AI Search Jargon Explained: 12 Terms Singapore Business Owners Keep Hearing

If you are being pitched AI SEO, GEO, AEO, LLM visibility or citation tracking and are not sure which are real and which are repackaged, this glossary sorts them out in plain English. The AI search industry has produced a lot of terminology in a short time, and some of it describes genuinely new work while some is familiar work with a new label. Knowing the difference protects you when comparing proposals, because a provider who cannot explain a term simply is usually charging for the confusion. Each entry below includes what it means, whether it matters for your business, and what to watch for.

The Core Terms

1. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)

What it means: getting your business named inside AI-generated answers — ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, Gemini, Perplexity — rather than just ranking in a list of links.

Does it matter? Yes. Consumers using AI to find local businesses rose from 6% to 45% in a single year, and AI platforms are now the third most popular source of local business recommendations after Google and Facebook.

Watch for: providers presenting GEO as entirely separate from SEO. Google states that optimising for its AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO" — roughly 80% of the work overlaps.

2. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)

What it means: near-synonym for GEO. Where a distinction is drawn, AEO leans toward direct-answer formats and featured snippets.

Does it matter? The work matters; the label is mostly interchangeable.

Watch for: being sold GEO and AEO as two separate line items.

3. AI SEO

What it means: umbrella term for running traditional SEO and AI visibility as one programme.

Does it matter? This is usually the most accurate framing of what you actually need.

4. Citation

What it means: when an AI answer names your business or links to your page as a source.

Does it matter? Yes — it is the closest thing to a "ranking" in AI search, and the main thing worth measuring.

5. Citation log

What it means: a record showing, for an agreed set of questions, which AI platforms named you, how they described you, and which competitors appeared instead.

Does it matter? This is the single most useful screening tool when hiring. If a provider cannot produce one at 90 days, you are buying SEO with new vocabulary. Worth writing into a contract.

Technical Terms You Will Hear (Explained Simply)

6. AI crawlers

What it means: the automated programs AI companies use to read websites — GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot (OpenAI), ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended.

Does it matter? Critically, and it is binary. Some websites accidentally block them through settings nobody revisited, especially sites built before 2023. If AI cannot read your site, nothing else on this list helps.

What to ask: "Have you confirmed AI tools can access our site?"

7. Entity

What it means: how search and AI systems understand your business as a distinct thing — name, category, location, services — based on your website plus everything said about you elsewhere.

Does it matter? Yes. Weak or contradictory entity signals are the most common reason AI describes a business incorrectly or omits it.

8. Schema markup / structured data

What it means: code that states facts about your business in a format machines read directly.

Does it matter? Useful for regular Google search results. But Google has stated that structured data is not required for its AI features and there is no special AI schema you need to add.

Watch for: "special AI schema" sold as a product. Implement standard schema properly; do not pay extra for an AI version.

9. llms.txt

What it means: a proposed file telling AI systems what is on your site.

Does it matter? Not for Google. Its guidance states plainly: "You don't need to create new machine readable files, AI text files, markup, or Markdown to appear in generative AI search."

Watch for: monthly fees for "AI file generation."

Measurement Terms

10. AI visibility score

What it means: a number a third-party tool assigns to how often you appear in AI answers.

Does it matter? As a directional indicator, somewhat. Google has stated that third-party tools have no access to its internal ranking data and cannot guarantee performance — so a visibility score is modelling, not measuring.

Watch for: proposals built around improving a score rather than improving enquiries.

11. Zero-click search

What it means: a search that ends without the user clicking any result, because the answer appeared on the page.

Does it matter? Yes — it explains the most common pattern businesses notice: rankings stable, impressions stable, clicks falling. That is summarisation, not a penalty.

12. Share of voice

What it means: how often you appear versus competitors across a set of AI questions.

Does it matter? More useful than a single-score metric, because it is comparative. But note that AI answers are inconsistent — the same question can return different answers at different times, so track many prompts over months rather than treating one result as your position.

Three Phrases That Should Make You Pause

"Guaranteed AI placement." There is no paid placement mechanism in ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity for organic recommendations. There is no form to submit and no listing fee. A guarantee is selling something that does not exist.

"Approved by Google." Google does not evaluate third-party services and explicitly warns against providers implying it does.

