The AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) audit has become essential for any company wanting to control their visibility on artificial intelligence. This complete guide explains how to conduct an effective AEO audit.
What is an AEO Audit?
An AEO audit is a systematic analysis of your brand's presence in AI assistant responses like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Gemini. Unlike an SEO audit focusing on Google, an AEO audit evaluates how conversational AIs talk about you.
💡 Definition: See our complete AEO Audit definition in the glossary.
Why Conduct an AEO Audit in 2025?
The numbers speak for themselves:
- 100 million+ active ChatGPT users
- 40% of B2B searches go through AIs
- 60% of users trust AI recommendations
The 5 Steps of a Complete AEO Audit
1. Define target queries
Identify questions your potential customers ask AIs.
2. Query the 4 main AIs
| AI | Specificity | Importance |
|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Largest user base | Critical |
| Claude | B2B and technical audience | High |
| Perplexity | Citations and direct traffic | High |
| Gemini | Google integration | Critical |
3. Quantitative analysis
Measure mention rate, position, sentiment, and accuracy.
4. Competitive analysis
Compare your results with direct competitors.
5. Optimization recommendations
Conclude with a prioritized action plan.
Key AEO Audit Metrics
- AI Share of Voice: Your mention percentage vs competitors
- Average position: Where you appear in recommendations
- Accuracy rate: Correct info vs hallucinations
- Sentiment score: How AIs talk about you
