AEO Content Brief Template

This content brief template ensures every piece of content your team produces is structured for AI citation from the start. Instead of optimizing after publication, build AI-readiness into your content planning process.

When to Use This Template

Use this brief for any new content intended to be discovered and cited by AI engines: blog posts, guides, landing pages, product pages, or resource articles. It works best when filled out by an SEO or content strategist before the writer begins.

The Template

1. Target AI Queries

Before writing, identify the questions AI users ask that this content should answer.

Field	Your Input
Primary query	The main question this page answers (e.g., “What is answer engine optimization?”)
Secondary queries (3-5)	Related questions this page should also address
Search intent	Informational / Navigational / Commercial / Transactional
Target AI engines	ChatGPT / Perplexity / Google AI Overviews / All

Why this matters for AEO: AI engines match content to user queries semantically. Defining target queries upfront ensures your content directly answers what AI users are asking, not just what ranks in traditional search.

2. Direct Answer Statement

Write the answer to the primary query in 40-60 words. This becomes the opening of your content.

[Write your direct answer here. This should be a complete, standalone answer that AI could extract and cite without any additional context. Be specific, factual, and authoritative.]

Why this matters for AEO: AI engines extract answers from the first 40-60 words of a section. Leading with a direct answer increases the probability of citation by 3-4x compared to content that builds up to the answer.

3. Content Structure

Map out the page structure. Every H2 should match a query or sub-topic AI users ask about.

Section	Heading (H2)	Key Points	Query It Answers
1	[Heading]	[2-3 key points]	[Query]
2	[Heading]	[2-3 key points]	[Query]
3	[Heading]	[2-3 key points]	[Query]
4	[Heading]	[2-3 key points]	[Query]
FAQ	Frequently Asked Questions	[3-5 questions]	[Multiple queries]

Why this matters for AEO: AI engines parse content by heading structure. Each H2 section is evaluated independently as a potential answer. Clear, query-aligned headings dramatically improve citation rates.

4. Authority Signals

Define what makes this content authoritative and trustworthy.

Signal	Details
Author	Name, credentials, expertise area
Data sources	Studies, reports, or datasets to reference
Expert quotes	Any expert perspectives to include
Original insights	Unique data, analysis, or perspective you’re adding
Citations needed	External sources to link and reference

Why this matters for AEO: AI engines evaluate content against EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness). Content backed by named experts, data, and citations scores higher on Citability.

5. Schema Requirements

Define the structured data this page needs.

Schema Type	Required	Properties
Primary schema	e.g., Article, FAQPage, HowTo	Key properties
Breadcrumb	Yes	Home > [Section] > [Page]
Author	Yes	Person schema with credentials
Organization	Yes	Your company
FAQ (if applicable)	Yes/No	Q&A pairs

Why this matters for AEO: Schema markup is the most direct way to communicate content meaning to AI engines. Pages with proper schema are cited 2-3x more often than equivalent content without it.

6. Internal Linking Plan

Link To	Anchor Context	Why
[Glossary term URL]	When term is mentioned	Builds topical authority
[Related content URL]	In relevant section	Strengthens content cluster
[Product/service URL]	In recommendation section	Conversion path

Why this matters for AEO: Internal links help AI engines understand your content’s relationship to your broader expertise. Content within a well-linked topical cluster gets higher authority scores.

7. Content Quality Checklist

Before publishing, verify:

• Direct answer in first 40-60 words
• Every H2 maps to a specific query
• Author name and credentials visible on page
• Publication date displayed
• Schema markup implemented and validated
• Internal links to 3-5 related pages
• External citations to authoritative sources
• FAQ section with 3-5 questions and FAQ schema
• No jargon without explanation
• Specific data and examples included

How to Customize This Template

For blog posts: Add a “Key Takeaways” field above the structure section which becomes a summary box AI can extract.

For product pages: Replace “Authority Signals” with “Product Data” including specs, pricing, and review information.

For landing pages: Add a “Competitive Differentiation” section noting what makes your content unique versus what already ranks.

How Genrank Automates This

Genrank’s audit does what this brief does manually. It analyzes your published pages across all five AEO dimensions and tells you exactly what’s missing. Instead of guessing whether your content meets AI citation standards, Genrank scores each page and prioritizes the specific fixes that will have the highest impact on your citation rate.