GEO content strategy: practical guide to creating content cited by AI

You already understand the fundamental differences between SEO and GEO: answers tailored to each Persona, multiple sub-queries generated by AIs, and the importance of external sources. But the key question remains: how do you actually create content that will be cited and recommended by ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google SGE?

The figures speak for themselves: global traffic referred by generative AI platforms has increased by over 300% in a year, and visitors from AI-generated answers are 4.4 times more qualified than those from traditional search. This practical guide will take you step by step through implementing an effective geo content strategy.

The core equation of GEO

Before getting into the practicalities, it’s essential to understand what sets GEO apart from traditional SEO. GEO isn’t an alternative to SEO: it builds on and extends it.

GEO = SEO at full potential + public external sites + media sites

This equation means three things:

1. SEO remains the foundation. 99% of AI Overviews cite pages from the organic top 10. Without robust SEO, you won’t appear in AI answers. GEO demands SEO at its highest level: flawless technical structure, comprehensive content, and established topical authority.
2. Public external sites are now strategic. 48% of AI citations come from community platforms like Reddit, YouTube or specialist forums. Your content strategy must reach beyond your own website.
3. Media sites amplify your credibility. Mentions in authoritative media strengthen your E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trust) and greatly increase your chances of being cited as a reliable source by AIs.

The foundations of GEO-ready content

From click to citation: rethinking the purpose of every piece of content

In SEO, the aim of content is to attract a click from search results. In GEO, the goal is very different: you need to be cited, referenced and consolidated as a trusted source by AI engines. This shift in approach directly affects how you create your content.

The context is clear: 60% of searches now end without a click (zero-click searches), and the click-through rate for first position when an AI Overview is present drops to just 2.6%. Relying on clicks is no longer a viable strategy.

In practice, every piece of content should answer this question: “If an AI had to summarise this topic, what information in my content would deserve to be cited?”

Content that performs well in GEO shares three characteristics:

• Extractability: Key information can be isolated and referenced without losing meaning. AIs extract snippets, not entire pages.
• Verifiability: Every statement is sourced or factual. AIs favour content they can cross-check with other sources. Content with statistics and expert data is 40% more likely to be cited by LLMs.
• Informational neutrality: The tone is factual, not promotional. AIs filter out overly sales-driven content.

The multi-Persona approach: producing for every query variation

As explained in our article on the shift from SEO to GEO, ChatGPT tailors its answers to the user’s profile. A “busy young urbanite” and a “senior technical expert” won’t receive the same recommendations for the same query.

For your content strategy, this means you should:

• Segment your content by Persona: Create variations tailored to each target profile. A guide on “How to choose a CRM” might become “How to choose a CRM for a startup” and “How to choose a CRM for a large enterprise”.
• Vary the angle and level of detail: Offer both introductory and expert content on the same topic. AIs select based on the detected user profile.
• Adapt vocabulary: Use technical language for experts, plain English for beginners. AIs match the language level to the Persona.

The most citable content formats for AI

Structured FAQs: the king format for GEO

FAQs are the format most cited by generative AI engines. Why? They answer specific questions directly, just as users do in a ChatGPT conversation.

Rules for creating a GEO-optimised FAQ:

• Phrase questions as users would naturally ask an AI (“How do I do X?” rather than “Our solution for X”).
• Answer in 2-3 concise sentences before elaborating. AIs often extract only the start of an answer.
• Use schema.org FAQPage markup to make programmatic extraction easier.
• Cover related questions and common objections, not just the obvious ones.

Comparison tables and structured data

Tables are particularly well handled by AIs as they present information in a structured, easily extractable format. 80% of pages cited by AIs use lists and structured elements.

Recommended table types:

• Product or solution comparisons with objective, measurable criteria.
• Technical specification summaries with precise values.
• Transparent pricing tables (AIs value clear pricing).
• Study summaries with data and sources.

Step-by-step practical guides

• Procedural guides are often cited as they address “how to” intent queries. To maximise citability:
• Clearly number steps (AIs can extract “Step 3: ...”).
• State estimated time and difficulty level.
• Add validation checkpoints at each stage.
• Mention common mistakes to avoid (frequently cited by AIs in their answers).

Glossaries and definitions

Definitions are often cited by AIs to provide context in their answers. A well-constructed glossary can become a major reference source.

