Google reports that AI Overviews now appear on more than 48% of its search queries, up from roughly 6.5% a year earlier, and widely cited estimates put regular voice search use at around one in five internet users. Search is no longer a list of ten blue links. It's a mix of spoken queries, AI-generated summaries, and conversational answers from tools like AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
Two disciplines have grown out of this shift:
Generative engine optimisation (GEO): making content easy for AI systems to find, understand, and cite in tools like AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity.
Answer engine optimisation (AEO): structuring content so it can be lifted directly into featured snippets, voice answers, and AI-generated responses.
Both sit alongside traditional SEO rather than replacing it. Here's what actually works right now.
Write for how people actually ask questions
Voice and AI queries are longer and more conversational than typed searches. Instead of "best SEO tools," someone might ask, "What are the best tools for voice search SEO?"
To match that pattern:
Target long-tail, question-phrased keywords, such as "how to optimise for voice search" or "what is AI search optimisation."
Write in a natural, conversational tone, as if answering the question directly.
Use question-based subheadings, followed immediately by a concise 40- to 60-word answer.
Follow the direct answer with supporting detail, an example, or a short list.
This format does double duty. It's what Google looks for when selecting featured snippets, and it's close to the "answer capsule" structure that recent industry research has found ChatGPT favours when deciding what to cite. ChatGPT's search mode reportedly cites only around 15% of the pages it retrieves, and front-loaded, self-contained answers are consistently the strongest predictor of getting picked.
Use schema markup, but know what it's actually for
Schema markup helps search engines and AI systems understand what a page is about and who's behind it. It's less useful than it used to be for winning visible search features, but it still matters for how AI systems parse and cite content.
Worth prioritising:
Article or BlogPosting schema with author, datePublished, and dateModified fields. Freshness and named authorship both factor into which sources AI Overviews and Google's newer AI Mode choose to cite.
Organization and Person schema, to establish a clear entity behind the content.
LocalBusiness schema for any location-based content.
A reality check on two schema types that still get recommended a lot: Google restricted FAQ rich results to a small set of government and health sites back in 2023, then removed them from Search entirely on 7 May 2026. HowTo rich results were deprecated even earlier, also in 2023. Neither type produces a visible search result any more.
FAQPage schema is still worth using when the content genuinely is a Q&A, because ChatGPT Search, Perplexity, and AI Overviews all parse it as structured, citable content, but treat it as an AI-parsing tool now, not as a way to win a rich snippet.
Make sure AI crawlers can actually reach your content
This is easy to overlook, and it undercuts everything else on this list if it's wrong. Most major AI platforms now run two separate bots: one for training their models, one for live retrieval and citations. Blocking the wrong one can quietly remove a site from AI search results.
OpenAI: GPTBot trains models; OAI-SearchBot powers ChatGPT Search citations.
Anthropic: ClaudeBot trains models; Claude-SearchBot handles Claude's search citations.
Perplexity: PerplexityBot retrieves and cites content in real time.
Google: Google-Extended controls Gemini and AI training, separately from standard Googlebot indexing.
Check robots.txt to confirm the retrieval and citation bots are allowed, even where training bots are blocked. It's entirely possible to opt out of AI training while staying fully eligible to be cited in AI answers, and that's the combination most brands seeking AI visibility now choose.
Search intent still decides everything
Every page should match the intent behind the query it's targeting:
Informational queries ("how does AI change SEO") need a clear explanation, ideally backed by a definition and supporting schema.
Transactional queries ("voice SEO services for local businesses") need comparisons, proof points, and a clear next step.
Navigational queries ("[brand] AI search optimisation") come down to entity clarity: consistent naming, Organization schema, and internal linking.
Get the technical and local basics right
Most voice searches happen on mobile, so performance and structure still carry real weight:
Strong Core Web Vitals, since speed and stability affect both rankings and AI Overview eligibility.
HTTPS and clean, crawlable markup.
Accurate, complete Google Business Profile listings for any location-based business. Incomplete profiles are far less likely to surface for "near me" queries.
LocalBusiness schema and genuine customer reviews, which AI systems use as a trust and relevance signal.
Local intent and voice search overlap heavily. BrightLocal's original 2018 survey found that 58% of consumers had used voice search to find local business information in the previous year, a figure still widely quoted today because local "near me" behaviour hasn't changed all that much since. For the fundamentals behind that, Google Business Profile setup, reviews, and location-based schema, see the local SEO guide.
Track what's actually working
Discovery: AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, and Keyword Insights for conversational query patterns.
Optimisation: Frase and Surfer SEO for structure and clarity.
Measurement: Google Search Console and GA4 for traditional performance.
Entity and AI visibility: InLinks and Kalicube Pro for entity signals, plus a dedicated AI-citation tracker to see how often a brand actually gets mentioned inside ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews.
SEO, voice search, and GEO at a glance
Traditional SEO | Voice search optimisation | GEO | |
Optimises for | Ranking position | Spoken, conversational queries | Being cited inside an AI-generated answer |
Content shape | Keyword-led pages | Question-and-answer format | Fact-dense, self-contained passages |
Key signal | Backlinks, on-page SEO | Featured snippet eligibility | Entity clarity, freshness, and crawler access |
Getting cited in an AI-generated answer isn't about chasing a single tactic. It comes down to clear structure, accurate schema, crawlable AI bots, and genuine expertise on the page, the same fundamentals that have always mattered, just measured differently now. Not sure where your own site currently stands? Our SEO services start with exactly that kind of audit.
FAQs
What is voice search optimisation? It means structuring content so voice assistants and search engines can lift it directly into a spoken or written answer, using natural language, clear structure, and concise, self-contained responses.
How is AI changing SEO in 2026? AI Overviews now appear in more than 48% of Google searches, and platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity generate answers rather than just linking to results. Ranking well still matters, but getting cited inside an AI-generated answer now matters just as much and depends more on clear, well-sourced, well-structured content than on traditional ranking signals alone.
Do I still need an FAQ or HowTo schema? FAQ and HowTo schema no longer produce visible rich results in Google Search; both were phased out between 2023 and 2026. They're still useful for helping AI systems parse and cite structured content, so keep using them where the content genuinely fits; just don't expect a search snippet from them.
How can a local business improve its voice search visibility? Keep Google Business Profile details accurate, add LocalBusiness schema, and collect genuine customer reviews. BrightLocal's research found 58% of consumers had used voice search for local business information, and that behaviour is driven almost entirely by complete, accurate local listings.
Do AI crawlers need special permission to access a site? Most major AI platforms respect robots.txt but run separate bots for training and for live search citations. Check that citation bots like OAI-SearchBot, Claude-SearchBot, and PerplexityBot are explicitly allowed, since blocking them removes a site from AI-generated answers even if training bots are blocked separately.
