Originally published at claudeguide.io/aeo-get-cited-ai-2026
AEO 2026: How to Get Cited by ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content so that AI engines — ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews — cite it in their answers. The key signals are: authoritative domain, structured direct answers in the first 60 words, schema markup (FAQ, HowTo, Article), and content that resolves a specific query without ambiguity. This guide covers each signal and how to implement it.
Why AEO is now as important as SEO
In 2023, Google processed roughly 8.5 billion searches per day. By early 2026, ChatGPT reports 100 million daily active users asking questions that previously went to Google. Perplexity processes over 10 million queries per day. Claude.ai, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot collectively handle hundreds of millions more.
The critical difference: AI engines return one answer, not ten blue links. The content that gets cited occupies the entire answer slot. Content that doesn't get cited gets zero visibility.
For most informational queries — "how does X work", "what is the best Y for Z", "compare A vs B" — AI engines are now the first stop.
The 5 citation signals AI engines look for
Based on observed citation patterns across ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, content gets cited when it scores on these five dimensions:
1. Direct answer in the first paragraph
AI engines extract the answer from the opening of the article. The very first substantive paragraph should answer the query completely in 40–60 words. Don't bury the answer under background context.
Weak (not citeable):
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