AI-generated answers are rapidly becoming the new front page of the internet. Whether it's ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, or Perplexity, users are turning to AI assistants for quick, authoritative responses — and your brand’s visibility in those answers can make or break your digital strategy.
Welcome to the era of Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) — the next evolution of SEO. If your brand isn’t showing up in AI-generated responses, you’re missing out on a growing share of search visibility, trust, and traffic.
In this post, we’ll walk you through the ultimate AEO checklist to help your brand get discovered, cited, and trusted by AI models.
Why AEO Matters in 2025
Traditional SEO is no longer enough. AI assistants are reshaping how people search, and they don’t show ten blue links — they deliver one answer. That answer is often drawn from a mix of sources, and if your brand isn’t part of that mix, you’re invisible.
AEO is about ensuring your content is structured, credible, and optimised to be selected by AI models as a reliable source. It’s not just about ranking — it’s about being the answer.
✅ The Ultimate AEO Checklist
Here’s your comprehensive checklist to ensure your brand is AI-visible and AI-trusted:
1. Audit Your Brand’s AI Presence
- Search for your brand and key topics in ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity.
- Note where your brand is mentioned — and where it’s missing.
- Use tools like Promina to monitor AI visibility and benchmark against competitors.
2. Optimise for Entity Recognition
- Ensure your brand is recognised as a distinct entity in structured data (e.g., Schema.org).
- Use consistent naming conventions across your website, social profiles, and third-party listings.
- Create or update your brand’s Wikipedia and Wikidata entries if applicable.
3. Create Authoritative, Fact-Based Content
- Focus on evergreen, factual content that AI models can trust.
- Back up claims with citations, statistics, and reputable sources.
- Use clear, concise language — AI models favour well-structured, easy-to-parse content.
4. Structure Content for Machine Readability
- Use semantic HTML: headings, lists, tables, and bullet points.
- Include FAQs, glossaries, and how-to sections that directly answer common queries.
- Add structured data (JSON-LD) to help AI understand your content’s context.
5. Build Topical Authority
- Cover your niche comprehensively with interlinked content clusters.
- Regularly update cornerstone content to reflect the latest insights.
- Earn backlinks from trusted sources in your industry.
6. Monitor and Adapt
- Track how AI models reference your brand over time.
- Identify content gaps where competitors are cited but you’re not.
- Continuously refine your content strategy based on AI visibility insights.
Key Takeaways
- AEO is the new SEO: As AI assistants dominate search, optimising for answer engines is essential for brand visibility.
- Structure and credibility matter: AI models prefer clear, factual, and well-structured content from authoritative sources.
- Visibility is measurable: Platforms like Promina help you track, benchmark, and improve your brand’s presence in AI-generated answers.
Final Thoughts
The shift from search engines to answer engines is already underway. Brands that adapt early will gain a competitive edge in visibility, trust, and traffic. AEO isn’t just a trend — it’s a strategic imperative for digital teams in 2025.
How are you preparing your brand for the AI-first search landscape?
Explore how Promina can help you monitor, measure, and maximise your AI visibility. Start your free trial.