Optimizing for ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews

AI search engines differ in where they take their sources from and how they display them. Yet they share a common foundation – they all prefer accurate, up-to-date and trustworthy content. Once you master that foundation, you benefit from it across platforms; the specifics of individual tools are then just fine-tuning.

ChatGPT Search

It combines the knowledge of the trained model with search of the current web. It values clear answers and authoritative sources. Because part of the answers draws on what the model “learned”, how often and where your brand is written about over the long term also matters – mentions in well-known media increase the chance that it lists you as a source.

Perplexity

It relies heavily on citations – for each answer it shows specific sources and links to them. It is therefore the most sensitive to how easily an answer can be “pulled” from your page. It pays to have content that answers the question directly and is citable in one or two sentences. It also appreciates freshness – updated content has the edge.

Google AI Overviews

It is based on the classic Google index, so here “good SEO is good AIEO” applies most of all. Technical cleanliness, speed, structured data and E-E-A-T remain key. Overviews also often assemble an answer from several sources at once – you do not have to be the only source, it is enough to be one of the trustworthy ones.

What about Gemini, Copilot and others

The number of tools is growing and will keep growing. There is no point chasing each platform separately. It is smarter to bet on the common principles that work everywhere – and then just test the individual tools now and then to see whether they mention you.

The common denominator

• Answer directly and right at the start of a section.
• Provide data, sources and authors.
• Build authority with mentions in trustworthy media.
• Keep content up to date – date and freshness play a role.