Questions about SEO, AI search and paid search, answered

Popular questions

The short answers. Open any question for the full explanation and sources.

• AI Search & GEO/AEO

  What is generative engine optimization (GEO)?

  Generative engine optimization (GEO) is the work of making your brand easy for AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews to find, understand and cite. It builds on SEO: crawlable pages, clear answers, consistent facts about your business, and mentions on the sources those assistants trust.

• AI Search & GEO/AEO

  Is GEO different from SEO, and do I need both?

  GEO and SEO share the same foundation: pages that can be crawled, indexed and trusted. SEO targets rankings in search results; GEO targets being named or cited inside AI answers. Most brands need both, because AI assistants often retrieve from search indexes and the open web, so weak SEO usually means weak AI visibility too.

• AI Search & GEO/AEO

  How do I get my brand mentioned by ChatGPT?

  Make sure OAI-SearchBot can crawl your site, publish pages that answer buyers' questions clearly, keep facts about your business consistent everywhere, and earn mentions on sites ChatGPT is likely to retrieve, such as reviews, comparisons and industry publications. No one can guarantee a mention, so track a fixed set of prompts over time.

• SEO Basics & Strategy

  How long does SEO take to show results?

  SEO usually takes months, not weeks. Technical fixes on an established site can show results soon after Google recrawls the pages, while new content and authority build over many months. Timing depends on your starting point, your competition, how quickly changes ship and how often Google recrawls your site. Fixed timelines are guesses.

• Paid Search (Google Ads & ChatGPT Ads)

  What are ChatGPT Ads, and how do they work?

  ChatGPT Ads are sponsored placements that OpenAI began showing in ChatGPT in 2026. They are labelled as sponsored, shown separately from ChatGPT's answer and matched to the topic of the conversation. OpenAI says ads don't influence answers and advertisers don't see users' conversations. Ads appear on the Free and Go plans, not on paid plans.

• Paid Search (Google Ads & ChatGPT Ads)

  How much should I spend on Google Ads?

  Work backwards from your economics. Estimate what a customer is worth, your conversion rates and the cost per click in your market, then calculate the break-even cost per click and the budget needed to win the number of customers you want. Start with enough budget to gather conversion data, then scale what's profitable.

• Working with Vidern

  What does Vidern do?

  Vidern is an AI-led SEO agency for brands in the US, UK and worldwide. We help businesses rank in Google and get recommended by AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini, run paid search on Google Ads and ChatGPT Ads, and build and maintain fast, search-friendly websites. Vidern is founded and led by Malhar Shah.

• Working with Vidern

  How much does Vidern charge?

  Pricing depends on scope, so we quote each engagement after understanding your goals, website and market. Ask for a quote. Scope covers the services involved, the size and condition of your site, how competitive your market is and how much content or development work is needed. The free SEO and GEO audits cost nothing.

• Working with Vidern

  What is the free GEO audit?

  The free GEO audit scores how ready your website is to be cited by AI assistants, including ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Overviews, on a 0 to 100 scale across six categories, with a prioritised action plan. You enter your website and email, and the report arrives within 24 hours. No credit card is needed.

• Free Tools & Calculators

  What free SEO and AI search tools do you offer?

  Vidern offers four free instant tools: an AI Visibility Checker, an AI Crawler Access Checker, a Landing Page Conversion Audit and a Reddit Thread Finder. There are also seven free calculators covering AI search, SEO ROI, Google Ads budgets, traffic forecasts and content costs, plus free SEO and GEO audits delivered by email.