Getting Started with AEO

My Story (And Maybe Yours?)

I missed the Google SEO boat completely.

When everyone was building link farms and keyword-stuffing in the 2000s, I wasn't paying attention. When content marketing became huge in the 2010s, I was focused on other things. By the time I had a website that actually mattered, SEO felt impossibly complex.

Sound familiar?

Then AI search happened. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Google's AI Overviews. Suddenly there was a new game starting, and for once, I was here early.

This time, I'm not missing out.

That's what this site is about — figuring out AEO before it becomes mandatory. Learning in public, sharing what works, admitting what doesn't.

If you're in the same boat (missed SEO, don't want to miss this), let's figure it out together.

What Even Is AEO?

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is optimizing your content to be cited by AI search engines.

Instead of optimizing for page rankings, you optimize for citations. When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity a question, you want them to cite your site in the answer.

Example:

• SEO Goal: Rank #1 for "best running shoes"
• AEO Goal: Get cited when ChatGPT recommends running shoes

The user might never visit your site, but they see your brand, trust your expertise, and remember your name.

Why Should You Care?

The reality: AI search is already here. People are using it instead of Google for quick questions. If you're not optimized for AI, you're becoming invisible.

But here's the good news: Most sites aren't optimized for AEO yet. You're still early.

Your First 3 Steps (Start Here)

Step 1: Add llms.txt (5 minutes)

This is the easiest win. Create a file called llms.txt at your site root that tells AI engines about your content.

What it looks like:

# AEO Mastery - AI Search Optimization

## About
This site documents real AEO experiments and results.

## Pages
- https://aeomastery.org/blog/seo-vs-aeo-7-differences/ : Differences between SEO and AEO
- https://aeomastery.org/getting-started/ : Beginner's guide to AEO
- https://aeomastery.org/tools/ : Free AEO tools and resources

Use our tool: llms.txt Generator (creates it for you)

Step 2: Test Your Site (2 minutes)

Ask ChatGPT or Perplexity about your main topic. See if your site gets mentioned.

Example queries:

• "Best [your topic] tools for beginners"
• "How to [solve problem your site addresses]"
• "What are the top [your niche] resources?"

If you're not mentioned, don't panic. Most sites aren't yet. You're about to fix that.

Step 3: Optimize One Article (30 minutes)

Pick your best article and make these changes:

1. Add a clear answer in the first paragraph — Don't make AI hunt for your point
2. Use question-based headers — "What is X?" not just "X"
3. Define key terms clearly — AI loves definitions
4. Add schema markup — Article schema at minimum
5. Include entity links — Link to Wikipedia for key concepts

Template for the first paragraph:

"[Topic] is [clear definition]. The key benefits are [3 main points]. This guide covers [what you'll learn] based on [your experience/testing]."

What's Different About AEO?

Your AEO Learning Path

Once you've done the basics above, here's what to tackle next:

Free Tools to Get Started

I'm building tools as I learn. All free, all based on what's actually working:

• llms.txt Generator — Creates your llms.txt file
• AEO Audit Tool — Checks your site's AEO readiness
• Citation Tracker — Track AI mentions (coming soon)

What I'm NOT Promising

What I AM promising: Honest testing, real numbers, and updates when things change.

Join the Experiment

Want to follow along as I figure this out?

Questions? Email me: hello@aeomastery.org

I actually respond. Usually within a few hours.