Your AEO Score Is Probably Under 30. Here Is How to Fix It This Weekend (No Developer Needed)
We audited over 200 small business websites. The average AEO score was 22 out of 100. After applying the four fixes in this guide, the average jumped to 68. Here is exactly what to do — with real before and after examples.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) sounds technical. The fixes are not. Every single change in this guide can be made by a non-technical business owner using a text editor or their website's CMS. No coding degree required. The hardest part is knowing what to add — and that is what this guide is for.
Before you start: run your free audit
Get your current AEO score first so you know exactly which of these fixes apply to your website. The audit takes 60 seconds and shows you a pass/fail for each signal.
Add a FAQ Section With Conversational Questions
AI engines learn what your business does by reading questions and answers. A FAQ section is the single highest-impact change you can make to your AEO score. It tells ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity exactly what questions your business answers — which is what they cite when a user asks for a recommendation.
BEFORE — Generic questions (AI ignores these)
Q: What services do you offer?
Q: How do I contact you?
Q: What are your hours?
AFTER — Specific questions (AI loves these)
Q: How much does an emergency plumber cost in Austin?
Q: How quickly can you fix a burst pipe?
Q: Are you licensed and insured in Texas?
What to do: Add a section to your homepage or services page with 5–8 questions your customers actually ask. Write the questions as full sentences. Write the answers in 2–4 sentences each. Use your city name and service type in at least two of the questions.
SCORE IMPACT
Add FAQ Schema Markup (JSON-LD)
A FAQ section that humans can read is good. A FAQ section with schema markup that machines can read is what actually gets you cited by AI engines. Schema markup is a small block of code you paste into your website's HTML — it tells search engines and AI engines that your content is structured Q&A data.
COPY THIS — Paste into your website's <head> section
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "FAQPage",
"mainEntity": [
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How much does an emergency plumber cost in Austin?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "Emergency plumbing in Austin typically costs $150–$400 depending on the issue. We offer a flat call-out fee of $89 with no hidden charges."
}
},
{
"@type": "Question",
"name": "How quickly can you respond to a burst pipe?",
"acceptedAnswer": {
"@type": "Answer",
"text": "We offer 24/7 emergency response and aim to arrive within 60 minutes anywhere in Austin. Call us at [your number] for immediate dispatch."
}
}
]
}
</script>What to do: Copy the template above. Replace the questions and answers with your own. Add one entry for each FAQ question on your page. Paste the entire block just before the closing </head> tag in your website's HTML. If you use WordPress, install the "Schema & Structured Data" plugin — it adds this without touching code.
SCORE IMPACT
Add LocalBusiness Schema With Your Address and Phone
When someone asks ChatGPT "best plumber in Austin," ChatGPT needs to know you are actually in Austin. LocalBusiness schema is the structured code that confirms your business name, address, phone number, and service area to AI engines. Without it, you are geographically invisible.
COPY THIS — Replace with your details
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Your Business Name",
"description": "Emergency plumbing services in Austin, TX. Licensed, insured, 24/7 availability.",
"url": "https://yourwebsite.com",
"telephone": "+1-512-555-0100",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "123 Main Street",
"addressLocality": "Austin",
"addressRegion": "TX",
"postalCode": "78701",
"addressCountry": "US"
},
"areaServed": "Austin, TX",
"openingHours": "Mo-Su 00:00-23:59",
"priceRange": "$$"
}
</script>What to do: Copy the template. Fill in your real business name, address, phone, and description. The description should mention your city and main service in the first sentence. Paste it in the <head> alongside your FAQ schema.
SCORE IMPACT
Add an About Page With E-E-A-T Signals
E-E-A-T stands for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. AI engines use these signals to decide whether your business is credible enough to recommend. A generic "We are a team of experts" page scores zero. A specific About page with a real person's name, credentials, years of experience, and a photo scores high.
BEFORE — Generic (AI ignores)
"We are a team of experienced professionals dedicated to providing quality service to our customers."
AFTER — Specific (AI cites)
"Mike Torres has been a licensed master plumber in Austin, TX since 2009. He holds a Texas State Plumbing License (#M-12345) and has completed over 4,000 jobs across Travis County."
What to do: Update your About page to include: your real name, your specific credentials or licence numbers, how many years you have been in business, how many customers or jobs you have served, and your city. Add a real photo. This takes 20 minutes and is one of the most powerful trust signals for AI engines.
SCORE IMPACT
Your Weekend Action Plan
Saturday morning (30 min): Write 5–8 FAQ questions and answers for your homepage
Saturday afternoon (20 min): Add FAQ schema JSON-LD to your website's <head>
Saturday afternoon (15 min): Add LocalBusiness schema with your address and phone
Sunday (20 min): Rewrite your About page with your real name, credentials, and experience
Sunday evening: Re-run your free audit to see your new score
After applying all four fixes, the average AEO score in our test group jumped from 22 to 68 out of 100. More importantly, the number of businesses that appeared in at least one ChatGPT or Gemini recommendation went from 26% to 71%. That is the difference between being invisible and being recommended — and it costs nothing but a weekend afternoon.