What is AEO and how is it different from SEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is the practice of structuring your site so AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overview cite you when someone asks a question. SEO targets the ten blue links. AEO targets being the quoted answer. The work overlaps — schema, page speed, content quality — but the goal is different.

What are robots.txt and schema markup, and why do they matter for AEO?

Two free public files. Your robots.txt tells AI crawlers — GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot — whether they can read your site. Your schema markup tags each page with structured meaning so AI knows your hours, prices, FAQ. Most local-business sites block AI by default and ship zero schema. Fix both and you start showing up.

Is AI search really replacing Google?

Not entirely, but the share is shifting fast. Gartner forecasts traditional search volume will drop 25% by 2026 . Adobe Digital Insights reported AI traffic to U.S. retail sites grew 393% year-over-year in Q1 2026 . The customers asking AI for recommendations are real, and they're a growing share.

How much does AEO cost?

Three tiers. Audit is $250 one-time. Setup and Hand-off is $700 one-time. Done-For-You runs $500 to $1,200 per month. We don't hide the prices and we don't quote different rates to different prospects. The tier you pick depends on whether you want to learn it, run it after, or have us manage it.

How long until I see results?

First measurable changes in about 30 days. Steady-state results around month six. The work is foundational — month one usually looks like a net loss because we're fixing things that should have been fixed before. By month twelve the curve compounds. Anyone promising faster is either lying or doing something that gets your business penalized.

Why are your prices so much lower than other agencies?

Two reasons. We cap year one at 5 St. Louis clients, so we don't carry agency overhead. And we run the actual work ourselves — there's no project manager, no account executive, no slide deck. Slow growth means deep service. If you want a logo on a portfolio of 200 clients, we are not the right fit.

Can you guarantee a #1 ranking or a ChatGPT citation?

No, and anyone who does is lying or breaking Google's rules. What we guarantee is the work itself: every month you see exactly what we did, you keep full access to your accounts, and you can stop any time. The result we shoot for is realistic ROI math, not a position promise.

What if I already have an SEO person?

AEO and SEO overlap, so good SEO work makes our job easier. We'll often coordinate with an existing person rather than replace them. If your SEO setup is solid, the audit is the right starting point — it tells you exactly which AEO-specific gaps need closing without redoing what already works.

What if I don't even have a website?

You can absolutely get cited by AI without a website. AI engines pull from Google Business Profile, Yelp, Foursquare, Apple Business Connect, and others. We'll claim and complete those first. A basic five-page site comes second. The site is the one piece you fully control, but it's not the foundation — your business listings are.

What about my Google Business Profile?

GBP is the single highest-ROI lever for local businesses. A complete, optimized GBP can move a business into the local 3-pack within 30–60 days with no other changes. If your profile is unclaimed, half empty, or missing photos, that's where every engagement starts. The Whitespark 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors Report still puts GBP at #1 for local pack.

What if I want to stop?

Stop. You own everything we touch — your domain, your GBP, your accounts, your content. We have no contract longer than month-to-month. If the work isn't paying off, you should leave, and honestly we'd rather know. Locking clients in is a sign that the work isn't good enough to keep them voluntarily.

Is 'AEO' the same as Answer Engine Optimization?

Yes. We use AEO as shorthand throughout the site. It's the same thing as Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — the industry hasn't settled on one term yet. Note: 'AEO' is also American Eagle Outfitters' stock ticker. Different industry, different trademark class. Our service is in the marketing-services class, not retail apparel.

Can I do this myself with the audit?

Yes. The Audit tier is built for that. You get the prioritized fix list, a 1-hour walkthrough, and you implement at your pace. Most owners can fix the high-impact items in an afternoon — robots.txt, Bing Webmaster Tools, schema basics. The audit credits toward Setup if you change your mind later.

Gateway Tech AEO

Answer Engine Optimization · St. Louis

Built by a Full-Stack engineer in St. Louis. Helping local businesses get cited by AI search.

AI search decides what to cite from two free public signals: your robots.txt — which decides whether AI can read your site — and your schema markup — which tells AI what each page means. Verifiable in your address bar — right now.

Send a free brief See pricing

Live AI-citation proof

Gemini · 2.5 Flash

ChatGPT · 5

How we think about AEO

Three pillars. If a tactic doesn't strengthen one, we don't do it.

Technical

Can AI find you?

Schema for LocalBusiness + FAQ
Mobile speed under 3 seconds
AI bots allowed in robots.txt

Authority

Can AI trust you?

Google Business Profile complete
Reviews + citations consistent
Brand mentioned across the web

Content

Do you answer what they ask?

Answer-first formatting
FAQ pages with schema
Local-intent landing pages

Common questions

What is AEO and how is it different from SEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is the practice of structuring your site so AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overview cite you when someone asks a question. SEO targets the ten blue links. AEO targets being the quoted answer. The work overlaps — schema, page speed, content quality — but the goal is different.
What are robots.txt and schema markup, and why do they matter for AEO?

