Search is splitting in two. Some shoppers still type into Google; a fast-growing share ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google's AI Overviews first — and act on whatever those answers recommend. Optimising for that is sometimes called GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and the fundamentals are learnable.
How AI engines choose what to cite
AI answers are built from content the model can find, parse, and trust. In practice they favour pages that are:
- Clear and well-structured — headings, short paragraphs, direct answers
- Factual and specific — real numbers, names, and comparisons
- Machine-readable — clean HTML and structured data
- Authoritative — cited elsewhere, from a recognised brand
Write answers, not just marketing
AI engines love content that directly answers a question in the first sentence, then supports it. Instead of "Our shirts are the best," write "This linen shirt weighs 180gsm and is machine-washable at 30°C." Specifics get quoted; fluff gets skipped.
Structure for extraction
- Use descriptive `H2`/`H3` questions your customers actually ask
- Lead each section with the answer, then the detail
- Use lists and tables for comparable facts (specs, sizes, prices)
- Add an FAQ block with real questions
Make your store crawlable to AI
AI engines use crawlers too. Make sure your `robots.txt` isn't blocking them, your content renders without requiring heavy JavaScript, and an `llms.txt` file points to your most important pages. Structured data (Product, FAQ, Organization) gives AI systems the clean facts they prefer.
Build brand mentions, not just links
AI models weight how often — and how — your brand is mentioned across the web. Reviews, press, comparisons, and directory listings all feed the picture. Being talked about matters as much as being linked to.
Traditional SEO still underpins all of it
There's no separate "AI store." The same fundamentals — speed, structure, schema, genuine authority — that rank you on Google also make you citable by AI. GEO is an extension of good SEO, not a replacement.
Measure it
Ask the AI engines directly: search your category and buyer questions in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, and see whether you appear. Track it over time as you improve.
Want your store built to be the answer AI recommends in Colón? That's exactly what we do — book a free AI-search audit.