TL;DR
To “rank” in AI search engines, shift your mental model from a linear position to being cited/linked as a supporting source inside an AI-generated answer. For Google’s AI Overviews (AIO), there is no special schema; eligibility is grounded in Search’s people-first content and technical fundamentals, and AIO/AI Mode clicks are counted inside the Search Console “Web” performance report. Perplexity explicitly cites sources and its Deep Research feature runs dozens of searches and reads hundreds of pages before synthesizing a report. ChatGPT Atlas is a web browser with ChatGPT integrated, designed to research, summarize and link to the open web during tasks. Your job is to publish answer-first, evidence-rich, machine-legible pages, maintain them, and monitor whether you’re being linked and clicked.
1) Understand what “ranking” means in AI search
Google AI Overviews (AIO). AIO shows an AI-generated snapshot with links to learn more and is designed to appear on queries where a summary adds value, particularly complex, multi-step questions. There’s no “AIO schema” to flip it on; Google’s guidance is to create helpful, reliable, people-first content that systems can understand and cite. Any traffic from AIO/AI Mode is included within Search Console → Performance → Web (not a separate tab).
ChatGPT / Atlas. Atlas is OpenAI’s new browser with ChatGPT built-in; it performs web actions, summarizes pages, and can complete research tasks with an “agent mode,” surfacing and following links. Your pages need to be discoverable, scannable, citable, and useful during these agent-led sessions.
Perplexity. By default, Perplexity shows citations and, with Deep Research, performs dozens of searches and reads hundreds of sources before writing longer reports. That means Perplexity is actively looking for quotable, evidence-backed passages and primary sources to anchor its synthesis.
Implication. “Ranking” across these engines is about being the safe, citable source that appears in an AI’s supporting links, not occupying a fixed ordinal slot like “#1” on a classic SERP.
2) A cross-engine optimisation framework that actually maps to docs
Pillar A — People-first content with verifiable facts
Google is explicit: create helpful, reliable, people-first content (not content “for search engines first”). Use the words people would use in titles and headings, demonstrate first-hand experience, and give original value beyond thin summaries. These are the qualities AI systems seek to cite.
Make your facts citable:
- State thresholds (“If dataset > N, then …”), version support, compatibility and limits.
- Link to primary sources (standards, vendor docs, legal text).
- Include assumptions and edge cases to bound your advice.
Pillar B — Machine understanding without gimmicks
Google states there’s no special optimisation for AIO; instead, it uses structured data to better understand content and entities. Implement JSON-LD for Organization (logo, sameAs) and page-relevant types (FAQ or Product where truly applicable) matching visible text, and keep crawl/index fundamentals clean (sitemaps, canonicals, internal links).
Pillar C — Page experience & performance
Google recommends achieving good Core Web Vitals; INP replaced FID as a Core Web Vital in March 2024. Faster, stable pages help users and align with what core systems “seek to reward.”
Pillar D — Authorship, maintenance, and trust
Name your authors with relevant experience (E-E-A-T spirit), show an updated-on note and a change log, and provide clear ownership and contact. While E-E-A-T isn’t a single ranking factor, it’s the quality lens behind “helpful and reliable.”
3) Page patterns that earn citations (copy these)
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Decision Guides with Thresholds (comparison intent)
- Executive answer upfront: “For scenario Y, choose X; choose Z if …; avoid P when ….”
- If/then thresholds (team size, budget, compliance).
- Comparison table (criteria columns).
- Edge cases & who shouldn’t use this.
- Primary references.
Why it works: mirrors AIO’s “snapshot + links” and gives Perplexity/Atlas quotable facts to justify linking you.
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Troubleshooters (procedural intent)
- Ordered steps with pre-checks, version specificity, safety/rollback.
- Links to official docs.
Why it works: assistants can lift steps and attribute your page for full detail, improving user success.
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Policy/Regulatory Explainers (YMYL)
- Plain-English summary, who’s affected, timelines, exceptions.
- Links to the official text.
Why it works: reduces risk for AI by grounding claims in authoritative sources.
