How to Rank Higher in AI Search: A Practical Guide Using DOJO AI
見えざる道を照らすIlluminate the invisible path
Last week I searched for "best marketing automation tools" on ChatGPT instead of Google.
I'm not alone. Over 500 million people now use AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude every month to find information. But when I looked at which sources these AI engines were citing, I noticed something interesting: the results weren't just based on traditional SEO rankings.
Companies ranking #1 on Google weren't necessarily getting cited by AI search engines. Meanwhile, some sites I'd never heard of were being referenced constantly because they had the exact content structure and authority signals that AI engines prefer.
This is the new reality of search. Google's AI overviews now appear for 17,424 searches monthly and growing 38% quarter over quarter. ChatGPT search grew 252% year-over-year. If you're not optimizing for AI search engines, you're invisible to a massive and rapidly growing audience.
The good news? Most companies haven't figured this out yet. The competition window is still open.
Here's exactly how to use DOJO AI to rank higher in AI search engines, with practical steps you can implement today.
Why Traditional SEO Doesn't Work for AI Search
Traditional search engines show you a list of websites. AI search engines synthesize information from multiple sources and provide direct answers. This changes everything about how content gets discovered.
When someone asks ChatGPT "what's the best CRM for small businesses," it doesn't show ten blue links. It analyzes dozens of sources, evaluates their credibility, and creates a comprehensive answer that might reference 3-5 sources it considers most authoritative.
Getting cited by AI search engines requires different optimization than ranking in Google. You need to understand how AI evaluates source credibility, how it extracts information from content, and what makes your content citation-worthy versus just informative.
The companies winning at AI search aren't just doing traditional SEO better. They're optimizing for completely different ranking factors.
Step 1: Find Out Where You Actually Rank in AI Search
Before you can improve your AI search rankings, you need to know where you stand. Most companies have no idea if AI engines are citing their content or not.
DOJO AI's AEO Agent lets you check this in seconds. Here's how:
Run an AI Search Audit:
Go to DOJO AI and ask the AEO Agent: "Check my rankings for [your target keywords] across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude."
The system will query each AI search engine and show you:
Whether you're being cited at all
Which competitors are being cited instead
What content AI engines reference from your competitors
Why certain sources get cited over others
I ran this for a client last week. They ranked #3 on Google for "employee onboarding software" but weren't being cited by any AI search engine. Their main competitor who ranked #7 on Google was being cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude consistently.
Understanding where you actually stand shows you the gap between traditional SEO performance and AI search visibility.
Step 2: Analyze Why Competitors Get Cited
The next step is understanding what makes competitor content citation-worthy. This is where most companies get stuck because manually analyzing AI search results across multiple platforms takes forever.
Use DOJO AI for Competitive Citation Analysis:
Ask DOJO: "Analyze why [competitor] gets cited for [keyword] and I don't. Show me the content differences."
DOJO will:
Pull the actual AI responses mentioning competitors
Analyze their content structure and depth
Identify specific elements making their content citation-worthy
Compare your content against theirs
For that employee onboarding client, DOJO found that the competitor getting cited had:
Specific implementation timelines (they said "2-3 weeks" while my client said "quick setup")
Actual pricing ranges (they listed "$5-15 per user" while my client hid pricing)
Comparison tables with other tools (my client only talked about their own product)
Real customer examples with outcomes (my client had generic testimonials)
AI search engines prefer specific, detailed information they can extract and verify. Generic marketing copy doesn't get cited.
Step 3: Optimize Your Content Structure for AI Extraction
AI search engines need to extract specific facts from your content. If your information is buried in marketing fluff or vague statements, it won't get cited no matter how good your SEO is.
Content Optimization Using DOJO AI:
Take your target page and ask DOJO: "Analyze this content for AI search optimization. What specific changes would make it more citation-worthy?"
