Education
Learn AEO
Answer Engine Optimization is how businesses get recommended by AI. Whether you're brand new to AEO or building on what you know, this is your starting point — concepts, terminology, and strategy, all grounded in published research.
Start here
What Is AEO?
The fundamentals of Answer Engine Optimization — what it is, how it works, and why it matters.
Read the explainer →Compare
AEO vs SEO
How AI search differs from traditional search and why you need both strategies.
See the differences →Test
AI Visibility Checker
Find out if AI recommends your business right now. Free, instant results.
Check your visibility →AEO Glossary
Key terms and concepts in Answer Engine Optimization. Each definition links to a deeper guide where available.
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)
The practice of optimizing your online presence so AI search tools — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini — recommend your business when people ask questions. Unlike SEO which targets search rankings, AEO targets direct AI recommendations.
Full explainer →AI Citation
When an AI model mentions your business by name in its response. A citation means the AI has identified your business as relevant and trustworthy enough to recommend to the user asking the question.
See citation research →AI Overviews
Google's AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of search results. Instead of showing just links, Google synthesizes information from multiple sources into a direct answer. This is replacing traditional search results for an increasing number of queries.
AI Overviews guide →Citation Drift
The phenomenon where AI recommendations change over time — a business that was being recommended last month may not be recommended today. AI models continuously re-evaluate sources, making ongoing optimization essential.
Learn about citation drift →Content Freshness
How recently your content was updated. Our research shows pages updated within the past 3 months are cited 3x more often by AI models. Freshness signals tell AI that your information is current and reliable.
Content freshness guide →Domain Authority (DA)
A score (1-100) predicting how well a website will rank in traditional search. Critically, our research shows domain authority has virtually zero correlation with AI citations — a major departure from traditional SEO.
Why DA doesn't matter for AI →Entity Clarity
How clearly and consistently your business information appears across the web. AI models build an understanding of your business from multiple sources — your website, directories, reviews, and mentions. The more consistent and clear this information is, the more confidently AI recommends you.
Entity clarity guide →FAQ Schema
Structured data markup (JSON-LD) that tells search engines and AI models that your page contains questions and answers. FAQ schema helps AI directly extract and cite your Q&A content. Only 1.6% of businesses currently use it — a massive untapped opportunity.
FAQ schema guide →Heading Structure
The hierarchy of titles and subtitles on your web pages (H1, H2, H3). Our research identified heading structure as the #1 predictor of AI citations. Well-organized headings help AI understand what your page is about and extract specific answers.
Heading structure guide →JSON-LD
A format for adding structured data to web pages. JSON-LD tells AI and search engines exactly what your page contains — your business name, services, location, reviews, and more — in a machine-readable format. It's the most commonly used structured data format.
Schema markup guide →Schema Markup
Code added to your website that provides structured information about your business to search engines and AI models. Types include LocalBusiness, FAQPage, Service, and more. Schema helps AI understand and recommend your business with confidence.
Schema markup guide →Share of Voice
The percentage of AI-generated responses that mention your business compared to competitors. If AI recommends chiropractors in your city 100 times and you appear in 30 of those responses, your share of voice is 30%.
Share of voice guide →Third-Party Mentions
References to your business on external websites — directories, review sites, news articles, professional associations. Our research shows 85% of brand mentions in AI answers come from third-party sources, not your own website.
Third-party mentions guide →Website Structure
How your web pages are organized and interconnected. For AI visibility, this means having dedicated pages for each service, clear heading hierarchies, logical navigation, and content organized around specific topics. Structure is the single strongest predictor of AI citations.
Website structure guide →Go deeper.
Published research and industry-specific guides, all based on original data.
Research
Chiropractic AI Citation Study
20 cities, 120 query templates, 3 AI models. The largest published study of AI citations in healthcare.
Read the study →Research
Physical Therapy AI Study
50 cities, 21 conditions, 3 AI platforms. How PT practices get recommended by AI search.
Read the study →Blog
AEO Checklist
A step-by-step checklist to optimize your business for AI search recommendations.
Get the checklist →Blog
Write Content AI Can Cite
How to structure pages so AI can extract and recommend your content.
Read the guide →Industry guides.
AEO strategy tailored to specific industries, backed by industry-specific research.
Industry
Chiropractors
AEO, SEO, and marketing guides built on published chiropractic AI research.
View guides →Industry
Dentists
How dental practices get recommended by AI search engines.
View guides →Industry
Med Spas
AI search strategy for med spas and aesthetic practices.
View guides →Industry
Physical Therapy
PT marketing and AEO guides backed by original citation research.
View guides →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between AEO and SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on ranking in Google's traditional search results — the 10 blue links. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on getting recommended in AI-generated answers from tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. They use different signals: SEO relies heavily on backlinks and keywords, while AEO depends on content structure, schema markup, and entity clarity.
Do I need to learn all of these terms to get started with AEO?
No. The glossary is a reference, not a prerequisite. Most businesses start with three fundamentals: clear website structure, schema markup, and well-organized FAQ content. Our AI Search Foundation covers all of this for you — no jargon required.
How is AI search different from traditional search?
Traditional search shows a list of results and lets you click through. AI search reads hundreds of sources and gives you a direct answer — naming specific businesses, products, or services. Instead of ranking on a page, you're either recommended by name or you're invisible.
What is the most important factor for AI visibility?
Our research shows website structure is the strongest predictor of AI citations. This includes clear heading hierarchy (H1, H2, H3), dedicated pages for each service or topic, and content organized in a way AI can easily parse and extract.
Where can I learn more about AEO strategy?
Start with our What Is AEO explainer for the basics, then explore our published research for data-backed insights. Our blog covers specific tactics like schema markup, content structure, and FAQ optimization. For a personalized assessment, try the free AI Visibility Checker.
Ready to put this into practice?
Get a personalized AI visibility report for your business. We'll show you exactly where you stand and what to do about it.