Home › Guides › AI Search Optimization
Search now has two layers: the classic blue links, and the AI answers above them. AI search optimization (AEO or GEO) is the work of making your content the source those answers quote. This guide covers what actually moves the needle.
What is AI search optimization?
AI search optimization – also called AEO (answer engine optimisation) or GEO (generative engine optimisation) – is the work of making your content the source that AI answers quote. It builds on SEO: you still need to be crawlable and clear, but the AI layer rewards answer-first formatting, clean structure and explicit entities.
How AI engines pick sources
Four things they consistently reward.
Extractable answers
A direct response in the first 40-60 words under a descriptive heading, before any setup.
Semantic HTML
Real headings, lists and tables – structure a machine can parse, not styled divs.
Entity clarity
Who you are and what you do, backed by Organization and Person schema.
Access
AI crawlers allowed in robots.txt, plus an llms.txt file that summarises your site.
The AEO/GEO checklist
Six steps, in order.
Answer first
Put the direct answer in the first 40-60 words under each heading.
Question-led headings
Use question H2s, one idea per section.
FAQ schema
Add FAQPage schema to Q&A blocks.
Entity schema
Add Organization and Person schema for entity clarity.
Open the door
Publish llms.txt and confirm GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot and Google-Extended are not blocked.
Cite sources
Reference primary sources; keep claims dated and specific.
Free tools
Check your AI readiness
- Run the free website SEO audit – it checks llms.txt discovery and AI-crawler access alongside standard SEO.
- Generate an llms.txt file in 30 seconds.
Go deeper
- Read the full SEO audit guide.
- See the 2026 data study – 34% of the top 300 sites have no llms.txt.
- Fix pages with a content refresh.
Why this matters now
AEO, GEO and SEO – what’s the difference
- SEO targets the blue links: crawl, index, rank, clicks.
- AEO (answer engine optimisation) targets the AI answer box: being the source a direct answer quotes.
- GEO (generative engine optimisation) is the broader term for visibility across generative engines (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity).
- In practice they overlap heavily – clear, structured, credible content wins in both – but AEO adds answer-first formatting and AI-crawler access.
How to write answer-first content
The single highest-leverage change.
llms.txt – the cheapest AI-readiness win
An llms.txt file at your domain root summarises what your site is and which pages matter, giving AI tools a clean map. It is not a ranking factor, but it is the lowest-effort thing you can do to be legible to AI answer engines. Generate one free with the llms.txt generator.
How to check whether AI cites you
- Ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity the questions your customers ask, and see whether you are mentioned or linked.
- Check your server logs for GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot and Google-Extended – they are crawling you if they are allowed.
- Confirm you are not blocking those crawlers in robots.txt (our free audit checks this).
- Track referrals from AI tools in analytics – volumes are still small but growing.
Common AEO mistakes
- Burying the answer under a long introduction – write the answer first.
- Blocking or forgetting AI crawlers in robots.txt.
- Thin FAQ content that repeats the question instead of answering it.
- No entity clarity: who you are, what you do, backed by Organization and Person schema.
- Treating AEO as a replacement for SEO – it builds on a crawlable, indexed site.
Related guides
- SEO audit checklist (40 checks) – the practical companion.
- On-page SEO audit – titles, headings, content, links.
- Technical SEO audit – crawl, index, speed, schema.
- Free website SEO audit – run one in 30 seconds.
- SEO audit services – when you want the fixes done.
AEO for different types of site
Answer buying questions on-page
Put price, compatibility, sizing, shipping and returns in plain text – not only in images or tabs – so AI can quote them.
Answer location questions
State the area served and make hours, address and service details visible as text, with LocalBusiness schema.
Answer comparison questions
Publish honest ‘X vs Y’ and ‘alternatives’ pages; these are exactly what AI answers pull from.
Answer the core question first
Lead each section with a 40-60 word answer, then expand. Keep claims dated and sourced.
How to structure a page for AI extraction
- One idea per section, under a question-heading (H2).
- A direct 40-60 word answer immediately after the heading.
- Use real lists and tables – machines parse them cleanly.
- Add FAQPage schema to genuine Q&A blocks.
- Keep Organization and Person schema current so entities are unambiguous.
- Publish an llms.txt file and allow GPTBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot and Google-Extended in robots.txt.
How to measure AEO
- Ask the major assistants your customers’ questions and log whether you’re mentioned or linked.
- Check server logs for AI crawler user-agents – they are reaching you if they are allowed.
- Track AI-tool referrals in analytics (still small, but rising).
- Monitor branded search volume – AI mentions often show up as brand searches later.
Frequently asked questions
What is AEO vs GEO vs SEO?
How do I get cited by ChatGPT or Google AI Overviews?
Does llms.txt help?
Can you guarantee AI citations?
Do AI engines use backlinks?
Is AEO different for ecommerce?
How do I know if AI crawlers can reach me?
How long until AEO works?
Do I need schema for AEO?
Is AEO a replacement for SEO?
Sources
Check your AI readiness
Free, no signup. See how cleanly your content reads to AI answer engines, and whether AI crawlers can reach you.