Step-by-step guide
How to Optimise Your Website So AI Models Cite You
Your website needs to pass an answerability test: can AI extract a complete, self-contained answer to a buyer question from your content? Here is how to structure your pages for maximum citation probability.
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Step-by-Step Process
Large language models like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini process content differently from search engine crawlers. They look for structured answerability: content that contains a complete, self-contained response to a probable query, expressed in language the model can compress without inference. Optimising your website for LLM citations is about making your content extractable, quotable, and unambiguous.
Lead every page with a declarative statement
The opening 80 words of each core page matter most. Start with a clear statement of who you serve, what you deliver, and what outcome changes. Do not open with a company history, a vague value proposition, or a marketing hook. AI models weigh the opening content heavily when deciding whether to cite a page.
Use specific, descriptive headings
Replace clever or abstract headings with ones that clearly state what the section covers. 'Our approach' tells AI nothing; 'How we deliver R&D tax credit claims for UK tech firms' tells it exactly what to cite. Every heading should be a viable search query or question.
Define specialist terms inline
When you use industry terminology, define it within the same paragraph. AI models need complete, self-contained passages. If a reader (or model) would need to look elsewhere to understand a term, the passage loses its answerability. Write for clarity, not assumed expertise.
Use explicit outcome statements
Replace process descriptions with outcome statements. Instead of 'We follow a rigorous methodology', write 'Clients typically see a 25% improvement in lead response time within 30 days.' AI models prefer specific, measurable claims they can quote directly.
Add FAQ sections to key service pages
Each service page should include 3-5 frequently asked questions with direct, complete answers. Mark these up with FAQPage schema. AI models, particularly ChatGPT, are trained to answer questions, and FAQ sections provide ready-made quotable content.
Ensure AI crawlers can access your content
Some websites accidentally block AI crawlers in their robots.txt or through Cloudflare rules. Check whether GPTBot, ClaudeBot, and PerplexityBot can access your pages. If your content is not accessible, it cannot be cited, regardless of quality.
Why This Is Hard to Do Yourself
Most business websites are written for human persuasion, not machine extraction. The writing style that works for converting a visitor on a landing page (emotional hooks, progressive disclosure, benefit-first framing) is often the opposite of what works for AI citation (declarative statements, factual specificity, complete self-contained answers). Restructuring content for LLM citations often requires rewriting core pages from scratch, which is a significant investment.
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Check your score →Common Mistakes to Avoid
Burying the specific claim under preamble
If your key claim does not appear until paragraph three, AI models may never process it. The model assesses answerability from the opening content. Front-load your most important, most specific statements.
Using capability framing without resolution
Saying 'We can help with...' tells AI about a capability, not an outcome. AI models prefer resolved statements: 'We deliver...' or 'Clients achieve...' Capability framing creates weak, uncitable content.
Writing for keyword density instead of answerability
Content written to repeat target keywords reads poorly to AI models. They evaluate whether content directly answers a query, not whether it contains specific keyword patterns. Focus on answering questions clearly.
What Good Looks Like
AI can accurately summarise each service page
Copy your main service page content into ChatGPT or Claude and ask: 'Summarise what this business does and who it serves.' If the summary is accurate and complete, your content is well-structured for LLM citation. If it is vague or wrong, the content needs restructuring.
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Key Terminology
LLM citations are the source references that AI language models include in their responses - links or mentions of specific content that informed the generated answer.
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the practice of optimising a business's online presence so that AI-powered tools - such as ChatGPT and Google's AI Overviews - recommend it in response to relevant queries.
Frequently Asked Questions
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