What Is GEO & Why Citations MatterProBeta
How AI answer engines cite sources, and how that differs from classic SEO.
Beta — Pro plan. Citations is an evolving feature available on the Pro plan. Behavior and pricing may change.
GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization — the practice of getting your site referenced by AI answer engines (the assistants people increasingly ask instead of typing into a search box).
How it differs from classic SEO
Traditional SEO is about ranking in a list of blue links. GEO is about being cited inside a generated answer. The mechanics differ:
- There's no single ranking position — you're either referenced in the answer or you aren't.
- Answers synthesize multiple sources, so being one of several cited domains is the goal.
- Visibility varies by how a question is phrased, not just by keyword.
What the Citations feature does
OptimizeTrack monitors where your site shows up in AI answers for the topics that matter to you:
- It builds a panel of prompts from your top Search Console keywords. See How the Panel Is Built.
- It runs those prompts through AI search and records who gets cited. See Running a Search.
- It separates on-site citations (where you appear) from off-site citations (where competitors or other domains appear). See On-Site vs. Off-Site.
- It surfaces citation gaps — prompts where you should appear but don't — and lets you turn them into optimization work. See Working Citation Gaps.
A note on cost
Running AI searches has a real per-run cost, so Citations includes a monthly budget you control. Enable the feature and set your budget before running. See Enabling Citations.