Best practices:

• Start each definition with a concise sentence that stands alone.
• Add usage context and real-world examples.
• Link terms together to create a semantic network.
• Use schema.org DefinedTerm markup.

Case studies with data

AIs often cite real-world results to support their recommendations. Case studies with precise metrics have high citation potential.

Optimal structure:

1. Context in one sentence (sector, size, challenge).
2. Solution implemented (method, tools).
3. Measured results (%, £, timeframes) with before/after comparison.
4. Client testimonial directly quoting the benefits.

Technical structuring for AI extraction

Information architecture

AIs analyse structure before content. Clear architecture makes it easier to extract relevant information. The numbers are telling: pages structured with an H1-H2-H3 hierarchy are 2.8 times more likely to be cited by AIs.

• Heading hierarchy: Use H2/H3/H4 logically and descriptively. Each heading should make sense out of context (“5 criteria for selection” rather than “The criteria”). 87% of pages cited by AIs use a single H1.
• Short paragraphs: Maximum 3-4 sentences per paragraph. AIs rarely extract long text blocks.
• Lists and bullet points: Favour lists for groups of items. They’re more easily parsed and cited.
• Highlighting: Use bold for key information. AIs give more weight to highlighted text.

Semantic markup and structured data

Schema.org markup helps AIs understand the nature of your content and extract it correctly.

Priority schemas for GEO:

• FAQPage: Essential for all FAQ sections.
• HowTo: For step-by-step guides and tutorials.
• Article + Author: To establish author expertise (E-E-A-T criteria).
• Review + AggregateRating: For comparisons and reviews.
• Product: For product pages with structured features.
• Organisation: To reinforce brand identity and credibility.

Optimising extractable elements

• First sentence of each section: Write it as a standalone answer. AIs often extract this alone.
• Summary boxes: Add “Key points” or “In brief” boxes summarising the main ideas. This format is ideal for citation.
• Precise data in context: “The average rate is 15%” will be cited more than “The rate is about 15%”. Precision increases citability.

Covering the entire semantic territory

The challenge of multiplying queries

ChatGPT generates dozens of sub-queries for each user question. To be cited, your site must provide relevant answers to each variation. A main keyword like “HR software” actually covers thousands of related queries: “HR software for SMEs”, “HR payroll software”, “free HR software”, “HR software comparison 2026”...

With 4 billion prompts sent daily to LLMs (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Mistral), producing content at this scale is impossible with a 100% human approach.

The semantic coverage strategy for GEO

Map the semantic universe: Identify all query variations around your main topics.

Prioritise by Persona: Sort queries according to the Personas they concern. Focus human effort on the most important Personas.

Create topic clusters: Organise your content into thematic clusters with a pillar page and satellite pages covering all aspects of the topic.

Personalised AI for large-scale production

To cover your entire semantic territory, personalised AI (distinct from generic AI like ChatGPT) is essential. It enables you to:

• Generate content that matches your brand identity and guidelines.
• Produce hundreds of variations tailored by Persona, region or use case.
• Maintain editorial consistency across your content.
• Update large volumes of existing content with new information.

The Incremys platform offers two complementary modules: the AI-assisted editor for strategic content (main queries) and the automation module for exhaustive coverage (secondary queries).

Multi-channel strategy: the differentiator for GEO

Why your website alone is no longer enough

This is where GEO fundamentally diverges from traditional SEO. Generative AIs source information from across the web, not just well-ranked sites. Only 44% of AI citations come from owned sites, while 48% come from community platforms.

Your GEO content strategy must therefore extend to the external platforms where AIs search for information. This is the meaning of the equation: GEO = SEO + public external sites + media sites.

Public external sites: Reddit, forums, reviews, YouTube

ChatGPT assigns high credibility to authentic user discussions. Reddit, YouTube and LinkedIn are among the most cited platforms by LLMs. To be cited via these channels:

• Reddit: Participate in relevant subreddits with valuable contributions (not promotion). Answer questions with expertise. Your responses can be directly cited by AIs.
• Industry forums: Find reference forums in your field and contribute regularly with expert content.
• Review sites: Encourage your customers to leave detailed, reasoned reviews. AIs use these to assess reputation.
• YouTube: Video transcripts are indexed by AIs. Create informative videos with detailed descriptions.

Media sites: GEO-focused digital PR

Mentions in authoritative media boost your credibility with AIs (E-E-A-T criteria). The goal is no longer a SEO backlink, but a brand mention associated with your expertise.

