SEO and GEO for Chinese exporters: get found by overseas buyers
What do customers ask AI before they choose?
They ask specific questions with a product, a place, a budget or a need in them. Examples of questions we test for Chinese exporters:
- Reliable manufacturer of custom aluminium enclosures in China with low MOQ
- Best OEM supplier for LED panel lights in China
- Which Chinese factories make private label skincare products?
- How to find a trustworthy furniture manufacturer in Foshan
- ISO 9001 certified injection moulding company in China for small batches
We test questions like these in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI, and record which businesses are named and which websites are used as sources.
What makes AI recommend a supplier?
AI repeats what is clear, specific and confirmed by more than one source. These are the signals that matter most:
| Signal | What it looks like |
|---|---|
| Product pages with specifications | One page per product line with materials, sizes, MOQ, lead time and options, written as text AI can read, not only in images or PDFs |
| Real certifications | Only certificates you really hold, such as ISO 9001 or CE, with the certificate number or issuing body |
| Factory facts | Year founded, factory size, production capacity, main export markets, number of employees |
| Presence beyond your own site | B2B directories such as Alibaba.com, Made-in-China.com and Global Sources, trade show exhibitor lists, a LinkedIn company page, industry media |
| Buyer questions answered | Samples, shipping terms (FOB, EXW, DDP), payment terms, quality control and after-sales |
| The buyer’s language | English first, then the languages of your main markets, such as Spanish or German, where it is worth it |
Google says AI features in Search use the same core systems as normal search, so a page must first be indexed and able to show a snippet (Google Search Central). Research on GEO found that adding statistics and cited sources raised visibility in AI answers by up to 40% in tests.
Quick self-check
Ask ChatGPT and Perplexity in English: “Which companies in China manufacture [your main product]?” and “Reliable [your product] supplier in China with low MOQ”. If your company is not named, look at the names that are, and at the websites the AI lists as sources. That gap is what GEO work closes.
What does CitedAsia do for Chinese exporters?
We test, fix, add proof and re-test every month, and report in writing in English or Chinese.
- Test: 20 or more real customer questions across 4 AI tools, with your CitedAsia Score (0–100).
- Fix: SEO basics, AI crawler access, Schema, and answer-first rewrites of your key pages.
- Prove: new articles that answer buyer questions, plus listings and mentions on sites AI trusts.
- Track: the same questions every month, so you see the real trend.
How much does GEO cost for Chinese exporters?
A one-time AI visibility audit costs USD 690. Monthly GEO plans cost USD 1,200 or USD 2,200, with a 3-month minimum. See full pricing, or start with a free AI visibility check.
Frequently asked questions
We already sell on Alibaba. Why do we need GEO?
B2B platforms help buyers find you inside the platform. When buyers ask AI tools instead, the answer often names companies and cites their own websites and third-party articles. A clear English website, plus mentions outside the platforms, gives AI more reasons to name you and lets buyers contact you directly.
Do you work with factories in mainland China?
Yes. Everything is done online. We communicate in Chinese by WeChat, email or phone, and send every report in Chinese. The content we write for your website is in English, because that is how most overseas buyers search.
Is Google still important if buyers use ChatGPT?
Yes. Google says its AI features use the same core systems as normal Search, and AI tools often search the web before they answer. SEO is the foundation, which is why every CitedAsia plan includes it.
How do we pay?
Online by card in US dollars through Stripe, or by bank transfer against an invoice for larger projects.
Updated October 2026 · Written by Dawn, Founder of CitedAsia · What is GEO? · Case studies · 中文
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