Guides

    How to Structure Content for LLMs (GEO + SEO + AEO)

    Read this to learn about the most recent insights (2025) into how to properly structure your content for LLM-optimization.

    R
    Rick
    Co-founder of Asky
    ·12 min read

    AI search now synthesizes answers first and links second. To earn visibility, your pages must be easy for LLMs to parse, quote, and trust. This guide shows the structure, schema, and sourcing patterns that increase your chances of being included and cited in AI answers. (Google: AI mode update).

    What is GEO and why now?

    GEO (generative engine optimization) means designing content so generative engines (e.g., Google AI Overviews/AI Mode, Bing Copilot, ChatGPT) can extract reliable, well-scoped answers and cite your page. It complements SEO (ranking links) and AEO (being the answer in AI/voice results) Reference.

    AI search has shifted behavior: users ask longer, conversational questions, engines synthesize multi-source answers, and inclusion often happens above traditional results. That makes structure, clarity, and evidence critical See Google's update.

    How do LLMs “read” your page?

    LLMs chunk your page into small units (headings, lists, tables, Q&A blocks), then compare them against a query and supporting sources. Copilot blends a web index with real-time retrieval, then composes an answer and cites. Clear markup, scannable sections, and explicit Q→A patterns raise your inclusion odds. Microsoft on Copilot.

    What page layout works best for LLMs?

    Use a question-led scaffold:

    • H1: one promise, one topic (e.g., “How to structure content for LLMs”).
    • H2s as questions: “What is…?”, “How do…?”, “Which…?” Then answer in 1–3 sentences first, elaborate after.
    • Lists & tables: summarize steps, pros/cons, or comparisons.
    • Quotables: 1–2 sentence stats/definitions with name+year+link.
    • FAQ block: 5–7 precise Q&As at the end.

    This mirrors how answer engines and rich results extract content Learn more.

    What structured data should you add?

    Add JSON-LD where appropriate (Article, FAQPage, HowTo, Product, Person/Organization). Google uses structured data to understand content and power rich and AI experiences. FAQPage remains useful when your page genuinely answers discrete FAQs. Follow Google's and Schema.org's guidance. Google: Structured data.

    "Google uses structured data that it finds on the web to understand the content of the page… and display a rich result." (Google, 2025)

    How do you prove authority?

    LLMs favor pages with freshness (last updated), author identity, transparent citations, and verifiable data. Publish dates and named sources help reduce hallucination risk in summaries and support inclusion. Reference.

    Also, Google's guidance for AI search emphasizes helpful, unique content that genuinely satisfies intent—avoid commodity rewrites. Succeeding in AI Search.

    What steps should a small team take this month?

    Here is what you can do right now to improve your LLM-citability:

    • Pick 3–5 core topics customers ask in natural language.
    • Add evidence: do preliminary research and find sources that you can use to build your own content around.
    • For each of the topics or articles follow the process below.

    How to make a page LLM-friendly (7 steps)

    1. Write an H1 that states the promise.
    2. Turn subtopics into question-style H2/H3s.
    3. Answer each question in ≤3 sentences before elaborating.
    4. Use lists and tables for key takeaways and comparisons.
    5. Add 2–4 named, dated sources per section.
    6. Mark up real FAQs with FAQPage JSON-LD.
    7. Add “last updated,” author, and org details.

    Pro tip

    Writing LLM-optimized content is only the first step. The next step is monitoring your content strategy. Use tools like Asky to test how your content is performing and whether it’s actually being cited in popular AI platforms and LLMs.

    FAQ

    Question-style H2/H3s with a 1–3 sentence answer immediately under the heading, followed by detail. This mirrors how engines extract answer spans.

    Yes, technical SEO and helpful content underpin AI inclusion. Google's guidance: make unique, satisfying content; AI search builds on that.

    No. Use FAQPage only when you truly answer discrete FAQs. Follow Google's and Schema.org's requirements. FAQPage guidelines.

    Copilot blends Bing's index with live retrieval, then composes and cites. Clear structure and trustworthy signals help.

    It's improving but can still hallucinate; your antidote is precise, well-sourced pages that are easy to quote.

    AEO aims to be the direct answer; GEO ensures generative engines can parse, attribute, and cite your content across multi-source summaries.

    Use Asky to enforce Q-first structure, add quotables, and track sources consistently—habits that make LLM inclusion more likely.