2/18/2025

How to Measure and Improve Your Business’s Performance in AEO and AI Search Engines

Katie Schieder
Katie Schieder Director of Inbound Marketing & Content

As artificial intelligence (AI) search engines like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity become more prominent, businesses must adapt their digital strategies to ensure they rank well in these AI-driven platforms. Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on optimizing for search engine result pages (SERPs), Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is about providing direct, high-quality answers that AI tools can use in responses. But how can you determine how well your business or website is performing in AI search, and what steps can you take to stay ahead of your competitors?

How to Evaluate Your Business’s AEO Performance

  1. Test AI Search Engines Yourself

    • Enter key questions related to your industry into ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
    • See if your brand, website, or content is mentioned in the responses.
    • Analyze the sources AI pulls from—if your competitors appear instead of you, it’s a sign that you need to refine your AEO strategy.

  2. Monitor Referral Traffic from AI Tools

    • While AI search engines often summarize content instead of linking directly, platforms like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Gemini sometimes provide source links.
    • Use Google Analytics and search console tools to check for traffic spikes from AI-driven referrals.

  3. Analyze Featured Snippets & Knowledge Panels

    • Traditional search still plays a role in AI responses. If your website appears in Google’s featured snippets or knowledge panels, AI is more likely to reference your content.
    • Optimize your website’s structured data (schema markup) to increase visibility in rich search results.

  4. Track Brand Mentions in AI-Generated Content

    • Tools like Brandwatch, Mention, or Google Alerts can help you track when AI-generated content includes your brand or competitors.
    • If competitors dominate AI-generated answers, you need to refine your content strategy.

How to Outrank Competitors in AI Searches

  1. Create AI-Friendly, High-Authority Content

    • AI search tools prioritize authoritative, well-structured content that directly answers user questions.
    • Use clear, structured formats such as:
      • FAQs
      • Step-by-step guides
      • Definition-style explanations
    • Incorporate relevant keywords naturally while ensuring content is informative and concise.

  2. Leverage Structured Data & Schema Markup

    • Implement FAQ schema, HowTo schema, and other structured data elements to make your content easily digestible by AI systems.
    • Ensure metadata (titles, descriptions, headings) is optimized for clarity and relevance.

  3. Build Topical Authority & Backlinks

    • AI tools pull from the most reputable sources. Increase your site’s authority by:
      • Publishing high-quality, expert-driven content.
      • Earning backlinks from reputable industry sources.
      • Getting mentioned in news articles, research papers, and other high-credibility publications.

  4. Optimize for Conversational & Voice Search

    • AI tools mimic human conversations, so your content should reflect natural language patterns.
    • Use question-based keywords (“What is the best marketing strategy for 2024?”) and conversational phrases.
    • Structure content in a way that AI can easily extract and repurpose in direct answers.

  5. Engage with AI Platforms & Developers

    • Many AI search engines, like Perplexity, pull from various knowledge bases and user contributions.
    • Participate in forums, submit feedback, and contribute expert insights to AI-powered platforms.
    • Ensure your business is accurately represented in AI training datasets by maintaining up-to-date Wikipedia pages, Wikidata entries, and authoritative business profiles.

Staying Ahead in AI Search

AI-driven search is changing the digital landscape, and businesses that fail to adapt risk losing visibility. By continuously testing your brand’s presence in AI search engines, optimizing content for AEO, and building authority through structured data and backlinks, you can ensure that your business stays competitive in this evolving space.

The key to success is not just ranking in traditional search but becoming the go-to source for AI-powered responses. Take action now, refine your digital strategy, and secure your place in the future of AI-driven search!