aeolisted

# Optimise content for LLM citation AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) optimises content to be **cited** in LLM-generated responses — distinct from SEO, which optimises for click-through rankings. The signal sets differ. ## AEO vs SEO | | SEO | AEO | |--|-----|-----| | Optimises for | Click-through ranking | Citation as authoritative source | | Success metric | Position 1-10, organic traffic | Citation count across LLMs | | Key signals | Backlinks, keywords, page speed | E-E-A-T, structured facts, primary-source signals | | Update cadence | Weeks–months | Days–weeks (LLM training cycles) | Both coexist — a page can rank #1 on Google AND be cited by Perplexity. ## E-E-A-T signals for LLM citation LLMs prefer content that looks like a primary source to their training data: | Signal | Implementation | |--------|---------------| | **Experience** | First-person case studies; dated real examples ("In our 2026 audit of 50 repos…") | | **Expertise** | Author bio with credentials; technical depth; cite primary sources | | **Authoritativeness** | External backlinks from authority domains; schema.org markup; Wikipedia presence | | **Trustworthiness** | HTTPS; contact info; transparent corrections; verifiable claims with data | **Factual density** — LLMs prefer pages with a high ratio of verifiable claims per 1,000 words. Prose that states facts > prose that describes opinions. ## Content structure for citation LLMs extract from: 1. **Direct-answer paragraphs** — a question as a