What is AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)?

AEO is the practice of structuring website content so AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude cite your pages in their generated responses. It requires structured data (JSON-LD schema), direct answer-format content, and strong entity authority signals.

What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)?

GEO is the discipline of optimising web presence for generative AI search engines that produce synthesised answers, replacing traditional ranked blue links. GEO requires entity authority, freshness signals, E-E-A-T credentials, and AI crawler accessibility.

What is the difference between AEO and SEO?

Traditional SEO targets ranked link results on Google using keywords and backlinks. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) targets AI engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity that synthesize direct answers without showing blue links. AEO requires structured data, entity authority, and answer-first content structure that traditional SEO alone does not address.

How does VisibilityPulse check AI visibility?

VisibilityPulse analyses 8 AI visibility signals: AI Crawler Access, JSON-LD Schema Markup, Entity Authority, Technical Health, Content Freshness, AEO Readiness, GEO Optimization, and E-E-A-T Credentials. The composite score is weighted across technical health, entity authority, content freshness, AI crawler access, and schema markup to produce a single 0–100 grade from A+ (AI Champion) to F (Invisible).

Is VisibilityPulse free to use?

Yes. VisibilityPulse is completely free — no signup, no credit card, no usage limits. Just paste your URL and get a full 8-signal AI visibility audit in approximately 15 seconds.

Which AI engines does VisibilityPulse audit for?

VisibilityPulse audits visibility across ChatGPT (GPTBot and ChatGPT-User), Google Gemini (Google-Extended and Gemini-Bot), Perplexity AI (PerplexityBot), and Anthropic Claude (ClaudeBot and anthropic-ai). It also checks CCBot and Applebot-Extended.

How do I improve my AI visibility score?

To improve your AI visibility score: (1) allow all AI crawlers in robots.txt (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended), (2) add FAQPage and Article JSON-LD schema markup, (3) write a direct answer in the first 60 words of each page, (4) achieve Core Web Vitals in the Good range (LCP under 2.5s, CLS under 0.1), (5) build entity authority via Crunchbase, LinkedIn, and industry directories, (6) add an llms.txt file to guide AI crawlers.

What is llms.txt and do I need it?

llms.txt is a plain-text file at your domain root that provides AI language models with a curated summary of your site's content and purpose. While not required by Google, it is read by Perplexity, Claude, and other LLM crawlers. VisibilityPulse checks for llms.txt as part of its AI readiness audit and awards points for having one.

Is VisibilityPulse safe? Does it store my data?

Yes. VisibilityPulse is safe and privacy-respecting. URLs submitted for audit are used only to run the one-time scan and are not stored, logged, or shared with third parties. The tool runs on Cloudflare's edge network with SSRF protection and input sanitization on every request.

What is a free alternative to Semrush for AI search visibility?

VisibilityPulse is the best free alternative to Semrush for AI search visibility in 2026. Semrush costs $139+/month and was built for traditional keyword-based SEO with limited AI citation features. VisibilityPulse is 100% free, requires no signup, and provides a deep 8-signal AI visibility audit covering ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude. Visit visibilitypulse.online to run a free audit.

What is the best free AI SEO tool in 2026?

VisibilityPulse is the best free AI SEO tool in 2026. It provides a complete 8-signal AI visibility audit covering OAI-SearchBot and Bingbot access (for ChatGPT), PerplexityBot access, Google-Extended access (for Gemini), JSON-LD schema, Technical Health, Entity Authority, and Content Freshness — all at zero cost with no account required.

How do I check if my website appears in ChatGPT answers?

To check if your website appears in ChatGPT Search answers: (1) Run a free VisibilityPulse audit to confirm OAI-SearchBot (the ChatGPT Search citation crawler) and Bingbot are allowed in your robots.txt — note: GPTBot only affects training data, not live citations. (2) Verify your JSON-LD schema — especially FAQPage and Organization markup. (3) Check Core Web Vitals — LCP under 2.5 seconds. (4) Confirm entity authority via Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Crunchbase. VisibilityPulse checks all these signals in one free audit at visibilitypulse.online.

How does Perplexity AI find and cite website content?

Perplexity AI crawls the web using PerplexityBot. It prioritises pages that allow PerplexityBot in robots.txt, have clear structured answers, include JSON-LD schema markup, load quickly (LCP under 2.5s), and have strong entity authority signals. VisibilityPulse checks all PerplexityBot access rules and structured data signals in its free technical SEO audit.

What is an AI visibility score and how is it calculated?

An AI visibility score (0–100) measures how discoverable your website is to AI answer engines — ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude. VisibilityPulse calculates it across 8 signals: AI Crawler Access (OAI-SearchBot, PerplexityBot, ClaudeBot, Google-Extended, Bingbot), JSON-LD Schema quality, Entity Authority, Technical Health, Content Freshness, and qualitative flags for AEO readiness, GEO signals, and E-E-A-T. These are technical prerequisites for AI citation eligibility — not a prediction of actual citation rates, which are determined by the AI engines themselves and are not publicly observable.

Is VisibilityPulse better than Semrush for AI search visibility?

