🤓