Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): how to get cited by AI
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content so AI answer engines can extract and cite it. The core moves: lead each section with a direct answer, use question-formatted headings, add FAQ/Article schema, and keep content fresh and crawlable.
What makes content easy for AI to cite?
Answer engines extract facts and rewrite them in their own words, then attribute the claim to a source. Content that states a clear, self-contained answer near the top is far more likely to be the cited source than content that buries the point.
Short paragraphs, descriptive headings phrased as questions, and explicit definitions all raise extraction confidence.
Which schema types matter most?
Use JSON-LD (not microdata). FAQPage and Article schema are the highest-leverage for AEO, with Organization and SoftwareApplication establishing entity identity. Schema doesn't guarantee a citation, but it measurably increases the odds.
Why does freshness matter?
AI engines favor recent content. Pages older than a few months tend to be cited less, so a periodic refresh of high-value pages is part of AEO, not a nice-to-have.
Frequently asked questions
SEO targets ranked links on a results page; AEO targets being the extracted, cited source inside an AI-generated answer. They share fundamentals but measure success differently.
It's optional but increasingly recommended — a simple markdown file that points AI systems at your most important, citable pages.