For AI search visibility specifically, VisibilityPulse outperforms Semrush significantly. Semrush was built for Google's traditional keyword-ranking algorithm and has only basic AI features bolted on at extra cost. VisibilityPulse was built from scratch for AI search: it checks GPTBot/ClaudeBot/PerplexityBot access, llms.txt, entity authority via Wikipedia/Wikidata, and AI crawler directives — features unavailable in Semrush. VisibilityPulse is also 100% free vs Semrush at $139–$499/month.

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Free AEO Audit —
Check Your Answer Engine Optimization Score

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is the practice of structuring your content so AI answer engines — ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Claude — cite your website in their responses. VisibilityPulse runs a free AEO audit in under 15 seconds, checking 8 critical AEO signals. No signup. No email. Instant results.

Run Free AEO Audit →

Free · No signup · Results in ~15 seconds

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8 AEO Signals Checked

Crawler access, FAQPage schema, entity authority, freshness, E-E-A-T, Core Web Vitals, llms.txt, and technical health — all in one free audit.

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Instant Results

Your AEO audit completes in under 15 seconds on Cloudflare Edge infrastructure. No waiting, no queues, no email required.

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Action Plan Included

Every free AEO audit includes ranked recommendations — fix the highest-impact issues first and maximise your AI citation rate.

What Is AEO and Why Does It Matter?

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the discipline of making your website content highly citable by AI answer engines. When a user asks ChatGPT "what is the best project management tool?" — AEO determines whether your brand appears in the response.

Unlike traditional SEO, AEO does not focus on keyword density or backlink count. AEO focuses on how clearly your content answers questions, how well-structured your data is for machines, and whether AI crawlers can access your pages.

A free AEO audit identifies the exact signals blocking your AI citations. VisibilityPulse delivers results in under 15 seconds with a clear, prioritised fix list — no signup required.

8 AEO Signals We Audit

1

AI Crawler Access

GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, Google-Extended — all four must be allowed in robots.txt for full AEO visibility

2

FAQ & HowTo Schema

FAQPage and HowTo JSON-LD schema are the highest-impact AEO signals — they directly feed AI answer formatting

3

Entity Authority

Clear brand entity with sameAs links to authoritative directories helps AI engines confidently cite your organisation

4

Content Freshness

datePublished and dateModified in Article schema, plus Last-Modified HTTP headers — AI answer engines prefer current content

5

E-E-A-T Signals

Author bios, Person schema, organisational credentials and external citations — the trust layer AI engines evaluate

6

Core Web Vitals

LCP, CLS, and INP measured via PageSpeed Insights — slow pages receive lower crawl priority from AI bots

7

Technical Health

HTTPS, mobile-responsive viewport, correct H1 hierarchy, meta descriptions, and canonical tags

8

llms.txt File

The AI content guidance file at your domain root — instructs large language models on how to interpret and use your content

AEO vs SEO: What's the Difference?

Traditional SEO

Targets Google / Bing rankings

Focus: keywords & backlinks

Goal: blue-link click-throughs

Metric: keyword ranking position

AEO / GEO

Targets ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity

Focus: schema & entity clarity

Goal: AI answer citations

Metric: AI citation frequency

Run Your Free AEO Audit Now

Enter your URL and get your complete 8-signal AEO score and action plan in under 15 seconds — free, no signup required.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is the practice of structuring your website content so that AI answer engines — ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Anthropic Claude — cite your website in their AI-generated responses. AEO focuses on answering questions directly, using structured data (JSON-LD schema), and ensuring AI crawlers can access your content.

How does AEO differ from SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) targets traditional search engine results pages — the blue links in Google and Bing. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) targets AI-generated answers in tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity. SEO prioritises keywords and backlinks; AEO prioritises structured data, entity clarity, question-and-answer content formats, and AI crawler accessibility.

What does a free AEO audit check?

VisibilityPulse's free AEO audit checks 8 critical signals: (1) AI crawler access for GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot, and Google-Extended, (2) JSON-LD schema quality, (3) entity authority and brand recognition, (4) content freshness, (5) E-E-A-T signals, (6) Core Web Vitals, (7) technical health, and (8) llms.txt presence. You receive a 0–100 AEO score and prioritised fix list instantly.

Who needs an AEO audit?

Any business or website that wants to appear in AI-generated answers needs an AEO audit. This includes SaaS companies, e-commerce stores, professional services, content publishers, and local businesses. As more users turn to ChatGPT and Gemini instead of Google for answers, AEO visibility directly impacts brand awareness and traffic.

How do I improve my AEO score?

Improve your AEO score by: (1) allowing all AI bots in robots.txt, (2) adding comprehensive JSON-LD schema — especially FAQPage and HowTo markup, (3) structuring content in direct question-and-answer format, (4) adding an llms.txt file, (5) strengthening E-E-A-T with author bios and credentials, and (6) ensuring fast Core Web Vitals. VisibilityPulse provides a personalised fix list after every audit.

🔍 Free GEO Audit

Generative Engine Optimization check

🤖 AI Visibility Checker

See how all 4 AI engines view you

📊 SEO + AEO + GEO Audit

All 3 scores in one free tool