AI search, AEO and GEO
How AI answer engines actually choose and describe sources, what you can control, and what nobody can promise you. The what and the why rather than the step-by-step.
12 articles
llms.txt vs. Schema Markup: Which One Do AI Engines Actually Use?
97% of llms.txt files get zero requests. See what llms.txt vs schema markup each do, which AI systems read them, and where to spend your time.
Can AI Actually Make Sense of Your Page? The Read Pillar Explained
A page can look fine and still trip up AI. Here's exactly what the Read pillar checks: headings, canonical tags, hidden "don't show this" settings, and more.
Can AI Crawlers Actually Reach Your Site? The Discover Pillar Explained
A site can look perfect in a browser and be invisible to AI crawlers. Here's exactly what "Discover" checks, which bots matter, and how to fix it.
Entity Grounding: The Difference Between an AI Guessing and an AI Knowing
An AI can sound right about your business and still be guessing. Entity grounding is the difference, and it's the gap most schema tools ignore.
Readiness vs. Visibility: The One Distinction That Explains AI Search
AI readiness is what you control. AI visibility isn't. Here's the difference, why it matters, and how to actually measure the part you can fix.
Is Schema Markup Worth It in 2026? The Honest Answer
Google killed FAQ rich results and a study found schema doesn't move AI citations. The honest cost/benefit, and why the answer is still yes.
Is Your Schema Markup an AI Spam Risk? (Google, May 2026)
Google's May 2026 spam policy now covers manipulating AI Overviews. Here's what changed, which schema practices carry real risk, and how to stay clear.
AEO vs GEO vs SEO: What's Actually Different (2026)
A clear, honest breakdown of AEO, GEO, and SEO, what each term actually means, where they overlap, and why AEO is still SEO, not a replacement for it.
Does Schema Markup Help With AI Overviews? What Google Actually Says
Google says no special schema is required for AI Overviews. Here's what its docs actually say, which claims don't hold up, and what to do instead.
How to Build Your Brand's Entity Profile
The complete, non-technical guide to your brand's entity profile: what it is, why it matters, and how to build the foundation of AI search visibility.
How to Get Cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and AI Overviews
Most sites blocking AI bots block the wrong ones. The three crawler families, a working robots.txt, and what actually earns citations in AI answers.
What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?
AEO explained without the hype: what the term actually means, what the evidence supports, which advice has gone stale, and how to measure it.