Straight answers.
What is answer engine optimization (AEO)?
AEO, also called GEO or AI search optimization, is the work of making your company more likely to be named, accurately described and cited when people ask AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini or Google's AI Overviews for recommendations.
Can you guarantee we will show up in ChatGPT?
No. Nobody controls what AI engines say, and answers change from one run to the next. We measure where you stand, fix what can be fixed and track the trend. Anyone promising guaranteed placement is overselling.
Which AI engines do you check?
ChatGPT, Gemini, Google AI Mode and Google AI Overviews as standard. Perplexity, Claude, Microsoft Copilot and Grok are attempted on request and only reported when we can capture them reliably.
How do you collect AI answers?
We send each buyer question to each engine as a fresh, logged-out session in the US, twice, and record the full answer text and every cited link. We don't use your accounts.
How long until we see results?
Engines pick up changes on their own schedules. Expect 60 to 90 days before re-measuring makes sense, and treat early movement as directional.
Do you edit our website?
By default, no. We deliver schema code, page drafts and install notes as files for your team or developer. If you grant editor access to your CMS, we can publish them for you.
Is this just SEO?
It overlaps. Crawlable, well-structured, authoritative content helps both. AEO adds tracking of AI answers, answer-first content formats and a focus on the third-party sources AI engines cite.
Do we need llms.txt?
Probably not. No major AI engine has confirmed using it. We include one in the Implementation Pack because it is cheap, and we label it as unproven.
Will there be calls?
No. Everything runs by email and shared files: intake form, question review, delivery and follow-up questions. That keeps prices low.
Who does the work?
Knownstone is run by Hutcheson Labs. We use AI assistants to collect and analyze data at scale, and a person reviews every report before delivery. AI-generated analysis may contain errors, and we correct anything you flag.
How do we pay?
We send an invoice with a secure payment link once we agree on scope by email. Work starts when payment and intake are complete.
Can we cancel monitoring?
Yes. Monitoring is month-to-month. Cancel by email before your next billing date and you won't be charged again.