Why AEO Matters Now
Over 50% of searches now end without a click. AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude are becoming the primary research layer for B2B buyers.
If your brand isn't cited in those answers, you're invisible.
The AEO Framework
Step 1: Establish Entity Authority
Google and LLMs learn about your brand through structured mentions across authoritative sources. Get featured in:
- Industry publications
- Podcast transcripts
- Wikipedia / Wikidata (for established brands)
- LinkedIn articles with high engagement
Step 2: Answer Questions Better Than Anyone
LLMs are trained on content that directly answers specific questions. Write content that is:
- Specific: "How to write a cold email for SaaS" not "Cold email tips"
- Structured: Use headers, bullets, clear conclusions
- Cited: Link to primary sources and data
Step 3: Schema Markup
FAQ schema, HowTo schema, and Article schema all help AI crawlers understand your content's purpose.
Step 4: Build Topical Clusters
Don't write 1 article on a topic. Build a hub-and-spoke model with 10–15 supporting pieces per core theme.
What to Measure
- Brand mention share in AI tools (use tools like Profound or Manual testing)
- Organic traffic from AI-referred sessions
- Branded search volume growth
AEO isn't a replacement for SEO — it's the evolution of it.