"AI-optimised content rewriting." Google states you do not need to write in a special way for generative AI search. Good content works for both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the difference between SEO, GEO and AEO?

SEO gets your website ranking in a list of links. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) gets your business named inside AI-generated answers. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) is a near-synonym for GEO, leaning slightly toward direct-answer formats. In practice they overlap heavily — Google states that optimising for its AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO," and roughly 80% of the work is shared. The practical implication is that you usually want one combined programme, and should question any provider charging separately for two or three of these as distinct services.

Q2: What is a citation log and why does it matter when hiring?

A citation log is a document recording, for an agreed set of customer questions, which AI platforms named your business, how they described it, which competitors appeared instead, and how that changed since the last check. It matters because it cannot be produced without actually doing the work, which makes it the most effective single screening question when comparing providers. Ask whether you will receive one at 90 days and put it in the contract — if a provider cannot produce one by then, the engagement is traditional SEO with new terminology.

Q3: Do I need llms.txt or special AI schema markup?

Not for Google's AI features. Google's 2026 guidance states plainly that you do not need to create new machine-readable files, AI text files, markup or Markdown to appear in generative AI search, and that structured data is not required for its AI features with no special AI schema to add. This does not mean removing existing schema, which still earns rich results in regular search. It means being sceptical of monthly fees for "AI file generation" or "special AI schema" sold as a separate product.

Q4: Are AI visibility scores from tools reliable?

Treat them as directional estimates rather than measurements. Google has stated that third-party tools have no access to its internal ranking data and cannot guarantee performance, so any score is a model of visibility rather than a reading from inside the system. Compounding this, AI answers are genuinely inconsistent — the same question can produce different answers at different times — so a single check is a snapshot rather than a position. Tools remain useful for tracking trends and competitors, but be cautious of proposals built around improving a score rather than improving enquiries.

Q5: My rankings are stable but traffic is falling — what term describes that?

Zero-click search. This happens when the answer appears directly on the results page — typically in an AI Overview — so the user never clicks through. The signature pattern in Google Search Console is stable rankings, stable or rising impressions, and falling clicks. That combination indicates summarisation rather than a penalty or ranking loss. It concentrates on informational content such as "what is X" questions, while commercial pages like services and pricing hold up considerably better.

Mayson AI works with Singapore businesses on SEO and AI visibility in plain language, in English and Chinese — including explaining exactly what you are paying for. If you have a proposal you would like decoded, book a consultation.

What it means: getting your business named inside AI-generated answers — ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, Gemini, Perplexity — rather than just ranking in a list of links.

Does it matter? Yes. Consumers using AI to find local businesses rose from 6% to 45% in a single year, and AI platforms are now the third most popular source of local business recommendations after Google and Facebook.

Watch for: providers presenting GEO as entirely separate from SEO. Google states that optimising for its AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO" — roughly 80% of the work overlaps.

What it means: near-synonym for GEO. Where a distinction is drawn, AEO leans toward direct-answer formats and featured snippets.

Does it matter? The work matters; the label is mostly interchangeable.

Watch for: being sold GEO and AEO as two separate line items.

What it means: umbrella term for running traditional SEO and AI visibility as one programme.

Does it matter? This is usually the most accurate framing of what you actually need.

What it means: when an AI answer names your business or links to your page as a source.

Does it matter? Yes — it is the closest thing to a "ranking" in AI search, and the main thing worth measuring.

What it means: a record showing, for an agreed set of questions, which AI platforms named you, how they described you, and which competitors appeared instead.

Does it matter? This is the single most useful screening tool when hiring. If a provider cannot produce one at 90 days, you are buying SEO with new vocabulary. Worth writing into a contract.

If you are being pitched AI SEO, GEO, AEO, LLM visibility or citation tracking and are not sure which are real and which are repackaged, this glossary sorts them out in plain English. The AI search industry has produced a lot of terminology in a short time, and some of it describes genuinely new work while some is familiar work with a new label. Knowing the difference protects you when comparing proposals, because a provider who cannot explain a term simply is usually charging for the confusion. Each entry below includes what it means, whether it matters for your business, and what to watch for.

The Core Terms

1. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)

What it means: getting your business named inside AI-generated answers — ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, Gemini, Perplexity — rather than just ranking in a list of links.