Priority actions:

1. Submit expert opinion pieces to industry media.
2. Respond to journalist enquiries (HARO, Muck Rack).
3. Publish original studies that can be cited by the media.
4. Develop partnerships with recognised influencers in your field.

Wikipedia: the go-to source for AIs

Wikipedia is one of the most cited sources by AIs. If your business or executives legitimately warrant a Wikipedia page (sufficient notability), this is a major GEO lever. Caution: Wikipedia rules are strict, don’t try to create a promotional page.

From theory to practice: the human-AI hybrid approach

The challenge of exhaustive coverage

To illustrate the scale of the GEO challenge, take an e-commerce retailer in fashion. The goal is to be cited by AIs for every query related to their products, whatever the user Persona: “wedding shoes”, “office shoes”, “shoes for wide feet”...

With thousands of products and dozens of variations per product (size, colour, style, occasion), content production at GEO scale is impossible with a 100% human approach.

The recommended hybrid approach

The optimal strategy combines human and personalised AI resources:

• Strategic content by the human team: Main category pages, buying guides, expert advice, original studies, media opinion pieces. These require sector expertise and creativity beyond the reach of AI alone.
• Exhaustive coverage by personalised AI: Product descriptions, variations by use, localised content, detailed FAQs. Personalised AI, trained on your brand style and values, ensures publish-ready copy.
• Coordinated multi-channel presence: Human participation on Reddit and forums, YouTube videos, media relations for opinion pieces and studies.

This hybrid approach enables you to realistically and economically deliver the three pillars of the GEO equation (SEO + external sites + media).

Measuring the performance of your GEO content

Manual citability tests

Regularly test your content with generative AI engines:

• Ask questions related to your topics in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google SGE.
• Vary Personas in your prompts to see if you’re cited for different profiles.
• Note which information is extracted and cited (or not).
• Identify competitors cited instead of you.

GEO tracking KPIs

Note: only 23% of marketers currently invest in prompt tracking and GEO measurement, representing a first-mover advantage for companies that equip themselves now. For example, with Incremys!

KPIs to monitor

• Citation rate: How often your content is referenced in AI answers.
• Generative share of voice: Your visibility vs competitors across a panel of queries. Citation rates below 30% mean GEO invisibility.
• Quality of citations: Are you cited as a primary or secondary source?
• Persona coverage: Are you cited for all your target Personas?
• Multi-channel coverage: Are you cited via your site AND via external platforms?
• Indirect conversions: Correlation between peaks in AI visibility and direct traffic/conversions. Remember, 72% of AI citations have no clickable link: traditional metrics underestimate the real impact of GEO.

Checklist: creating GEO-optimised content

Before writing:

☐ Identify the content’s target Persona(s)

☐ List the questions these Personas would ask an AI

☐ Analyse current AI answers to these questions

☐ Identify sources cited by AIs (competitors, media, Reddit)

☐ Define distribution channels (site + external + media)

During writing:

☐ Write the first sentence of each section as a standalone answer

☐ Use descriptive headings understandable out of context

☐ Include precise, sourced data (+40% citability)

☐ Create lists and tables for structured information

☐ Add a FAQ with naturally phrased questions

☐ Avoid a promotional tone, favour factual writing

☐ Structure with H1-H2-H3 hierarchy (2.8x more likely to be cited)

After writing:

☐ Implement the appropriate schema.org markup

☐ Check that key information can be extracted in isolation

☐ Test content in ChatGPT/Perplexity

☐ Plan distribution on external channels (Reddit, forums, YouTube)

☐ Plan regular updates (79% of AI bots favour content from the last 2 years)

FAQ: geo content strategy

Content creation

What is the ideal content length to be cited by AIs?

Length matters less than structure. AIs extract snippets, not entire pages. A 500-word piece, perfectly structured with direct answers, will be cited more often than a disorganised 3,000-word article. Focus on information density: every paragraph should provide extractable information.

Should I write differently for ChatGPT and Google SGE?

The core principles are the same (clear structure, sources, neutrality). However, ChatGPT relies more on Bing (87% correlation) and places greater emphasis on Reddit and forum discussions, while Google SGE remains rooted in its own organic results (99% from the top 10). A complete strategy covers both by working on your site AND external platforms.

How can I adapt my existing content for GEO?

