Writing content briefs that get cited, not just ranked

SEO content briefs optimize for ranking against a query. AEO content briefs optimize for extraction by an LLM. The two overlap, but the differences matter.

What an AEO brief should specify

• Target buyer query. Not a keyword — a question. "How do I choose between X and Y" not "X vs Y."
• The exact sentence that should be extractable. If an LLM read this article, what one-sentence answer would it produce? Write that sentence and make sure it appears in the article.
• Three named comparisons. AEO content needs to take a stance. "Compared to A, we do X better. Compared to B, we trade off Y for Z."
• An FAQ block of 5–7 questions. With FAQPage schema. These get extracted verbatim more often than any other content type.
• Original data or research. Even one data point you publish first gives LLMs a reason to cite you specifically.

Structure that gets extracted

The first paragraph should be a TL;DR. LLMs extract the first ~200 words at a much higher rate than the rest. Put your one-sentence answer there.

Use H2s liberally. LLMs extract H2-then-paragraph patterns reliably. A wall of prose with no headers extracts much worse.

Use numbered lists for step-by-step content. Use bulleted lists for parallel options. Use definition lists for jargon explanations. Each structure cues the LLM differently.

Where most briefs fall short

1. No stance. "There are many factors to consider..." is invisible to LLMs. "Use X when [specific condition], not Y" is citable.
2. Generic Q&A. "What is X?" extracts poorly because everyone has that answer. "How does X handle [specific edge case]?" extracts well.
3. No comparison. Articles that don't name competitors don't get cited in comparison queries.
4. Buried original data. If you have a data point worth citing, put it in a callout or H2 in the first third of the article.

The brief template

1. Target query (the buyer question)
2. One-sentence answer (the extractable sentence)
3. Five sub-questions to answer in body
4. Three named comparisons
5. FAQ block (5–7 Q&As)
6. One original stat or finding
7. Outreach targets (where to pitch this for inclusion in listicles)

This is exactly the structure AEO Scanner generates when you click "Generate content brief" on any fix list item. Each brief is built from the actual sources the LLM cited for the query, not generic best-practice templates.