aeo/
├── ai-overview-audit-{date}.json     # Google AI Overview analysis
├── perplexity-audit-{date}.json      # Perplexity citation analysis
├── entity-optimization.json          # Entity and authority audit
├── brand-serp-{date}.json            # Brand SERP analysis
├── structured-data-audit.json        # AI-focused schema audit
├── enhance-aeo-{date}.json           # Enhanced AEO discovery results
├── question-master-list.json         # All discovered questions (deduplicated)
├── ai-visibility-scorecard.json      # Keyword-by-keyword AI test results
├── aeo-checklist-results/
│   └── {url-slug}-aeo.json           # Per-page AEO scores
└── .firecrawl/
    ├── paa-*.json                    # People Also Ask results
    ├── auto-*.json                   # Autocomplete mining results
    ├── reddit-*.json                 # Reddit question mining results
    ├── quora-*.json                  # Quora question mining results
    ├── atp-*.json                    # AnswerThePublic-style question map
    └── ai-test-*.json                # AI visibility test results

Understanding AI Search Engines

Google AI Overviews

Appears at top of Google search results for informational queries
Synthesizes information from multiple sources
Cites sources with links — being cited drives traffic
Favors: well-structured content, direct answers, authoritative sources, recent data

Perplexity

AI-powered answer engine that cites sources inline
Prioritizes: factual accuracy, well-structured content, source diversity, clear attribution
Being the definitive source for niche topics is key
Structured data and clear headings improve extraction

ChatGPT / Bing

ChatGPT with browsing can cite web sources
Bing powers much of the web search integration
Entity signals (Wikipedia, Wikidata) strongly influence answers
Brand recognition and authority matter heavily

Google AI Overview Optimization

Step 1: Identify AI Overview Queries

# Search target keywords and check for AI Overview presence
firecrawl search "{target-keyword}" --scrape --limit 5 -o .seo/clients/{slug}/aeo/.firecrawl/aio-{slug}.json --json

Check search results for AI Overview indicators. Not all queries trigger AI Overviews — focus on those that do.

Step 2: Analyze Cited Sources

For queries where AI Overviews appear, identify which sources get cited:

Common traits of AI Overview sources:

Direct answer to the query in the first 1-2 sentences
Well-structured with clear H2/H3 headings
Uses lists, tables, and structured formats
Contains specific data, statistics, or facts
Has proper schema markup (FAQPage, HowTo, Article)
Is from a recognized authoritative domain
Content is recent and up-to-date
Uses concise, factual language (not marketing fluff)

Step 3: Optimize Content for AI Citation

For each target page:

Lead with the answer: First 50 words should directly answer the likely query
Use definition format: "X is Y that Z" for concept queries
Structure for extraction: Use H2 headings that match common questions
Include data: Statistics, percentages, specific numbers are preferred
Add comparison tables: AI loves structured data it can reference
Keep paragraphs short: 2-3 sentences max for easy extraction
Use authoritative language: Cite sources, link to studies, reference standards

Perplexity Citation Optimization

What Perplexity Prioritizes

Factual accuracy: verifiable claims with sources
Comprehensive coverage: thorough treatment of the topic
Clear structure: headings, lists, tables that make extraction easy
Source credibility: established domains with good reputation
Unique information: original data, research, or perspectives
Recency: up-to-date content with current data

Optimization Tactics

Become the definitive source: For niche topics, create the most comprehensive resource
Original data: Publish surveys, studies, or data analysis that others cite
FAQ format: Question-and-answer format maps directly to how Perplexity answers queries
Entity clarity: Make it unambiguous what entity/brand/concept the content is about
Cross-reference: Link to authoritative sources to build credibility
Update frequency: Keep content fresh with regular updates and current year references

ChatGPT / Bing Optimization

Bing SEO Fundamentals

Bing weighs some factors differently than Google:

Exact-match keywords: Bing is more keyword-literal than Google
Social signals: Bing considers social media activity more
Multimedia: Bing favors pages with images and video
Domain age: Established domains get more credit
Official sources: Bing strongly favors .gov, .edu, and Wikipedia

Entity Signals for ChatGPT

ChatGPT's knowledge includes entities from:

Wikipedia: Having a Wikipedia page significantly increases brand/entity recognition
Wikidata: Structured entity data feeds into AI knowledge bases
Social profiles: Consistent entity data across LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Crunchbase
News coverage: Press mentions train AI models on brand associations
Schema.org Organization: sameAs links to all official profiles

Action items:

Check if brand/founder has a Wikipedia page (if notable enough to qualify)
Verify Wikidata entry exists and is accurate
Ensure consistent brand information across all platforms
Build press coverage and news mentions
Implement Organization schema with comprehensive sameAs links

Structured Data for AI Consumption

Beyond standard SEO schema, these types specifically help AI extraction:

FAQPage Schema

Most impactful for AEO — provides direct Q&A pairs AI can quote:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "What is {topic}?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Concise, direct answer here. {topic} is..."
      }
    }
  ]
}

HowTo Schema

Step-by-step instructions AI can present directly:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to {do thing}",
  "step": [
    { "@type": "HowToStep", "name": "Step title", "text": "Step description" }
  ]
}

