The guide to answer engine optimization
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of optimizing your brand's content to appear as a trusted source in AI-generated answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and other AI tools. With nearly 1 in 4 Americans now preferring ChatGPT over Google, AEO has become essential for brand visibility.
What you'll learn in this guide:
- Assess your priority: Determine if AEO matters for your audience and industry using the prioritization scorecard
- Measure AI visibility: Calculate your baseline "visibility score" by testing how often your brand appears in AI answers versus competitors
- Build AEO-ready content: Structure content using clear headings, FAQ formats, and real customer language that AI tools actually cite
- Ensure technical acccess: Make sure AI crawlers like GPTBot and BingPreview can find and understand your content
- Build external validation: Get cited on trusted platforms like Wikipedia, G2, and industry publications to increase your share-of-citation
- Monitor performance: Track your visibility score over time and adjust your strategy as AI platforms evolve