Does it matter? Yes. Consumers using AI to find local businesses rose from 6% to 45% in a single year, and AI platforms are now the third most popular source of local business recommendations after Google and Facebook.

Watch for: providers presenting GEO as entirely separate from SEO. Google states that optimising for its AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO" — roughly 80% of the work overlaps.

2. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)

What it means: near-synonym for GEO. Where a distinction is drawn, AEO leans toward direct-answer formats and featured snippets.

Does it matter? The work matters; the label is mostly interchangeable.

Watch for: being sold GEO and AEO as two separate line items.

3. AI SEO

What it means: umbrella term for running traditional SEO and AI visibility as one programme.

Does it matter? This is usually the most accurate framing of what you actually need.

4. Citation

What it means: when an AI answer names your business or links to your page as a source.

Does it matter? Yes — it is the closest thing to a "ranking" in AI search, and the main thing worth measuring.

5. Citation log

What it means: a record showing, for an agreed set of questions, which AI platforms named you, how they described you, and which competitors appeared instead.

Does it matter? This is the single most useful screening tool when hiring. If a provider cannot produce one at 90 days, you are buying SEO with new vocabulary. Worth writing into a contract.

Technical Terms You Will Hear (Explained Simply)

6. AI crawlers

What it means: the automated programs AI companies use to read websites — GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot (OpenAI), ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended.

Does it matter? Critically, and it is binary. Some websites accidentally block them through settings nobody revisited, especially sites built before 2023. If AI cannot read your site, nothing else on this list helps.

What to ask: "Have you confirmed AI tools can access our site?"

7. Entity

What it means: how search and AI systems understand your business as a distinct thing — name, category, location, services — based on your website plus everything said about you elsewhere.

Does it matter? Yes. Weak or contradictory entity signals are the most common reason AI describes a business incorrectly or omits it.

8. Schema markup / structured data

What it means: code that states facts about your business in a format machines read directly.

Does it matter? Useful for regular Google search results. But Google has stated that structured data is not required for its AI features and there is no special AI schema you need to add.

Watch for: "special AI schema" sold as a product. Implement standard schema properly; do not pay extra for an AI version.

9. llms.txt

What it means: a proposed file telling AI systems what is on your site.

Does it matter? Not for Google. Its guidance states plainly: "You don't need to create new machine readable files, AI text files, markup, or Markdown to appear in generative AI search."

Watch for: monthly fees for "AI file generation."

Measurement Terms

10. AI visibility score

What it means: a number a third-party tool assigns to how often you appear in AI answers.

Does it matter? As a directional indicator, somewhat. Google has stated that third-party tools have no access to its internal ranking data and cannot guarantee performance — so a visibility score is modelling, not measuring.

Watch for: proposals built around improving a score rather than improving enquiries.

11. Zero-click search

What it means: a search that ends without the user clicking any result, because the answer appeared on the page.

Does it matter? Yes — it explains the most common pattern businesses notice: rankings stable, impressions stable, clicks falling. That is summarisation, not a penalty.

12. Share of voice

What it means: how often you appear versus competitors across a set of AI questions.

Does it matter? More useful than a single-score metric, because it is comparative. But note that AI answers are inconsistent — the same question can return different answers at different times, so track many prompts over months rather than treating one result as your position.

Three Phrases That Should Make You Pause

"Guaranteed AI placement." There is no paid placement mechanism in ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity for organic recommendations. There is no form to submit and no listing fee. A guarantee is selling something that does not exist.

"Approved by Google." Google does not evaluate third-party services and explicitly warns against providers implying it does.

"AI-optimised content rewriting." Google states you do not need to write in a special way for generative AI search. Good content works for both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the difference between SEO, GEO and AEO?

SEO gets your website ranking in a list of links. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) gets your business named inside AI-generated answers. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) is a near-synonym for GEO, leaning slightly toward direct-answer formats. In practice they overlap heavily — Google states that optimising for its AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO," and roughly 80% of the work is shared. The practical implication is that you usually want one combined programme, and should question any provider charging separately for two or three of these as distinct services.

Q2: What is a citation log and why does it matter when hiring?

A citation log is a document recording, for an agreed set of customer questions, which AI platforms named your business, how they described it, which competitors appeared instead, and how that changed since the last check. It matters because it cannot be produced without actually doing the work, which makes it the most effective single screening question when comparing providers. Ask whether you will receive one at 90 days and put it in the contract — if a provider cannot produce one by then, the engagement is traditional SEO with new terminology.