DOJO will review your content and suggest specific improvements:
Add Structured Data:
Clear headings that answer specific questions
Comparison tables with factual data
Numbered lists for processes and steps
Direct answers before explanations
Include Specific Details:
Exact numbers instead of vague claims
Timeframes for implementation or results
Pricing ranges or cost factors
Real examples with measurable outcomes
Improve Information Hierarchy:
Put key facts early in content
Use descriptive subheadings that match questions people ask
Break complex topics into clear sections
Link related concepts explicitly
We implemented these changes for that client. Within three weeks, they started appearing in ChatGPT citations. Within six weeks, they were being referenced by Perplexity and Claude too.
Step 4: Build Topical Authority That AI Engines Recognize
AI search engines heavily favor sources that demonstrate deep expertise on specific topics. Surface-level content rarely gets cited because AI can find that information everywhere.
Use DOJO for Topical Authority Mapping:
Ask DOJO: "Map my topical authority for [your main topic]. Show me content gaps preventing AI citation."
DOJO analyzes:
Your existing content depth across subtopics
Competitor content coverage you're missing
Related topics that establish broader expertise
Specific knowledge gaps AI engines notice
For a marketing automation client, DOJO identified that they had lots of content about "what is marketing automation" but nothing about:
Specific integration challenges between platforms
Data migration from legacy systems
ROI calculation methodologies
Common implementation failures and solutions
AI search engines were citing competitors who covered these advanced topics because it signaled deeper expertise. The competitor wasn't just marketing a product, they were sharing real implementation knowledge.
We created focused content addressing each gap. Not generic blog posts, but detailed guides based on actual customer experiences. Within two months, AI citations increased 300%.
Step 5: Implement Technical Optimization for AI Crawling
AI search engines access content differently than traditional search engines. They need clean data, clear structure, and easily extractable information.
Technical Audit Using DOJO AI:
Ask DOJO: "Run a technical AEO audit on [your domain]. What's blocking AI search engines from citing my content?"
DOJO checks:
Schema Implementation:
Article schema with proper structured data
FAQ schema for common questions
HowTo schema for process content
Organization and author schema for credibility
Content Accessibility:
Clean HTML structure
Proper heading hierarchy
Readable content without JavaScript requirements
Fast loading speeds (AI crawlers time out faster)
Authority Signals:
Author credentials and expertise markers
Publication dates and update frequency
Citations and references to credible sources
Internal linking showing topic relationships
One e-commerce client had great content but terrible technical implementation. Their product comparison content was generated by JavaScript, invisible to AI crawlers. After moving it to static HTML with proper schema, AI citation rates increased 200% in three weeks.
Step 6: Monitor and Optimize Based on Real AI Search Data
The biggest advantage of using DOJO for AI search optimization is continuous monitoring and strategic recommendations based on actual performance.
Set Up AI Search Monitoring:
Tell DOJO: "Monitor my AI search citations for [priority keywords]. Alert me to changes and suggest optimizations weekly."
DOJO will:
Track which AI engines cite your content
Monitor citation frequency changes
Alert you when competitors gain citations
Suggest content updates based on citation patterns
Identify new keyword opportunities in AI search
This ongoing optimization is where most companies fail at AI search. They optimize once and never check if it's working. AI search algorithms change constantly, and what works today might not work next month.
With DOJO monitoring your AI search performance, you get automatic alerts when:
Your citations drop for important keywords
Competitors start getting cited more frequently
New content opportunities emerge
Technical issues block AI crawlers
Content updates could improve citation rates
Practical Example: Complete AI Search Optimization Workflow
Let me show you exactly how this works with a real example.
A B2B SaaS company selling project management software wanted to rank for "project management tools for remote teams." They ranked #5 on Google but weren't being cited by any AI search engine.