Two free public files. Your robots.txt tells AI crawlers — GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot — whether they can read your site. Your schema markup tags each page with structured meaning so AI knows your hours, prices, FAQ. Most local-business sites block AI by default and ship zero schema. Fix both and you start showing up.
Is AI search really replacing Google?

Not entirely, but the share is shifting fast. Gartner forecasts traditional search volume will drop 25% by 2026. Adobe Digital Insights reported AI traffic to U.S. retail sites grew 393% year-over-year in Q1 2026. The customers asking AI for recommendations are real, and they’re a growing share.
How much does AEO cost?

Three tiers. Audit is $250 one-time. Setup and Hand-off is $700 one-time. Done-For-You runs $500 to $1,200 per month. We don’t hide the prices and we don’t quote different rates to different prospects. The tier you pick depends on whether you want to learn it, run it after, or have us manage it.
How long until I see results?

First measurable changes in about 30 days. Steady-state results around month six. The work is foundational — month one usually looks like a net loss because we’re fixing things that should have been fixed before. By month twelve the curve compounds. Anyone promising faster is either lying or doing something that gets your business penalized.
Why are your prices so much lower than other agencies?

Two reasons. We cap year one at 5 St. Louis clients, so we don’t carry agency overhead. And we run the actual work ourselves — there’s no project manager, no account executive, no slide deck. Slow growth means deep service. If you want a logo on a portfolio of 200 clients, we are not the right fit.
Can you guarantee a #1 ranking or a ChatGPT citation?

No, and anyone who does is lying or breaking Google’s rules. What we guarantee is the work itself: every month you see exactly what we did, you keep full access to your accounts, and you can stop any time. The result we shoot for is realistic ROI math, not a position promise.
What if I already have an SEO person?

AEO and SEO overlap, so good SEO work makes our job easier. We’ll often coordinate with an existing person rather than replace them. If your SEO setup is solid, the audit is the right starting point — it tells you exactly which AEO-specific gaps need closing without redoing what already works.
What if I don't even have a website?

You can absolutely get cited by AI without a website. AI engines pull from Google Business Profile, Yelp, Foursquare, Apple Business Connect, and others. We’ll claim and complete those first. A basic five-page site comes second. The site is the one piece you fully control, but it’s not the foundation — your business listings are.
What about my Google Business Profile?

GBP is the single highest-ROI lever for local businesses. A complete, optimized GBP can move a business into the local 3-pack within 30–60 days with no other changes. If your profile is unclaimed, half empty, or missing photos, that’s where every engagement starts. The Whitespark 2026 Local Search Ranking Factors Report still puts GBP at #1 for local pack.
What if I want to stop?

Stop. You own everything we touch — your domain, your GBP, your accounts, your content. We have no contract longer than month-to-month. If the work isn’t paying off, you should leave, and honestly we’d rather know. Locking clients in is a sign that the work isn’t good enough to keep them voluntarily.
Is 'AEO' the same as Answer Engine Optimization?

Yes. We use AEO as shorthand throughout the site. It’s the same thing as Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — the industry hasn’t settled on one term yet. Note: ‘AEO’ is also American Eagle Outfitters’ stock ticker. Different industry, different trademark class. Our service is in the marketing-services class, not retail apparel.
Can I do this myself with the audit?

Yes. The Audit tier is built for that. You get the prioritized fix list, a 1-hour walkthrough, and you implement at your pace. Most owners can fix the high-impact items in an afternoon — robots.txt, Bing Webmaster Tools, schema basics. The audit credits toward Setup if you change your mind later.

Three honest tiers

Audit

$250 one-time

You're skeptical and want to see the work before you commit. You'll fix things yourself afterwards.

Full visibility audit
Prioritized fix list
1-hour walkthrough
You implement

Start with an audit

Setup & Hand-off

$700 one-time

You want it built right, then you run it after a training session.

Everything in Audit
Implementation done
Training session
You run it after

Pick Setup & Hand-off

Done-For-You

$500–1,200 per month

You have a budget but no time. You want it managed end-to-end.

Everything in Setup
Monthly optimization
Content & reviews
Reporting + strategy

Talk about a retainer

How to pick: If you have time and want to learn — Audit. If you want it built right but you'll run it after — Setup & Hand-off. If you want it managed and you don't want to think about it — Done-For-You.

Audit credits toward Setup if you continue. No long contracts. We cap year one at 5 St. Louis clients — slow growth means deep service.

Bigspring Light theme, Hugo + Alpine.js, 98/100 Lighthouse, sub-second loads across five locales. Launch-ready landing page for a product hitting multiple markets at once.

Learn more →

Want one of these for your business?

Each demo is the same Hugo + schema templating I'd ship for your site — same Lighthouse posture, same WCAG 2.1 AA, same AEO-ready structured data. Pick one you like and I'll fork it for your domain, brand it for your business, and wire in the content tailored to what you actually do.

Send a brief →

Project intake

Email-first intake. I reply within 48–96 hours.

Tell me about your business so I can be useful right away. The more context the brief carries, the more tailored the first reply — I use what you send to draft something specific to your site, your city, and your customers. St. Louis local? Coffee meeting works too — same brief.