--- title: "How AEO Should Be Done: Our 6-Pillar Framework | VertoDigital" description: "The VertoDigital AEO framework: measure AI visibility, build a clear brand entity, write answer-first content, fix technical access for AI crawlers, earn off-site authority and track results." url: https://www.vertodigital.com/aeo/approach.html --- *Our Approach* # How AEO should be done AEO isn't a plugin or a trick. It's a repeatable process across six pillars — from measuring what AI says about you today to earning the trust that gets you recommended tomorrow. ## The 6 pillars of AEO Every engagement follows the same framework. The weight we put on each pillar depends on where you start. ### 1. Measure your AI visibility You can't improve what you don't measure. We start by finding out what AI actually says about you. - Build a **prompt set**: 50–150 real questions your buyers ask (discovery, comparison, "best X for Y", pricing, alternatives). - Run them across ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews / AI Mode, Perplexity, Gemini and Copilot. - Record: are you mentioned? cited with a link? recommended? how are you described? who wins instead? - Establish your baseline **AI share of voice** vs. key competitors. ### 2. Build a clear brand entity AI models think in "entities" — things with clear, consistent facts. If your facts are fuzzy or contradictory, AI hesitates to name you. - Define the core facts: who you are, what you do, for whom, where, and what makes you different. - Make those facts consistent on your site, LinkedIn, Google Business Profile, Crunchbase, G2/Clutch, directories and partner pages. - Strengthen About, Team and Service pages with real expertise, credentials and proof. - Add Organization, Product/Service and Person schema so machines read the facts without guessing. ### 3. Create answer-first content AI assistants quote content that answers a question clearly and early. We restructure and create content to be the best, most quotable answer. - Lead with the answer: a 40–60 word direct response at the top, then the detail. - Use question-based headings that mirror real prompts. - Add comparison tables, step lists, definitions and FAQs — formats AI loves to lift. - Publish original data, opinions and case studies: unique facts are what get cited. - Keep key pages fresh with visible "last updated" dates. ### 4. Fix technical access If AI crawlers can't reach or read your content, nothing else matters. - Review robots.txt and CDN/firewall rules so AI crawlers (e.g. GPTBot, OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended) are handled deliberately — not blocked by accident. - Make sure important content is in the HTML, not hidden behind heavy JavaScript, tabs or logins. - Implement structured data (FAQ, HowTo, Article, Product, Organization) and validate it. - Ensure Bing indexing is healthy — several AI assistants rely on Bing's index. - Optionally publish an `llms.txt` file summarising your key pages. ### 5. Earn off-site authority AI trusts what others say about you more than what you say about yourself. This is where many brands win or lose. - Map the sources AI actually cites for your prompts — then get present on them. - Reviews on G2, Capterra, Clutch, Trustpilot or Google, depending on your market. - Digital PR, expert commentary, podcasts, industry lists and "best of" roundups. - Authentic participation in communities like Reddit, LinkedIn and industry forums. - Partner, client and association pages that mention and link to you. ### 6. Track, report & iterate AI answers change constantly. AEO is an ongoing loop, not a one-off project. - Re-run the prompt set monthly and track share of voice, citations and sentiment. - Track AI referral traffic in GA4 (chatgpt.com, perplexity.ai, copilot, gemini) and tie it to leads. - Watch branded search growth as a signal of AI-driven awareness. - Feed learnings back into content, entity and authority work each month. ## What the first 90 days look like A clear plan so you know exactly what's happening and when. Days 1–30 ### Audit & baseline Prompt set, AI visibility baseline, competitor comparison, technical & entity audit, prioritised action plan. Days 31–60 ### Foundations & quick wins Technical fixes, schema, entity consistency, restructuring your top pages to be answer-first. Days 61–90 ### Content & authority New answer content for gap prompts, off-site authority plan in motion, first progress report vs. baseline. ## AEO do's and don'ts What works — and the shortcuts that waste budget or backfire. ### ✅ Do - Start from real buyer questions, not keywords - Give direct, factual answers early on the page - Keep brand facts consistent everywhere - Publish original data and genuine expertise - Invest in reviews and third-party mentions - Measure monthly and adjust ### ❌ Don't - Mass-produce generic AI content - Block AI crawlers without a deliberate decision - Stuff pages with keywords or fake FAQs - Spam communities or buy fake reviews - Treat AEO as a one-time project - Abandon SEO — it's still the foundation ## Ready to see where you stand? Every engagement starts with Pillar 1: a clear picture of your AI visibility today. [See our AEO packages](services.html) --- *VertoDigital · Sofia, Bulgaria · HTML version: [approach.html](approach.html)*