Q3: Do I need llms.txt or special AI schema markup?

Not for Google's AI features. Google's 2026 guidance states plainly that you do not need to create new machine-readable files, AI text files, markup or Markdown to appear in generative AI search, and that structured data is not required for its AI features with no special AI schema to add. This does not mean removing existing schema, which still earns rich results in regular search. It means being sceptical of monthly fees for "AI file generation" or "special AI schema" sold as a separate product.

Q4: Are AI visibility scores from tools reliable?

Treat them as directional estimates rather than measurements. Google has stated that third-party tools have no access to its internal ranking data and cannot guarantee performance, so any score is a model of visibility rather than a reading from inside the system. Compounding this, AI answers are genuinely inconsistent — the same question can produce different answers at different times — so a single check is a snapshot rather than a position. Tools remain useful for tracking trends and competitors, but be cautious of proposals built around improving a score rather than improving enquiries.

Q5: My rankings are stable but traffic is falling — what term describes that?

Zero-click search. This happens when the answer appears directly on the results page — typically in an AI Overview — so the user never clicks through. The signature pattern in Google Search Console is stable rankings, stable or rising impressions, and falling clicks. That combination indicates summarisation rather than a penalty or ranking loss. It concentrates on informational content such as "what is X" questions, while commercial pages like services and pricing hold up considerably better.

Mayson AI works with Singapore businesses on SEO and AI visibility in plain language, in English and Chinese — including explaining exactly what you are paying for. If you have a proposal you would like decoded, book a consultation.

What it means: the automated programs AI companies use to read websites — GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot (OpenAI), ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended.

Does it matter? Critically, and it is binary. Some websites accidentally block them through settings nobody revisited, especially sites built before 2023. If AI cannot read your site, nothing else on this list helps.

What to ask: "Have you confirmed AI tools can access our site?"

What it means: how search and AI systems understand your business as a distinct thing — name, category, location, services — based on your website plus everything said about you elsewhere.

Does it matter? Yes. Weak or contradictory entity signals are the most common reason AI describes a business incorrectly or omits it.

What it means: code that states facts about your business in a format machines read directly.

Does it matter? Useful for regular Google search results. But Google has stated that structured data is not required for its AI features and there is no special AI schema you need to add.

Watch for: "special AI schema" sold as a product. Implement standard schema properly; do not pay extra for an AI version.

What it means: a proposed file telling AI systems what is on your site.

Does it matter? Not for Google. Its guidance states plainly: "You don't need to create new machine readable files, AI text files, markup, or Markdown to appear in generative AI search."

Watch for: monthly fees for "AI file generation."

If you are being pitched AI SEO, GEO, AEO, LLM visibility or citation tracking and are not sure which are real and which are repackaged, this glossary sorts them out in plain English. The AI search industry has produced a lot of terminology in a short time, and some of it describes genuinely new work while some is familiar work with a new label. Knowing the difference protects you when comparing proposals, because a provider who cannot explain a term simply is usually charging for the confusion. Each entry below includes what it means, whether it matters for your business, and what to watch for.

The Core Terms

1. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)

What it means: getting your business named inside AI-generated answers — ChatGPT, Google's AI Overviews, Gemini, Perplexity — rather than just ranking in a list of links.

Does it matter? Yes. Consumers using AI to find local businesses rose from 6% to 45% in a single year, and AI platforms are now the third most popular source of local business recommendations after Google and Facebook.

Watch for: providers presenting GEO as entirely separate from SEO. Google states that optimising for its AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO" — roughly 80% of the work overlaps.

2. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)

What it means: near-synonym for GEO. Where a distinction is drawn, AEO leans toward direct-answer formats and featured snippets.

Does it matter? The work matters; the label is mostly interchangeable.

Watch for: being sold GEO and AEO as two separate line items.

3. AI SEO

What it means: umbrella term for running traditional SEO and AI visibility as one programme.

Does it matter? This is usually the most accurate framing of what you actually need.

4. Citation

What it means: when an AI answer names your business or links to your page as a source.

Does it matter? Yes — it is the closest thing to a "ranking" in AI search, and the main thing worth measuring.

