What is AEO visibility, actually?

What is the AEO visibility formula?

For a mention-rate view, divide captured answers mentioning the brand by all successfully captured answers in the selected scope, then multiply by 100. Keep failed and missing checks visible separately.

For example, if 4 of 10 captured answers mention a brand, its mention rate in that sample is 40%. This is an arithmetic illustration, not a customer result. If another five checks failed, the 40% describes only the ten captured answers; the missing coverage limits what you can conclude.

Each question can produce a separate observation for each engine and market. Check the selected date range, prompt set, location and engine filters before comparing figures. See how scoring works for the product's score context.

How are mentions, citations and recommendations different?

• Mention: The answer names the brand. Read the context; a mention can be positive, neutral or negative.
• Citation: The answer supplies a source reference. A citation to your page and a citation to a third-party page are different evidence.
• Recommendation: The answer presents the brand as an option for the buyer's need. Being named in an unrelated passage does not establish a recommendation.

A brand may be mentioned without an owned-page citation. A page may be cited without the brand being recommended. Keep these distinctions when deciding what to improve.

What should you investigate when visibility is low?

Start with the actual answers and website findings, rather than assuming one score identifies the cause.

Buyer-question fit. Do the questions describe your services, audience and markets? Keep a representative mix rather than choosing only easy branded questions.

Page clarity and evidence. Can a buyer find a direct answer, relevant service detail and support for important claims? Review generated copy before publishing and avoid invented facts.

Search access. Check that pages intended for discovery are reachable and eligible for indexing. Search and training controls can differ. Use OpenAI's crawler reference and Google's AI search guidance when reviewing the relevant platform.

Competitor and source evidence. Inspect which competitors were named and the sources returned with those answers. Open source pages before claiming that they mention or endorse a business.

These are investigation paths, not a complete explanation of an engine's selection process.

How does AEO relate to SEO and GEO?

SEO focuses on discovery through search results. AEO focuses on answering buyer questions and observing appearances in answer-oriented experiences. GEO is commonly used for work on generative search visibility. The terms overlap, so evaluate the actual workflow and measurements a provider offers.

Google says existing SEO best practices remain relevant to its AI features and that no special optimisation is required for inclusion. Its guidance does not guarantee inclusion. Read Google's requirements.

Keep your search traffic and conversion reporting. Add AI answer observations as another source of evidence rather than assuming one channel replaces another.

What does good AEO visibility look like?

There is no universal percentage that establishes category leadership. A small branded sample, a broad unbranded sample and a local service sample answer different questions. Do not compare their percentages as if the underlying coverage were identical.

A useful baseline records the scope, captured answers, missing checks and important competitors. Compare later observations under the same conditions and investigate individual gains or losses. Track relevant visits, enquiries and customers separately; visibility alone does not prove revenue impact.

What should you do next?

1. Select representative buyer questions and markets, then capture a baseline within your plan's coverage.
2. Review a commercially relevant gap and its supporting answer or audit evidence.
3. Prepare a fix prompt or draft, confirm the business facts and implement the reviewed change.
4. Verify the issue on a new audit and compare subsequent visibility observations.

A follow-up scan may show a change. It cannot establish that your edit alone caused it or promise when improvement will occur.