4) Engine-specific tuning (without breaking your stack)
Google AI Overviews
- Where it shows: on some queries when a summary adds value (often complex, multi-step).
- How to “rank”: be one of the linked sources—achieved by publishing the clearest, most verifiable explainer, with structured data aiding understanding (no AIO tag exists).
- How to measure: AIO/AI Mode traffic appears in Search Console → Web; annotate releases and correlate with AIO presence.
ChatGPT / Atlas
- Behaviour: a browser that lets ChatGPT read, summarize, compare, and complete tasks while browsing; can follow and show links.
- Optimise for skimmability: lead with an executive summary, provide tables, and keep HTML semantic (clear H2/H3, lists). Atlas (and any browsing agent) benefits from machine-parsable structure.
Perplexity
- Citations by default; Deep Research: dozens of searches; hundreds of sources read. You win by providing quotable claims + primary citations.
- Monitoring: run your core queries in Perplexity (standard + Deep Research) monthly to see if you’re cited and which statements it lifts.
5) A 60-day launch plan
Weeks 1–2 — Research
- Export Search Console (Web) queries; shortlist 25 complex questions with impressions but low CTR to improve. Annotate the baseline.
- Capture voice of customer from sales/support transcripts to reflect natural phrasing in your H1/H2s.
- Map the decision space: constraints (budget, compliance, team size), outcomes (time to implement, offline), and environment (OS, integrations).
Weeks 3–6 — Production
- Publish 10 answer-first pages (6 decision guides, 3 troubleshooters, 1 policy explainer).
- Implement Organization + targeted FAQ/Product schema (where it matches visible text), validate, and fix crawl basics (sitemaps, canonicals, internal links).
- Improve INP/LCP/CLS for these pages first.
- Add author bios + update stamps; cite primary sources everywhere.
Weeks 7–8 — Measurement & iteration
- Track AIO presence and cited sources for your target queries 2–3× per week, by market and device.
- Join those logs to GSC Web clicks/CTR. If cited competitors include specific thresholds/tables that you lack, update your page accordingly.
- Check Perplexity Deep Research for each topic and record whether your URLs appear in citations.
6) Frequently asked questions
Is there a markup that forces inclusion in AI Overviews?
No. Google documents no special AIO schema. Focus on people-first content and structured data that improves understanding overall.
Can we segment AIO traffic in Search Console?
Google says AIO/AI Mode clicks and impressions are included in overall Web totals; there is not a dedicated AIO filter. Use annotations and correlation with your AIO presence logs.
How important is performance to AI ranking?
Google recommends achieving good Core Web Vitals. INP replaced FID as the responsiveness metric in 2024; better responsiveness often co-moves with higher engagement, which supports inclusion and user satisfaction.
Does Perplexity always cite?
Yes, Perplexity emphasizes inline citations and, in Deep Research, describes multi-search and multi-reading behaviour—making evidence-rich pages more likely to be selected.
7) Common pitfalls
- Chasing mythical “AIO tags.” There aren’t any; invest in content quality and clarity instead.
- Thin content without sources. Violates people-first guidance; hard to cite safely.
- Ignoring performance. Poor INP degrades interaction and perceived usefulness.
- Failing to measure. Without AIO presence/citation logs joined to GSC Web, you’ll misattribute impact.
Bottom line
Across AIO, ChatGPT/Atlas, and Perplexity, your “rank” is your likelihood of being cited. Earn that by publishing answer-first pages filled with checkable facts and primary sources, implementing structured data that matches your content, maintaining page experience, and measuring whether you’re appearing and driving clicks. There’s no secret switch—just disciplined execution grounded in what each platform publicly documents.
References
Google. AI features and your website.
Google. Find information in faster & easier ways with AI Overviews in Google Search.
Google. What are impressions, position, and clicks? (Search Console Help).
Google. Community/industry updates on AI Mode in Search Console.
OpenAI. Introducing ChatGPT Atlas.
Perplexity. Introducing Perplexity Deep Research.
web.dev. INP is officially a Core Web Vital.