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Section 1: Technical Foundation
Core technical requirements AI crawlers and LLMs need to index your site
Your site is indexed and crawlable (no noindex on key pages)
AI engines cannot cite content they cannot access. Verify in Google Search Console.
You have a clean, up-to-date XML sitemap submitted to Google
A sitemap helps search engines and AI crawlers discover all your content efficiently.
Your site loads in under 3 seconds on mobile (Core Web Vitals pass)
Slow sites are less likely to be cited. Google uses page experience as a ranking signal for AI Overviews.
You have HTTPS enabled and no mixed content warnings
HTTPS is a baseline trust signal. Insecure sites are rarely cited as authoritative sources.
Section 2: Content Structure
How you format and organize content for AI comprehension
Your key pages answer a specific question in the first 100 words
AI engines extract direct answers. If your intro is vague or padded, you will not be cited.
You use clear H1/H2/H3 heading hierarchy throughout your content
Structured headings allow LLMs to parse sections and attribute quotes accurately.
Your content includes FAQ sections with question-and-answer format
FAQs are the highest-cited content format in ChatGPT and Perplexity answers.
You publish long-form content (1,500+ words) on your core topics
Depth signals topical authority. Thin content is skipped in AI synthesis.
Section 3: Schema Markup and Structured Data
Machine-readable signals that help AI understand who you are and what you know
You have Organization or LocalBusiness schema on your homepage
Schema tells AI engines your name, what you do, and where you operate. Without it, you are anonymous.
Your blog posts use Article schema with author, datePublished, and dateModified
Freshness signals matter. AI engines use dateModified to filter for current information.
You have FAQPage schema on pages with Q&A content
FAQPage schema is directly parsed by Google for AI Overviews and enables zero-click visibility.
You include BreadcrumbList schema for navigational clarity
Breadcrumbs help AI understand your site structure and topical hierarchy.
Section 4: Authority and Trust Signals
External signals that tell AI engines your content is worth citing
Your authors have named bylines and bio pages with credentials
E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) is a direct input to AI citation probability.
You have backlinks from at least 10 referring domains
Inbound links are the strongest authority signal. ChatGPT and Perplexity pull from high-authority sources first.
Your brand is mentioned on third-party sites (blogs, directories, forums)
Unlinked brand mentions train AI models that your brand is real and relevant. Reddit, Quora, LinkedIn all count.
You cite your sources with outbound links to authoritative references
Sourcing signals intellectual honesty. AI engines prefer content that behaves like trusted journalism.
Section 5: AI-Specific Optimization
GEO/AEO tactics that go beyond classic SEO
You have tested whether your brand appears in ChatGPT or Perplexity answers
You cannot improve what you do not measure. Search your brand + niche in ChatGPT and Perplexity right now.
Your content directly answers "how to" and "what is" queries in your niche
Conversational queries are how people use AI search. Match the query format, not just the keyword.
You publish original data, statistics, or research at least once per quarter
Original data is the most cited content type in AI answers. A single stat page can drive hundreds of AI citations.
You have a dedicated "About" page that clearly explains who you are, your credentials, and what you offer
AI engines use About pages to build entity context. A strong About page is a direct E-E-A-T signal.
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