Audit your current content by testing it with AIs. Identify what is never cited and analyse why. The key optimisations are: add a FAQ, restructure with descriptive headings and H1-H2-H3 hierarchy, add sourced data, create extractable summary boxes.

Is AI-generated content effective for GEO?

Generic AI (ChatGPT, Gemini used directly) produces content that’s too generic to stand out. Personalised AI, trained on your brand and guidelines, lets you produce high-quality content at scale. It’s the only way to cover your full semantic territory—a necessity for being cited for all query variations. Note: 13% of Google’s top content is already AI-generated, showing that Google does not penalise quality AI content.

Formats and structure

Why are FAQs the king format for GEO?

Users ask questions to AIs, which look for direct answers. FAQs offer this ideal Q&A format. In addition, FAQPage markup enables AIs to extract Q&A pairs programmatically. A site with well-structured FAQs on its key topics has a significant edge.

Which schema.org markups have priority for GEO?

In order of priority: FAQPage (essential), HowTo (for guides), Article + Author (for E-E-A-T expertise), Review/AggregateRating (for comparisons), Product (for e-commerce). JSON-LD implementation is recommended for optimal AI understanding.

How should I structure an article to maximise extraction?

Every section should begin with a standalone summary sentence. Use explicit headings (“5 criteria to choose a CRM” instead of “The criteria”). Limit paragraphs to 3-4 sentences. Highlight key information in bold. Add “Key takeaways” boxes at the end of sections. Pages with this structure are 2.8x more likely to be cited.

Multi-channel strategy

Why is multi-channel essential in GEO?

It’s the heart of the equation: GEO = SEO + external sites + media. Data shows 48% of AI citations come from community platforms and only 44% from owned sites. A GEO strategy limited to your website leaves you invisible for nearly half of potential citations.

Why is Reddit important for GEO?

ChatGPT places high trust in authentic user discussions. Reddit is among the most cited platforms by LLMs. Contributing value (not promotion) in relevant subreddits can lead to direct AI citations.

How can I get media mentions for GEO?

The goal is no longer a backlink, but a brand mention associated with expertise. Offer opinion pieces to specialist media, respond to journalist requests (HARO), publish original, citable studies, and build relationships with recognised influencers in your field.

Does a Wikipedia page help with GEO?

Yes, Wikipedia is one of the most cited sources by AIs. If your business has enough notability to merit a page (Wikipedia’s strict criteria), it’s a major GEO lever. Don’t try to create a promotional page—it will be deleted and harm your credibility.

Measurement and performance

How do I know if my content is cited by AIs?

Three complementary approaches: regular manual testing (ask questions in ChatGPT/Perplexity and see which sources are cited), specialist tools (Promptmonitor, BrightEdge, Semrush GEO Toolkit), and analysis of indirect conversions (correlation between AI visibility and direct traffic).

Why do 72% of AI citations have no clickable link?

AIs synthesise information rather than listing links. They often cite “according to [source]” without a link, or integrate information with no obvious attribution. This is why traditional metrics (clicks, referral traffic) underestimate GEO’s real impact. Share of voice and indirect conversions are more relevant indicators.

How often should I update my content for GEO?

AIs favour fresh information: 79% of AI bots mainly index content from the past two years, and 65% focus on content published in the current year. Plan a quarterly review of your strategic content to update data and optimise little-cited sections.

Conclusion

The geo content strategy fundamentally transforms how you create, structure and distribute your content. The goal is no longer the click but the citation. Format matters as much as substance. And, crucially: multi-channel presence is now essential.

The equation to remember: GEO = SEO at full potential + public external sites + media sites

The three operational pillars:

1. Create extractable content: FAQs, tables, summaries, sourced data. Every key piece of information should stand alone for citation. Structured pages are 2.8x more likely to be cited.
2. Cover the entire semantic territory: Personalised AI enables you to create the thousands of variations needed for citation on every query at scale.
3. Deploy a multi-channel presence: Reddit, YouTube, forums and media are major sources for AIs (48% of citations). Your strategy must extend beyond your own website.

With 63% of businesses seeing increased visibility through GEO optimisation and a market expected to grow from $886 million to $7.3 billion by 2031, the time to act is now.

To explore the fundamentals of GEO in more depth (how AIs work, differences with SEO, the importance of Persona), read our article From SEO to GEO: brand visibility in the era of generative AI.

Ready to launch your geo content strategy? Discover how Incremys can help you cover your semantic territory with personalised AI.