What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of optimizing your website and content to be cited by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini. Unlike traditional SEO which focuses on ranking in search results, AEO focuses on making your content the source that AI models reference when answering user questions. This includes optimizing content structure, implementing proper schema markup, building authoritative backlinks, and creating content that directly answers common questions in your industry.

How is AEO different from traditional SEO?

Traditional SEO focuses on ranking your website in Google search results, while AEO focuses on getting your brand cited by AI assistants. With SEO, users click through to your website. With AEO, AI assistants mention your brand, product, or content directly in their responses. Both are important: SEO drives direct traffic, while AEO builds brand awareness and trust through AI recommendations. The best strategy combines both approaches.

Which AI platforms does AEO target?

AEO targets all major AI assistants and search platforms including ChatGPT (OpenAI), Perplexity AI, Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google), Microsoft Copilot, and emerging AI search tools. Each platform has different content sources and ranking factors, so a comprehensive AEO strategy addresses all of them.

How do you track AI citations and mentions?

We use specialized monitoring tools to track when and how AI assistants mention your brand, products, or content. This includes automated querying of AI platforms, citation tracking, sentiment analysis, and competitive benchmarking. We provide real-time dashboards showing your AI visibility across all major platforms.

How long does it take to see results from AEO?

AEO results typically begin appearing within 4-8 weeks as AI models update their training data and knowledge bases. However, building strong AI visibility is an ongoing process. Initial citations may appear quickly, but building consistent, authoritative mentions across multiple AI platforms takes 3-6 months of sustained effort.

What types of content work best for AI citations?

AI models prefer authoritative, well-structured content that directly answers questions. This includes comprehensive guides, FAQ pages, comparison articles, how-to content, industry reports, and documentation. Content should be factual, well-sourced, and organized with clear headings. Schema markup and structured data also help AI models understand and cite your content correctly.