How to Build a Page AI Will Love (AEO Checklist)

How to Build a Page AI Will Love (AEO Checklist) | Field Notes

These notes are based on the YouTube video by HubSpot Marketing

Key Takeaways

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is a more granular, persona‑ and industry‑specific version of SEO that targets LLMs like ChatGPT.
Start with the Express stage: define use case, persona, and industry before writing any copy. (See our deep dive on the Express stage in What Is AEO? How to Get Your Brand Found in AI Search.)
Follow the 7‑point AEO checklist to make your page easy for LLMs to parse and cite. (A step‑by‑step walkthrough is available in How to Build a Page AI Will Love (AEO Checklist) | Field Notes.)
Original insights (data, quotes, research) are crucial; they provide the “net‑new” content LLMs love.
Every insight should be tied back to your product in a natural, non‑spammy way.
Schema markup is the hidden “language” that signals page structure to answer engines.
Early adopters (e.g., Webflow) report success by building well‑structured glossaries that serve both humans and LLMs.
Survey data (see note below): ~32 % of marketers say they already see traffic from AI search; ~57 % are actively optimizing for it.

Note: The percentages above come from a HubSpot‑conducted survey of 300 marketers that has not been publicly released, so the exact figures should be treated as indicative rather than definitive.

1. What Is AEO?

Answer Engine Optimization focuses on making pages highly relevant to the specific queries an LLM might receive.
Unlike generic “ultimate guides,” AEO pages answer hyper‑specific questions (e.g., “How does a logistics company in New Jersey improve content marketing?”).
LLMs prioritize contextual relevance over broad authority, so specificity wins.

🔗 See Also: What Is AEO? How to Get Your Brand Found in AI Search

2. The Express Stage – Foundation for AEO

Element	Why It Matters	How to Define It
Use Case	Determines the problem the page solves.	Identify the exact scenario your audience faces.
Persona	Shapes tone, depth, and terminology.	Create a detailed persona profile (role, goals, pain points).
Industry	Adds the necessary contextual filters.	Pinpoint the vertical (e.g., logistics, SaaS, education).

All three must be embedded throughout the page so the LLM can instantly recognize the target audience.
(This framework is described in HubSpot’s AEO methodology as the “Express” stage.)

3. The 7‑Point AEO Checklist

#	Practice	How to Implement
1️⃣ Answer First	Place the direct answer to the primary question in the opening sentence or top module.	“For logistics firms in New Jersey, the fastest way to improve content marketing is …”
2️⃣ Expand with Context	Follow the answer with 2‑3 paragraphs that provide definitions, examples, and methodology.	Use concise paragraphs that reinforce credibility.
3️⃣ Structured Layout	Break content into headings, bullet lists, tables, and numbered steps.	Think “lazy reader” – the LLM scans for quick hits.
4️⃣ FAQ Block	Add a dedicated FAQ section at the bottom covering sub‑queries and related questions.	Each Q&A should be a self‑contained paragraph that makes sense in isolation.
5️⃣ Original Insights	Supply net‑new information: proprietary data, quotes, case studies, or unique frameworks.	Highlight the source (e.g., “According to HubSpot’s 2024 Lead‑Gen Survey…”)
6️⃣ Product Tie‑In	Seamlessly weave a reference to your product that explains why the insight is relevant to it.	“You can achieve these results with HubSpot’s Marketing Hub.”
7️⃣ Schema Markup	Add appropriate structured data (FAQ schema, Article schema, etc.) in the HTML.	Use schema.org definitions; validate with Google’s Rich Results Test.

Tip: Every paragraph should be understandable on its own, because LLMs may pull any snippet out of order.

💡 Related: How to Build a Page AI Will Love (AEO Checklist) | Field Notes

4. Original Insights & Product Integration

Consensus vs. Novelty: LLMs look for both widely‑agreed facts and unique data. The latter often becomes the citation that drives traffic.
How to create novelty:
- Conduct internal experiments and publish the results.
- Share proprietary market research.
- Quote experts within your organization.
Product relevance: After presenting an insight, briefly explain how your product enables that outcome. Keep the language natural; avoid hard‑sell language that feels forced.

5. Schema – The “Invisible” Signal

Schema is machine‑readable code that tells the LLM exactly what each part of the page represents.
Common types for AEO pages:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [{
    "@type": "Question",
    "name": "What is AEO?",
    "acceptedAnswer": {
      "@type": "Answer",
      "text": "Answer Engine Optimization..."
    }
  }]
}
</script>

Even if you forget it initially, you can add schema post‑publish without breaking the page (though implementing it from the start maximizes impact).

6. Real‑World Examples

Webflow

Glossary pages that act as a compendium of industry terms.
Each term has a well‑structured definition, bullet points, and subtle product mentions.
According to Webflow’s own case‑study statements, this approach has helped increase visibility in LLM‑generated answers.

HubSpot (our approach)

Built a custom glossary covering concepts relevant to our ideal customer profile (ICP).
Pages are longer than Webflow’s, packed with documentation links, data, and product integration.
Goal: Provide the LLM with abundant, specific content even if a human rarely lands on the page.

🔗 See Also: The Ultimate AI SEO Playbook - Rank #1 in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini & More

7. Industry Pulse (Survey Findings)

~32 % of marketers say they already receive traffic from AI search engines.
~57 % are actively optimizing for AI search (AEO).
The HubSpot‑conducted survey (300 marketers) also reveals:
- Budgets are shifting toward content creation that yields original insights.
- Biggest challenges: defining the right use case/persona/industry matrix and mastering schema implementation.

Summary

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the next evolution of search visibility, demanding hyper‑specific, well‑structured, and insight‑rich content tailored to a defined persona, use case, and industry. By following the 7‑point checklist—answer first, expand context, use structured layouts, include FAQs, provide original insights, weave in product relevance, and embed schema—you give LLMs the exact signals they need to surface your page in AI‑driven answers. Early adopters like Webflow demonstrate the power of glossary‑style pages, while HubSpot’s own experiments show how to blend deep expertise with subtle product promotion. With a growing share of marketers already seeing AI‑search traffic, mastering AEO is now essential for staying visible in the AI‑first search landscape.

1️⃣ Answer First – place the direct answer in the opening sentence. 2️⃣ Expand with Context – follow with 2‑3 concise paragraphs adding definitions and examples. 3️⃣ Structured Layout – use headings, bullet lists, tables, and numbered steps for easy scanning. 4️⃣ FAQ Block – add a bottom‑of‑page FAQ covering sub‑queries, each as a self‑contained paragraph. 5️⃣ Original Insights – include proprietary data, quotes, or case studies with clear sourcing. 6️⃣ Product Tie‑In – weave a natural reference to your product that explains relevance. 7️⃣ Schema Markup – implement appropriate JSON‑LD schema (FAQ, How‑To, etc.) to signal structure to answer engines.

# How to Build a Page AI Will Love (AEO Checklist) | Field Notes