GEO troubleshooting: locating and fixing high-frequency failures
The most common production failures for GEO and their root-cause fixes.
Quick answer
Which schema.org version should JSON-LD use?
Always use the latest stable @context and keep node types (TechArticle, FAQPage) canonical. Outdated patterns get downranked by AI engines.
Machine-readable page data: /data/geo-troubleshooting.json
In-depth analysis
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) aligns your site with generative AI engines: clean JSON-LD plus a summarized llms.txt let large models cite your pages reliably. Troubleshoot by three layers — build, deploy, runtime — diagnose by symptom, never blind-trial.
// JSON-LD hardcoded in the page <head> (GEO rule: place centrally, SSG static output)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{ "@context":"https://schema.org", "@type":"TechArticle",
"headline":"...", "mainEntityOfPage": { "@type":"WebPage" } }
</script>GEO Troubleshooting · Key takeaways
- Build, deploy, or runtime layer identified
- Relevant logs and status codes captured
- Fix verified and reproducible
- Fix notes recorded for reuse
FAQ & pitfalls
Why does dumping full text into llms.txt get me downranked?
AI crawlers prefer summaries plus canonical URLs; a full-text dump is judged low quality. llms.txt should be a map — details live on the destination pages.
How often do AI engines re-index?
There is no fixed schedule. Keep llms.txt and sitemap fresh and structured data SSG-static so engines pick up updates whenever they crawl.
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What readers are asking
Questions that keep coming back in reader feedback, already answered.
- 01
Why is a full-length llms.txt being downweighted?
AI crawlers prefer a summary plus canonical URLs; padding it with the entire corpus reads as low quality. Keep llms.txt as a map and let the landing pages carry the detail.
See the full guide → - 02
Why is my Astro component's interactivity not working?
Components ship as zero-JS HTML by default, so an interactive one needs a client:* directive (client:load, client:visible, …). Without it the script is never bundled into the page.
See the full guide → - 03
Why is my custom Tailwind v4 brand colour not applied?
Colours must be declared in @theme (for example --color-brand). A missing @tailwindcss/vite plugin, or a leftover v3 config, makes bg-brand silently render nothing.
See the full guide →