5. Citation log

What it means: a record showing, for an agreed set of questions, which AI platforms named you, how they described you, and which competitors appeared instead.

Does it matter? This is the single most useful screening tool when hiring. If a provider cannot produce one at 90 days, you are buying SEO with new vocabulary. Worth writing into a contract.

Technical Terms You Will Hear (Explained Simply)

6. AI crawlers

What it means: the automated programs AI companies use to read websites — GPTBot and OAI-SearchBot (OpenAI), ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended.

Does it matter? Critically, and it is binary. Some websites accidentally block them through settings nobody revisited, especially sites built before 2023. If AI cannot read your site, nothing else on this list helps.

What to ask: "Have you confirmed AI tools can access our site?"

7. Entity

What it means: how search and AI systems understand your business as a distinct thing — name, category, location, services — based on your website plus everything said about you elsewhere.

Does it matter? Yes. Weak or contradictory entity signals are the most common reason AI describes a business incorrectly or omits it.

8. Schema markup / structured data

What it means: code that states facts about your business in a format machines read directly.

Does it matter? Useful for regular Google search results. But Google has stated that structured data is not required for its AI features and there is no special AI schema you need to add.

Watch for: "special AI schema" sold as a product. Implement standard schema properly; do not pay extra for an AI version.

9. llms.txt

What it means: a proposed file telling AI systems what is on your site.

Does it matter? Not for Google. Its guidance states plainly: "You don't need to create new machine readable files, AI text files, markup, or Markdown to appear in generative AI search."

Watch for: monthly fees for "AI file generation."

Measurement Terms

10. AI visibility score

What it means: a number a third-party tool assigns to how often you appear in AI answers.

Does it matter? As a directional indicator, somewhat. Google has stated that third-party tools have no access to its internal ranking data and cannot guarantee performance — so a visibility score is modelling, not measuring.

Watch for: proposals built around improving a score rather than improving enquiries.

11. Zero-click search

What it means: a search that ends without the user clicking any result, because the answer appeared on the page.

Does it matter? Yes — it explains the most common pattern businesses notice: rankings stable, impressions stable, clicks falling. That is summarisation, not a penalty.

12. Share of voice

What it means: how often you appear versus competitors across a set of AI questions.

Does it matter? More useful than a single-score metric, because it is comparative. But note that AI answers are inconsistent — the same question can return different answers at different times, so track many prompts over months rather than treating one result as your position.

Three Phrases That Should Make You Pause

"Guaranteed AI placement." There is no paid placement mechanism in ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity for organic recommendations. There is no form to submit and no listing fee. A guarantee is selling something that does not exist.

"Approved by Google." Google does not evaluate third-party services and explicitly warns against providers implying it does.

"AI-optimised content rewriting." Google states you do not need to write in a special way for generative AI search. Good content works for both.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is the difference between SEO, GEO and AEO?

SEO gets your website ranking in a list of links. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) gets your business named inside AI-generated answers. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) is a near-synonym for GEO, leaning slightly toward direct-answer formats. In practice they overlap heavily — Google states that optimising for its AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO," and roughly 80% of the work is shared. The practical implication is that you usually want one combined programme, and should question any provider charging separately for two or three of these as distinct services.

Q2: What is a citation log and why does it matter when hiring?

A citation log is a document recording, for an agreed set of customer questions, which AI platforms named your business, how they described it, which competitors appeared instead, and how that changed since the last check. It matters because it cannot be produced without actually doing the work, which makes it the most effective single screening question when comparing providers. Ask whether you will receive one at 90 days and put it in the contract — if a provider cannot produce one by then, the engagement is traditional SEO with new terminology.

Q3: Do I need llms.txt or special AI schema markup?

Not for Google's AI features. Google's 2026 guidance states plainly that you do not need to create new machine-readable files, AI text files, markup or Markdown to appear in generative AI search, and that structured data is not required for its AI features with no special AI schema to add. This does not mean removing existing schema, which still earns rich results in regular search. It means being sceptical of monthly fees for "AI file generation" or "special AI schema" sold as a separate product.

Q4: Are AI visibility scores from tools reliable?

Treat them as directional estimates rather than measurements. Google has stated that third-party tools have no access to its internal ranking data and cannot guarantee performance, so any score is a model of visibility rather than a reading from inside the system. Compounding this, AI answers are genuinely inconsistent — the same question can produce different answers at different times — so a single check is a snapshot rather than a position. Tools remain useful for tracking trends and competitors, but be cautious of proposals built around improving a score rather than improving enquiries.