DefinedTerm Schema

For glossary/definition content AI frequently references:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "DefinedTerm",
  "name": "Term Name",
  "description": "Clear definition of the term"
}

Speakable Property

Mark content suitable for voice assistants:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Article",
  "speakable": {
    "@type": "SpeakableSpecification",
    "cssSelector": [".article-summary", ".key-takeaway"]
  }
}

Organization with Comprehensive sameAs

Link all brand profiles for entity recognition:

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "{brand}",
  "url": "{domain}",
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/{brand}",
    "https://twitter.com/{brand}",
    "https://www.facebook.com/{brand}",
    "https://www.youtube.com/{brand}",
    "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{brand}",
    "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/{entity_id}",
    "https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/{brand}"
  ]
}

FAQ & Entity Optimization

Entity-First Writing Style

Define entities clearly on first mention
Use consistent terminology (don't switch between "AI search" and "answer engines" randomly)
Link entities to their canonical references
Use structured data to disambiguate entities

Brand Authority Signals Audit

Check these authority indicators:

Signal	How to Check	Status
Wikipedia page	`firecrawl search "{brand} wikipedia" --limit 3`	Present / Absent / Stub
Wikidata entry	`firecrawl search "wikidata {brand}" --limit 3`	Present / Absent
Knowledge Panel	`firecrawl search "{brand}" --limit 5` — check for KP in results	Triggered / Not triggered
Social profiles verified	Check LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube	All present / Gaps
News coverage	`firecrawl search "{brand}" --sources news --limit 10`	Recent / Stale / None
Industry mentions	`firecrawl search "{brand} {industry}" --limit 10`	Strong / Moderate / Weak
Schema Organization	Scrape homepage for Organization schema	Present / Incomplete / Missing
sameAs links	Check if Organization schema links to all profiles	Complete / Incomplete

Brand SERP Management

Analyze what appears when someone searches the brand name:

firecrawl search "{brand_name}" --scrape --limit 20 -o .seo/clients/{slug}/aeo/.firecrawl/brand-serp.json --json

Audit the First Page

For each result on page 1 of brand search:

Position	URL	Type	Sentiment	Owned?
1	example.com	Homepage	Positive	Yes
2	linkedin.com/company/...	Social	Positive	Yes
3	yelp.com/biz/...	Review	Mixed	No (but manageable)
...	...	...	...	...

Goals:

Own positions 1-5 with: homepage, social profiles, blog, about page
Monitor positions 6-10: review sites, press, directories
Flag negative results and develop strategy to push them down
Ensure Knowledge Panel is accurate and complete

Brand SERP Optimization

Claim and optimize all social profiles: LinkedIn, Twitter/X, Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok (whichever are relevant)
Optimize for branded keywords: Ensure homepage title includes brand name, about page ranks for "about {brand}"
Review management: Respond to all reviews, encourage positive reviews to improve review site listings
Press and PR: Create newsworthy content that generates branded press mentions
Knowledge Panel: Submit edits via Google if panel exists, build entity signals if it doesn't

Per-Page AEO Checklist

For each important page, score against these AI-readiness factors:

Factor	Check	Points
Direct answer in first 50 words	Does the opening directly answer the target query?	15
FAQ section present	Are there Q&A pairs on the page?	10
FAQPage schema	Is FAQ content wrapped in JSON-LD?	10
Clear entity markup	Organization/Person/Product schema present?	10
Structured data (lists/tables)	Does the page use lists and tables for key data?	10
Concise definitions	Are key terms defined clearly?	10
Authoritative sources cited	Does content link to studies, official sources?	10
Author byline with credentials	Is there a named, credible author?	10
Updated date visible	Does the page show a recent update date?	5
speakable content marked	Is key content marked for voice assistants?	5
sameAs links on entity pages	Do brand/person pages link to all profiles?	5

Total: 100 points

Grade: A (85-100), B (70-84), C (55-69), D (40-54), F (< 40)

Enhanced AEO Discovery (AI Question Discovery)

The /enhance-aeo command runs 5 deep-discovery modules to find what real people are asking AI engines about your topic, and tests how visible you are in AI-generated answers. No API keys needed — uses Firecrawl search to mine publicly available data.

Why This Matters

LLMs learn from and cite the same content that appears in:

Google's "People Also Ask" boxes
Google autocomplete suggestions
Reddit threads and Quora answers
FAQ-style content across the web

By mining these sources, you discover the exact questions people ask AI chatbots — and can create content that AI engines will cite.

Module 1: People Also Ask (PAA) Chain Mining

PAA questions are the strongest proxy for LLM queries. Google shows these because people commonly ask them — the same people then ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, etc.

Search patterns:

{keyword} — direct PAA boxes
what is {keyword} — definitional questions
how to {keyword} — procedural questions
why {keyword} — reasoning questions
{keyword} vs — comparison questions

Extract and deduplicate all PAA questions, group by intent.

Module 2: Google Autocomplete Mining

Autocomplete reflects real-time search behavior. Patterns:

{keyword} + [a, how, best, for, can, should, is]

Cross-reference with PAA results — overlapping questions are highest priority.

Module 3: Reddit & Quora Question Mining

These platforms are where real people ask real questions in natural language — the same format they use with AI chatbots. LLMs are also trained on this data.

seo-aeo

AI Search Optimization (AEO)

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