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What is AEO?
Answer Engine Optimization measures how citable your content is by AI search engines. An AEO score tells you whether ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude are likely to reference your content when answering questions.
GEO vs AEO — what’s the difference?
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
GEO is the practice — the set of techniques you use to optimize your site for AI search engines. It includes technical changes (structured data, robots.txt) and content strategy (FAQ schema, citation formatting).
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
AEO is the measurement — a score that quantifies how citable your content is right now. Think of GEO as the process and AEO as the scorecard that tells you how well you’re doing.
The 8 dimensions of AEO scoring
Foglift’s AEO Content Score evaluates your content across 8 weighted dimensions. Each dimension contributes to your overall citability by AI search engines.
1.Structured Data Richness
15%Presence and quality of JSON-LD, microdata, and schema.org markup. More structured data = easier for AI to parse.
Tip: Add Organization, Product, FAQ, and HowTo schemas to key pages.
2.Heading Clarity
12%Well-structured H1-H6 hierarchy with descriptive, question-format headings that AI can use as answer anchors.
Tip: Use question-format headings like 'What is X?' and 'How does Y work?'
3.FAQ Quality
15%Dedicated FAQ sections with FAQPage schema. AI engines heavily prefer Q&A formatted content for citation.
Tip: Add 5-10 real FAQs per page with concise, direct answers.
4.Entity Identity
12%Clear identification of your brand, products, and team through Organization and Person schema.
Tip: Ensure your About page has complete Organization schema with logo, founding date, and social profiles.
5.Content Depth
15%Comprehensive coverage of topics with sufficient word count, examples, and supporting evidence.
Tip: Aim for 1,500+ words on key pages. Include statistics, case studies, and concrete examples.
6.Citation Formatting
10%Statistics, quotes, and data points formatted for easy extraction. Numbered lists, bold key facts, and clear attributions.
Tip: Use bold text for key statistics. Format data as 'According to [source], X is Y.'
7.Topical Authority
10%Depth of content coverage across related topics. Multiple pages covering related subjects signal expertise.
Tip: Create topic clusters — a pillar page linked to 5-10 supporting articles.
8.AI Crawler Access
11%Whether GPTBot, ClaudeBot, and PerplexityBot can access and crawl your content via robots.txt.
Tip: Check your robots.txt — many sites accidentally block AI crawlers.
AEO grade scale
| Grade | What it means |
|---|---|
| A+ (90-100) | Highly citable. AI engines frequently reference your content. |
| A (80-89) | Well-optimized. Content is structured for AI citation. |
| B (70-79) | Good foundation. Some optimization needed for better citability. |
| C (60-69) | Average. Missing key signals that AI engines look for. |
| D (40-59) | Below average. Significant gaps in AI-readiness. |
| F (0-39) | Not optimized. AI engines are unlikely to cite your content. |
How to improve your AEO score
Add structured data
Implement JSON-LD schemas for your Organization, Products, FAQs, and HowTo guides. This is the single biggest lever.
Write Q&A content
Format key content as questions and answers with FAQ schema. AI engines love extracting Q&A pairs.
Unblock AI crawlers
Check your robots.txt and ensure GPTBot, ClaudeBot, and PerplexityBot are allowed to crawl your site.
Format for citation
Use bold statistics, clear data points, and attributable quotes that AI can easily extract and cite.
Related resources
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