Week 1: Discovery
DOJO analysis showed three competitors consistently cited by ChatGPT and Perplexity
Those competitors had detailed remote work feature comparisons
They included specific use cases for different remote team sizes
They listed actual integration capabilities with remote work tools
Week 2: Content Optimization
Added detailed comparison table with 8 competitors
Created specific use case sections (5-person teams, 50-person teams, 500-person teams)
Listed all 23 integrations with remote work tools
Added implementation timeline (2-week setup process)
Included 5 customer case studies with team sizes and results
Week 3: Technical Implementation
Added proper schema markup
Improved heading structure to match common questions
Created FAQ section answering specific questions
Optimized page load speed
Added author credentials
Week 4: Monitoring
ChatGPT started citing them for 2 variations of the target keyword
Perplexity added them to comparison responses
Claude referenced them in 1 detailed answer
Week 8: Results
Citations across all three major AI engines
Referenced in 7 different keyword variations
35% increase in organic traffic from AI referrals
Higher quality leads (longer session times, better conversion)
Total implementation time: about 12 hours of work spread over 4 weeks. Results: sustainable AI search visibility that compounds over time.
Common Mistakes That Kill AI Search Rankings
After helping dozens of companies optimize for AI search, I've seen the same mistakes repeatedly:
Being Too Promotional
AI search engines ignore obvious marketing copy. Content that reads like a sales pitch doesn't get cited. Focus on providing genuine information that helps readers make decisions, even if that means discussing competitors fairly.
Hiding Important Information
Many companies bury key details like pricing, implementation time, or limitations. AI engines cite sources that provide complete information. Being transparent actually improves citation rates.
Using Vague Language
"Industry-leading," "best-in-class," and "innovative solution" tell AI engines nothing. Specific facts like "processes 1M transactions per second" or "reduces setup time from 6 weeks to 3 days" get cited.
Ignoring Content Depth
Short blog posts rarely get cited. AI engines prefer comprehensive resources that cover topics thoroughly. One 3,000-word definitive guide performs better than five 600-word surface-level posts.
Not Updating Content
AI search engines favor recently updated content. That guide from 2022 won't get cited even if it's comprehensive. Add an update with current information and a new publication date.
Measuring AI Search Success
Traditional SEO metrics don't tell you much about AI search performance. You need different measurement approaches.
Track These Metrics:
Citation Frequency: How often AI engines reference your content
Citation Context: What questions trigger citations to your content
Competitive Citations: When AI engines mention you versus competitors
Referral Traffic: Visits from AI search engines (tracked via referrer)
Citation Quality: Whether you're cited as primary source or supporting mention
DOJO AI automatically tracks all of these and shows you trends over time. Ask it: "Show me my AI search performance dashboard for the last 90 days."
You'll see:
Which content gets cited most frequently
Which AI engines prefer your content
How citation rates changed after optimizations
Competitor citation trends for comparison
Opportunities to improve underperforming content
The Compound Effect of AI Search Optimization
Here's why this matters more than most companies realize: AI search optimization creates compound returns that traditional SEO doesn't.
When AI engines cite your content as authoritative for one topic, they're more likely to reference you for related topics. Your topical authority grows with each citation, creating a flywheel effect.
One consulting firm I worked with started by optimizing for one specific keyword. After getting cited consistently by ChatGPT and Perplexity, they started appearing for 20+ related keywords they never explicitly targeted. The AI engines recognized them as topical authorities and began citing them for the broader subject area.
Traditional SEO requires optimizing for each keyword separately. AI search optimization builds authority that transfers across related topics naturally.
Getting Started Today
You don't need to optimize your entire website immediately. Start with your most important pages.
Quick Start Checklist:
Pick your top 3 commercial keywords
Use DOJO to check current AI search citations
Analyze why competitors get cited
Optimize your best existing content for one keyword
Monitor results for 2-3 weeks
Expand to additional keywords based on results
The companies dominating AI search aren't doing anything complicated. They're just being systematic about optimization while most competitors aren't paying attention yet.
This advantage won't last forever. As more companies figure out AI search optimization, competition will increase. But right now, in October 2025, the window is still open.
Ready to start ranking in AI search engines? DOJO AI's AEO Agent provides everything in this guide: competitive analysis, content optimization recommendations, technical audits, and ongoing monitoring. Get your AI search audit in minutes instead of days.
