Get found in AI search: what Google and Bing say (2026)

Search is changing. Google shows AI answers above the results and Bing's Copilot cites websites in its answers. An industry of "AI search optimisation" has sprung up around that, with its own acronyms: AEO, GEO. This guide sticks to what Google and Bing say in their own documentation, so you can tell advice from sales talk.

We build and optimise websites, so we have an interest here. The facts come from Google and Bing, linked at the end. What is our opinion is marked as such.

What the sources say was checked on 26 October 2026. This area changes quickly, so check the linked pages.

What Google says

Google's own documentation on AI features in Search (AI Overviews and AI Mode) says:

To be shown as a supporting link, a page must be indexed and eligible to be shown in Google Search with a snippet. Meeting those requirements does not guarantee crawling, indexing or showing.
"There are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode, nor other special optimizations necessary." You do not need new machine-readable files, AI text files or special markup, and no special schema.org structured data is required.
Standard SEO practice still applies: let Google crawl your site in robots.txt, link your pages internally, keep important content as text, and keep structured data consistent with what is visible on the page.
You control what is shown with nosnippet, data-nosnippet, max-snippet and noindex. Google-Extended limits use for AI training and grounding in other Google systems.
Appearances in AI features are included in the Web results of Search Console's Performance report.

In plain words: Google says there is no separate AI trick. If someone promises you a special file or markup that gets you into AI Overviews, ask where Google says so.

What Bing says

Bing Webmaster Tools has an AI Performance report (a public preview launched in February 2026). From Bing's own announcement and help page:

It shows how often your pages are cited in AI answers across Microsoft Copilot, AI-generated summaries in Bing and select partner integrations.
Metrics include total citations, average cited pages per day, page-level citation counts, a timeline, and grounding queries, the phrases the AI used to find your content.
It does not measure rankings or authority. Bing says citations are not clicks or traffic, and the data is a sampled, aggregated view rather than a complete log.
In June 2026 Bing announced further preview features: Intents, Topics, Citation Share and Compare.

nyxworks.nl is verified in Bing Webmaster Tools and its sitemaps were submitted there on 20 October 2026. The AI Performance report is free to use once your site is verified.

What this means for a small business

This part is our opinion, built on the two sources above.

Be indexable first. If Google or Bing cannot crawl and index a page, it cannot be cited. Check the page report in Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools before anything else.
Put the answer in text. Answer the question a customer asks in a heading and the first sentences under it, in readable text rather than inside an image.
Be specific and dated. Prices, rules and facts with the date you checked them and a link to the source. A page that says where its facts come from is easier to trust, for a reader and for a person who checks.
Cover the topic properly. One thorough page per question, linked from related pages, beats ten thin ones.
Measure. Set up Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, so you can see which queries bring impressions and citations. There is nothing to optimise until you see the data.

What we would not spend money on

Based on what Google says, we would not pay for:

A file or markup that is said to make you appear in AI Overviews. Google says none is required.
A guarantee of AI citations. Neither Google nor Bing offers one, and Bing says its report is a sample.
Rewriting every page for "AI" before the basics (indexing, speed, clear content) are in place.

We did not look for official statements about other assistants' ranking methods, so we make no claims about them.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need llms.txt?

Google says you do not need AI text files to appear in its AI features. We did not find a requirement for one in Bing's documentation either, but check Bing's current pages.

Is AEO different from SEO?

According to Google, appearing in AI Overviews uses the same fundamentals as normal search. Whether an agency calls it AEO or GEO, check what exactly they will do for you.

How do I see if I appear in AI results?

In Google Search Console, AI feature appearances are part of the Web performance report. In Bing Webmaster Tools, open the AI Performance report.

Does it cost anything to set up?

Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools are free.

Want us to check your site?

Our free Website X-ray looks at the basics a search engine needs from a site. If it shows problems, our web development team can fix them. For why a site does not bring enquiries, read why your website is not generating enquiries. A 30-minute consultation costs €30.

Sources

All sources were read on 26 October 2026.

This area changes quickly. Check the linked pages before you decide.

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AI searchAI OverviewsAEOGEOBing Webmaster ToolsGoogle Search ConsoleSEO

How to Get Found in AI Search: What Google and Bing Actually Say (2026)