Q5: My rankings are stable but traffic is falling — what term describes that?

Zero-click search. This happens when the answer appears directly on the results page — typically in an AI Overview — so the user never clicks through. The signature pattern in Google Search Console is stable rankings, stable or rising impressions, and falling clicks. That combination indicates summarisation rather than a penalty or ranking loss. It concentrates on informational content such as "what is X" questions, while commercial pages like services and pricing hold up considerably better.

Mayson AI works with Singapore businesses on SEO and AI visibility in plain language, in English and Chinese — including explaining exactly what you are paying for. If you have a proposal you would like decoded, book a consultation.

What it means: a number a third-party tool assigns to how often you appear in AI answers.

Does it matter? As a directional indicator, somewhat. Google has stated that third-party tools have no access to its internal ranking data and cannot guarantee performance — so a visibility score is modelling, not measuring.

Watch for: proposals built around improving a score rather than improving enquiries.

What it means: a search that ends without the user clicking any result, because the answer appeared on the page.

Does it matter? Yes — it explains the most common pattern businesses notice: rankings stable, impressions stable, clicks falling. That is summarisation, not a penalty.

What it means: how often you appear versus competitors across a set of AI questions.

Does it matter? More useful than a single-score metric, because it is comparative. But note that AI answers are inconsistent — the same question can return different answers at different times, so track many prompts over months rather than treating one result as your position.

"Guaranteed AI placement." There is no paid placement mechanism in ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity for organic recommendations. There is no form to submit and no listing fee. A guarantee is selling something that does not exist.

"Approved by Google." Google does not evaluate third-party services and explicitly warns against providers implying it does.

"AI-optimised content rewriting." Google states you do not need to write in a special way for generative AI search. Good content works for both.

Q1: What is the difference between SEO, GEO and AEO?

SEO gets your website ranking in a list of links. GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) gets your business named inside AI-generated answers. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) is a near-synonym for GEO, leaning slightly toward direct-answer formats. In practice they overlap heavily — Google states that optimising for its AI features "is optimizing for the search experience, and thus still SEO," and roughly 80% of the work is shared. The practical implication is that you usually want one combined programme, and should question any provider charging separately for two or three of these as distinct services.

Q2: What is a citation log and why does it matter when hiring?

A citation log is a document recording, for an agreed set of customer questions, which AI platforms named your business, how they described it, which competitors appeared instead, and how that changed since the last check. It matters because it cannot be produced without actually doing the work, which makes it the most effective single screening question when comparing providers. Ask whether you will receive one at 90 days and put it in the contract — if a provider cannot produce one by then, the engagement is traditional SEO with new terminology.

Q3: Do I need llms.txt or special AI schema markup?

Not for Google's AI features. Google's 2026 guidance states plainly that you do not need to create new machine-readable files, AI text files, markup or Markdown to appear in generative AI search, and that structured data is not required for its AI features with no special AI schema to add. This does not mean removing existing schema, which still earns rich results in regular search. It means being sceptical of monthly fees for "AI file generation" or "special AI schema" sold as a separate product.

Q4: Are AI visibility scores from tools reliable?

Treat them as directional estimates rather than measurements. Google has stated that third-party tools have no access to its internal ranking data and cannot guarantee performance, so any score is a model of visibility rather than a reading from inside the system. Compounding this, AI answers are genuinely inconsistent — the same question can produce different answers at different times — so a single check is a snapshot rather than a position. Tools remain useful for tracking trends and competitors, but be cautious of proposals built around improving a score rather than improving enquiries.

Q5: My rankings are stable but traffic is falling — what term describes that?

Zero-click search. This happens when the answer appears directly on the results page — typically in an AI Overview — so the user never clicks through. The signature pattern in Google Search Console is stable rankings, stable or rising impressions, and falling clicks. That combination indicates summarisation rather than a penalty or ranking loss. It concentrates on informational content such as "what is X" questions, while commercial pages like services and pricing hold up considerably better.

Mayson AI works with Singapore businesses on SEO and AI visibility in plain language, in English and Chinese — including explaining exactly what you are paying for. If you have a proposal you would like decoded, book a consultation.