The GEO Audit Framework That Will Help You Show Up In AI Answers
The most successful content teams are already preparing for the future of search—and it doesn't look like Google.
Here's a question that's been keeping CMOs up at night: When someone asks ChatGPT about my product category, does my brand appear in the response?
While traditional SEO still accounts for 95% of search traffic today, generative AI is growing rapidly. Search behavior is shifting, and the companies that get ahead of this trend now will dominate the AI-powered search results of tomorrow.
The challenge? Unlike traditional search rankings, AI search visibility is much harder to track and optimize for.
Why traditional SEO audits aren't enough anymore
Here's what we've learned after running generative engine optimization (GEO) audits for some of the biggest names in B2B SaaS: it’s possible to be left out of AI search results, even for companies that rank well in Google.
Take this scenario: A prospect asks ChatGPT, "What's the best analytics platform for SaaS startups?" Your company might rank #1 for that keyword in Google, but if you don't appear in the AI response, you've lost that potential customer entirely.
The problem goes deeper than visibility. Even when brands do appear, they often lack control over:
How they're described in AI responses
Which competitors they're mentioned alongside
The context in which their product appears
The source information that LLMs are pulling from
The 5-Step GEO audit framework that actually works
Try this systematic audit process to reveals exactly where you stand in AI answers—and what you need to fix.
Step 1: Visibility & attribution baseline
Core question: How often do AI engines surface your brand today?
Start by compiling 25-50 priority search queries and test them across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, and Claude. For each query, log:
Citation frequency and position
How your brand is described
Competitor mentions
Potential hallucinations or inaccuracies
Output: A "Share-of-Answer" spreadsheet that shows your current visibility across AI platforms, plus a risk/opportunity heat-map highlighting critical gaps.
Step 2: Technical & parsability audit
Core question: Can LLMs easily crawl, interpret, and quote your content?
AI models need clean, well-structured content to understand and cite your pages effectively. We check:
Core web vitals (load times under 2 seconds, HTTPS, mobile optimization)
Schema markup validation (Article, FAQ, Product schemas)
HTML structure for proper headings and content chunks
No-index barriers or paywall restrictions
Output: Technical audit report with prioritized fix list and development tickets.
Step 3: Entity authority & knowledge-graph signals
Core question: Do AI engines trust your brand as an authoritative source?
Audit your presence across major knowledge bases:
Wikidata and Crunchbase entries
Google Knowledge Graph signals
Brand mentions and backlink analysis
Context-rich brand mentions across the web
Output: Entity profile assessment with outreach opportunities for citation partners.
Step 4: Content depth & semantic coverage
Core question: Do you answer the full intent behind each query theme?
Using keyword clustering and conversational data, map content gaps:
Intent cluster analysis for target topics
Content freshness and format diversity scoring
Competitive content gap identification
Editorial calendar planning for missing pieces
Output: 90-day content roadmap focused on AI search optimization.
Step 5: Continuous testing & feedback loop
Core question: How will you track GEO performance over time?
Establish ongoing monitoring systems:
Weekly automated prompt testing across AI models
Answer presence tracking in BI dashboards
Regular content re-submission for model updates
Monthly performance reviews and strategy adjustments
Output: GEO performance dashboard and quarterly generative SERP reporting.
What we learned running our own audit
Before recommending this process to clients, we tested it on ourselves here at Campfire Labs. The results were eye-opening.
We discovered gaps we never expected. Despite ranking well for content marketing keywords, we didn’t consistently appear in AI responses for queries like "best content agencies for SaaS companies."
The tools landscape is still emerging. Most tools only track a subset of AI models, and the data varies significantly between platforms.
Manual testing revealed more insights than automated tools. While automated monitoring is essential for scale, the initial manual research gave us context that tools missed—like understanding how we were being described and which sources the AI was citing.
The reality check: Why this matters now
Look, we get it. Adding another audit to your already-packed marketing calendar feels overwhelming. But here's what convinced us to prioritize GEO:
Demand is real. In the past three months, we've received more requests for AI search optimization than any other new service. CMOs are reading the same a16z reports you are, and they're asking their teams for strategies.
The window is still open. Unlike traditional SEO, where established players dominate, AI search results are still fluid. Brands that invest in optimization now can establish authority before their competitors catch up.
It builds on what you're already doing. GEO isn't about scrapping your content strategy—it's about making sure your existing content works harder across new channels.
Getting started without the overwhelm
If you're ready to audit your AI search presence, start small:
Pick 10 core queries your ideal customers might ask an AI about your product category
Test them manually across ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity
Document what you find: Do you appear? How are you described? Who else is mentioned?
Identify quick wins: Missing schema markup, thin content, or citation opportunities
The goal isn't perfection—it's getting a baseline understanding of where you stand.
What's next
We're still learning. The tools are evolving, the AI models are updating constantly, and best practices are emerging in real-time. But that's exactly why this is such an exciting area to invest in.
Over the next few weeks, we'll be sharing what we learn as we run GEO audits for clients and build out our own optimization playbook. If you want to follow along, we'll be documenting everything—the tools we test, the strategies that work, and the mistakes we make.
Because in a world where your customers are increasingly turning to AI for answers, being invisible isn't an option.