First, how AI answers choose sources
AI search tools find pages with a search step, read them, and write an answer that cites a few sources. Google describes this as retrieval grounded in its normal index, and says its AI features also use "query fan-out", which runs several related searches for one question. So the pages that get used are the ones that can be crawled, indexed, understood and trusted, for many related questions, not only one keyword.
Reason 1: The bots cannot reach you
A blocked or invisible page cannot be cited. Check that your robots.txt does not block the crawlers you want, that important content is in the page HTML and not hidden behind scripts, logins or "noindex" tags, and that the site loads well on mobile.
OpenAI uses separate bots with different jobs. OAI-SearchBot builds the index behind ChatGPT search, GPTBot is for training, and ChatGPT-User fetches pages when a person asks. They are independent, so you can allow search visibility and still decide separately about training.
Reason 2: It is not clear who you are
AI systems prefer sources with a clear identity. Put a real name, role and experience on your About page, use the same name and description everywhere, link your profiles, and add structured data such as Person or Organization. Google says structured data is not required for its AI features, but it helps clarity across search in general.
Reason 3: Your content is hard to quote
Pages written as vague marketing copy give a model nothing to lift. Lead each section with a direct answer, state specific facts with dates, name your sources and show who wrote the page. The Princeton GEO research tested nine content changes on a benchmark of about 10,000 queries and found that things like citing sources and adding statistics could raise a source's visibility in generated answers by up to about 40%, while keyword stuffing did not help. It was a research benchmark, not a promise for your site.
Reason 4: You cover one keyword, not the topic
Because of query fan-out, a single page for a single keyword is a thin target. Build a cluster: a main guide, plus pages that answer the follow-up questions, comparisons, costs, mistakes and how-tos around it. A FAQ page, like mine, is one way to cover many related questions in one place.
Reason 5: Nobody else talks about you
For recommendations, AI assistants lean on what credible third parties say: reviews, directories, press, community discussions and videos. Your own site claiming you are great is weak evidence. Earn real reviews, get listed in relevant directories, contribute helpful answers in communities honestly, and publish on other sites. Do not fake mentions, since Google lists inauthentic mentions among things to avoid.
Reason 6: Your content is thin or stale
Undated pages and old numbers lose to fresh, specific ones. Show "last updated" dates, refresh facts regularly, and add original information such as your own data, examples and process. Google's guide stresses unique, non-commodity content that goes beyond common knowledge.
Reason 7: Your product data is missing or locked in images
For shops, assistants need machine-readable facts: price, availability, materials, sizes and shipping. Keep them in text on the page and in structured data, complete your marketplace attributes, and consider feeds such as Google Merchant Center, which Google points to for product visibility. On Etsy, complete attributes and clear descriptions help for the same reason.
What does not work, despite the hype
- llms.txt: Google says it does not use it, and as far as public documentation shows, the main AI providers have not confirmed using it as a signal. I keep one on this site because it costs nothing, but I would not expect it to change your results.
- Special AI markup: Google says no special markup is needed for its AI features.
- Chopping pages into tiny chunks or writing separate "AI versions": Google advises against both.
- Buying fake mentions: it is risky and short-lived.
How to check your progress
- Write 15 to 20 questions a real customer would ask.
- Ask each one in ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini, several times, since answers vary run to run.
- Record whether you are mentioned or cited, and who is.
- Repeat monthly, and compare the rate, not single answers.
Google's guide also points to a Generative AI performance report in Search Console for your Google traffic.
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Rules, numbers and dates change often. This page reflects the sources below as checked on Oct 9, 2026, so confirm the current version before you act.