Gemini is Google Search with opinions. Find out what it thinks of you.
Gemini can ground its answers in Google Search, then writes the recommendation in its own words. Your rankings get you considered; what Gemini says about you decides the rest.
Grounded in Google Search
Gemini is Google's assistant, and its line to the live web is Google Search. When a question needs current or specific information, Gemini can run searches and ground its answer in the results. Google uses the word grounding for exactly this: giving the model content from the Search index at the moment of the question.
Not every answer is grounded. For many questions, Gemini answers from what the model already knows. When it does search, the model decides which queries to run, and the Gemini API exposes those queries alongside the sources it used.
The controls that apply
Googlebotcrawls the pages that feed Google Search, and by extension Gemini's grounding.Google-Extendedis a robots.txt token, not a crawler. Google says it controls whether your content is used to train future Gemini models and for grounding in Gemini Apps. Disallow it and your pages can drop out of grounded Gemini answers.- Google-Extended doesn't affect your Google Search inclusion or rankings.
How citations display
When Gemini uses web sources, a Sources button appears with the response or links appear inline, and a panel lists the pages it drew on. No Sources button means Gemini didn't provide links for that answer. An answer can also recommend a brand without linking to it at all, so counting clicks alone undercounts Gemini's influence.
5 ways to win in Gemini.
- 01
Win Google Search first
Gemini's grounding draws on Google's index. Pages that are indexed, crawlable and strong for the underlying searches are the ones Gemini can find, so weak SEO puts a ceiling on Gemini visibility.
- 02
Don't block Google-Extended by accident
Google says the token governs grounding in Gemini Apps as well as training. If your robots.txt disallows it, decide whether the training opt-out is worth losing grounded Gemini answers.
- 03
Give Gemini one clear version of you
Use the same name, category and description across your site, profiles and directories. Tie it together with Organization schema and sameAs links, so there's no doubt which company you are.
- 04
Answer the sub-questions
A grounded answer can draw on several searches about one question. Cover price, fit, alternatives and setup on your pages, each under a clear heading, so at least one of those searches lands on you.
- 05
Track mentions, not just links
Gemini can recommend a brand without linking anywhere. Measure mention rate and position across your prompts to see influence that never shows up as a referral.
Does blocking Google-Extended remove me from Gemini?
It can reduce your presence. Google says Google-Extended controls whether your content is used to train future Gemini models and for grounding in Gemini Apps. Disallowing it doesn't affect Google Search, but it can keep your pages out of grounded Gemini answers. Gemini may still mention your brand from what it already knows, just without your pages as sources.
Is Gemini the same as Google AI Overviews?
No. They're related but separate. AI Overviews and AI Mode are features of Google Search and follow Search controls such as Googlebot access and snippet settings. Gemini is a standalone assistant with its own app, and Google-Extended affects its grounding. Answers and sources can differ between them, so track them as separate engines.
If I rank well on Google, will Gemini recommend me?
It helps, but it's no guarantee. Ranking makes your pages available when Gemini grounds an answer. Gemini then decides which brands to name, in what order and how to describe them, based on everything it reads. Strong rankings with vague or thin pages can still lose to a competitor whose page states the answer plainly.
Why does Gemini sometimes show no sources?
Not every Gemini answer is grounded in search. When Gemini answers from its own knowledge, there may be no Sources button at all, and Google's help pages note that a missing button means no links were provided for that response. Those ungrounded answers still shape what people think of your brand, which is why mention tracking matters alongside citations.
Somewhere, right now, an AI is recommending your client's competitor.
Elite Answers is invite-only. Request access through Elite Digital and the team will set you up.