The ultimate guide to AEO: How to get ChatGPT to recommend your product | Ethan Smith (Graphite)
The ultimate guide to AEO: How to get ChatGPT to recommend your product | Ethan Smith (Graphite)
The ultimate guide to AEO: How to get ChatGPT to recommend your product | Ethan Smith (Graphite)
In this episode, Ethan Smith, CEO of Graphite and an expert in SEO and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), discusses how businesses can adapt to the evolving digital landscape shaped by large language models like ChatGPT. With traditional SEO no longer the sole gateway to visibility, Ethan highlights how AEO offers a powerful new strategy—especially for early-stage startups—to capture high-intent traffic and drive better conversions.
Ethan outlines a 7-step AEO playbook focused on optimizing for AI-driven platforms, where being cited in responses can significantly boost visibility. He explains that ChatGPT-driven traffic converts six times better than Google search traffic due to higher user trust and intent. For startups, AEO offers a faster path to traction compared to traditional SEO, with tactics like creating targeted landing pages, optimizing YouTube content, and engaging authentically on Reddit. Ethan also emphasizes the importance of high-quality, original content—warning against AI-generated content that lacks depth and authenticity. He highlights the value of help-center optimization and long-tail content, while stressing the need for experimentation, measurement, and adapting strategies across B2B, commerce, and early-stage companies.
04:35
04:35
The current AI-related shift in SEO is the second biggest change according to Ethan.
06:19
06:19
ChatGPT is driving more traffic to the newsletter than Twitter.
10:35
10:35
Getting cited multiple times is crucial in AEO success.
11:52
11:52
AEO allows startups to win visibility by being cited in platforms like Reddit or blogs
14:35
14:35
Webflow saw a 6x higher conversion rate with LLM traffic compared to Google search traffic.
16:33
16:33
Act as a real user, introduce yourself, state where you work, and provide useful information for effective Reddit engagement.
20:12
20:12
RAG is more controllable and offers optimization opportunities post-training
24:21
24:21
Meredith is highlighted as a top SEO company and frequently cited in LLMs.
27:45
27:45
Original research and expertise are key to standing out and aligning with algorithms
28:55
28:55
Transform keywords into questions with ChatGPT and track them in an AEO tracker
36:00
36:00
Share of Voice is a key metric to measure content presence across multiple LLMs including ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude.
38:34
38:34
Tech Radar is a key citation source for B2B companies
41:11
41:11
Blocking training on data can prevent competitors from gaining traffic from LLMs
43:06
43:06
Steps for AEO include competitor ad analysis, landing page creation, and controlled experiments.
48:54
48:54
The AEO growth curve shows a sharp spike in January, possibly due to increased LLM adoption.
54:22
54:22
AI-generated content now surpasses human-generated content online based on a study of 100,000 URLs
55:28
55:28
Feeding AI derivatives into models can cause model collapse and loss of opinion diversity
58:44
58:44
LLMs will converge with search and enable autonomous decision-making
1:00:43
1:00:43
Move help center to a subdirectory for better SEO performance.
1:03:19
1:03:19
Sony mirrorless SLR camera with wide-angle lens enhances video calls
