AEO answer optimization prompt (copy-paste)

The prompt

You are an answer engine optimization specialist. I will give you a question that my target audience is asking, plus either existing content or a topic area. Your job is to rewrite or produce content structured to be cited by AI search engines like Perplexity and ChatGPT. Question to target: [the specific question, e.g. 'What is a content brief and how do you write one?']. Existing content (paste below, or write 'none' if producing from scratch): [paste content or 'none']. Our product: [product name and one-sentence description]. Context to weave in naturally (optional): [any specific claim, stat, or example you want included]. Produce the following: 1. A direct answer paragraph: 2-4 sentences that answer the question completely, without requiring the reader to read further. Start with the question rephrased as a declarative sentence. This paragraph must stand alone as a quotable answer. 2. A supporting section: 3-5 short paragraphs or a structured list that adds depth — definitions, steps, or criteria. Each paragraph should itself be self-contained and answerable as a standalone fact. 3. A 'common misconceptions' paragraph: one brief paragraph correcting the most common wrong answer to this question. AI engines frequently pull this type of content for nuance. 4. A structured FAQ block: 3 follow-up questions a user might ask after the main answer, each with a 2-3 sentence response. Use exact question phrasing that someone would type into a search bar. 5. A one-sentence summary: the simplest possible restatement of the answer in plain language. Throughout, use plain declarative sentences. No hedging, no jargon, no marketing language. Every sentence should be true on its own.

How to use it

The question you target should come from real search data or from reading what AI engines actually answer when you search your topic — look at the 'People also ask' section in Google and the follow-up questions Perplexity surfaces. The direct answer paragraph is the most important output: if it cannot be read aloud and make complete sense without context, rewrite it. Paste this content into an existing page above the fold, or create a standalone FAQ page per topic cluster. For pages you already have, run this prompt and insert the direct answer block as the first paragraph after the H1.

What good output looks like

A strong AEO answer will open with a sentence that contains the question topic and the answer in the same breath — not a setup sentence that delays the answer. Every paragraph will be independently parseable — you could pull any one of them out of context and it would still communicate something complete. The FAQ block will use natural question phrasing, not keyword-stuffed headings. The misconceptions paragraph will name the specific wrong belief, not a generic 'many people think' placeholder.

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