Sample brief. This file shows the content format (content/README.md). It follows the Post artboard in
prototype/Post.dc.html. Replace every[CONFIRM]before review.
For years, being found online meant one thing: ranking on Google. That still matters. But more buyers now start their research by asking an AI assistant a question, and reading one synthesized answer instead of ten blue links.
If your brand isn’t part of that answer, you can lose the buyer before they ever reach a search results page.
What AI search optimization is
AI search optimization is the work of making your brand easy for AI-powered search tools to understand, trust and mention. You’ll also see it called AEO (answer engine optimization) or GEO (generative engine optimization). The labels differ; the goal is the same.
SEO gets you ranked. AI search optimization gets you recommended.
How AI answers decide which brands to mention
Each tool works differently, but most answers draw on a mix of the model’s training data and live web results. Brands tend to appear when they are:
- Clearly described. Your site states plainly what you do, for whom, and where.
- Mentioned elsewhere. Credible third-party sources such as directories, reviews and industry articles reference you.
- Directly useful. Your pages answer the questions buyers actually ask, in plain language.
- Consistent. Your name, services and details match everywhere they appear.
How it differs from traditional SEO
| Traditional SEO | AI search optimization | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank a page | Get the brand mentioned or cited |
| Unit | Keywords | Questions and prompts |
| Signals | Links, relevance, technical health | Clarity, mentions, consistency |
| Measured by | Rankings, clicks | Share of mentions across prompts |
They aren’t competitors. Strong SEO foundations, meaning fast, crawlable, well-structured pages, make AI optimization work better.
What you can do this quarter
- List 15–20 questions your buyers ask before they buy.
- Ask them in the AI tools your buyers use, and note who gets mentioned.
- Rewrite key pages to answer those questions directly.
- Make sure credible directories and partners describe you accurately.
- Re-check monthly and track the trend, not single answers.
[CONFIRM — first-hand example from our own work: what we checked, what changed, with a screenshot.]
Measuring it honestly
AI answers change from one query to the next, so be wary of anyone promising guaranteed citations. Track a fixed set of prompts over time, report the share of answers that mention you, and pair it with the business metrics that matter: qualified traffic and leads.
[CONFIRM — sources to cite for how AI tools select sources.]
