Questions we get a lot

SEO optimizes your presence for search engines like Google. AEO - Answer Engine Optimization - optimizes your presence for AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. When someone asks an AI for a recommendation, it isn't running a Google search. It draws from structured data, citations, and digital signals that are entirely separate from your Google ranking. You can have excellent SEO and still be completely invisible to AI.

No - and that's one of the most important things to understand about AEO. When a human visits your website, they see your design, your photos, your atmosphere. When an AI tool reads your website, it sees structured text, labels, and metadata. If your site isn't built with AI-readable signals in place - things like schema markup, structured descriptions, and AI-facing files embedded in your site - the AI either can't understand what your business is, or fills in the gaps with guesswork. That's why two businesses can have identical-looking websites, and one shows up in AI recommendations while the other doesn't.

Any local business where customers might ask an AI tool for a recommendation before visiting. Barbershops, fitness studios, dental offices, law firms, restaurants, boutique hotels, med spas, real estate agents, breweries - if someone in your city could plausibly type "best [your category] in [your city]" into ChatGPT, this audit is for you.

Quite possibly. Google reviews and a well-designed website are SEO signals - they help you rank on Google. AEO signals are different: schema markup, AI-facing files, structured FAQ content, and the way your site describes your business to an AI reader. In every market we've audited, many of the businesses with the best Google reviews are invisible in AI search. The two don't transfer automatically.

A strong score is worth protecting. AI search is evolving quickly, and businesses that are visible today can lose ground fast if competitors close the gap. The audit identifies both your vulnerabilities and the opportunities to build a more durable position - so you're not just showing up now, but staying there as the landscape shifts.

We run six search queries through leading AI tools - the same searches your prospective customer would actually type. We record which businesses appear, in what position, and whether your business is mentioned. Results reflect patterns observed across sources and may vary by session and model version, which is why we run multiple queries across multiple tools.

Typically 3-5 business days from payment. We'll confirm a time for your 30-minute walkthrough call at the same time, so your walkthrough session and your report are ready together.

The audit and walkthrough are our core offering. After the call, you'll have a clear, prioritized action list and enough context to move forward however works best for you - whether that's handling it yourself or exploring additional support from us. We're happy to discuss what makes sense for your situation.

We audit businesses across the US. AI is changing how consumers find businesses everywhere, so geography isn't a constraint. We've audited businesses in every region - and the methodology applies equally well in any market.

Some signals are picked up by AI tools within days of being published - particularly structural changes like schema markup and AI-facing files. Others, like citation building and press mentions, compound over weeks and months. Most businesses see meaningful movement in AI query results within 30-60 days of addressing the top three recommendations.