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Glossary · Search and AEO/GEO

AI visibility (AI search visibility)

AI visibility is how often a business shows up in answers that AI tools write, and how well. It might be named, quoted or linked. There is no standard way to measure it, so each tool and report counts it in its own way.

AI visibility (AI search visibility), explained

The researchers who named generative engine optimization measured a source’s visibility by how much of an AI answer drew on it and how early it showed up. Google’s guide says terms like AEO and GEO describe work aimed at being visible in AI search, and that for Google this work is still SEO.

A few things shape it. AI and search crawlers must be allowed to read your pages. The pages must answer real questions in plain words. Your business details, such as your Google Business Profile, should be up to date. Our AI visibility service works on these.

How do you measure AI visibility?

There is no single number. You can check how often AI tools name or link your site for the questions your buyers ask. Google says clicks and impressions from AI Overviews and AI Mode are counted in Search Console under the Web search type. Track citations and clicks apart, because they move in different ways.

How is AI visibility different from SEO?

SEO is the wider work of helping search engines find, understand and show your pages. Google says the same SEO basics apply to its AI features. AI visibility is one result you watch: whether AI answers use you.

Questions

What is AI search visibility?

It is another name for AI visibility: how much your business shows up, gets quoted or gets linked when AI tools answer questions.

Can I check my AI visibility?

Yes, in part. Ask the AI tools your buyers use the questions they ask, and note whether you show up. Our Readiness Check also does a live read of how well answer engines can find and quote your public site.

Does llms.txt improve AI visibility in Google?

No. Google says you do not need AI text files or special markup to appear in Google Search, including its AI features.

Where we use this term

Sources

  1. GEO: Generative Engine Optimization. Aggarwal et al., KDD 2024 (arXiv). .
  2. Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search. Google Search Central. .
  3. AI features and your website. Google Search Central.

Definition checked against these sources and our own pages on .