The way consumers search for answers online has changed over the years. Instead of typing a keyword or search query into search engines like Google, people type their questions directly into search engines like ChatGPT to get direct, straightforward answers.
So instead of optimizing for SEO, marketers need to know how to structure a page for AEO (Answer Engine Optimization).
Like many marketers, I found it challenging to optimize content for AEO. Luckily, you don’t have to struggle like I did because I created this guide to structuring your content for AEO.
Read on for an overview of the site structure, key elements of AEO, and answers to frequently asked questions.
Table of contents
Why is site structure so important for AEO?
Page structure is crucial for AEO because response engines synthesize content.
In the past, we marketers formatted our blog and website content so that search engines could “crawl” our pages and look for keywords and backlinks to determine how the content would rank in the SERPs.
The right combination of keywords and links would help determine whether the content will rank first in search results or end up on the dreaded second page.
Now, LLMs like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity do more than just crawl for keywords; They analyze, extract and synthesize content in real time. Unlike traditional search engines that primarily match keywords and evaluate backlinks, LLMs analyze your content as contextual information within their token boundaries.
If your site is poorly structured, search engines like ChatGPT may miss your best insights entirely, take information out of context, or simply skip your content and use a competitor’s site instead, which is easier to process.
The structure acts as a roadmap that helps LLMs quickly identify what is important, what is authoritative, and what directly answers a user’s query.
So when you structure your content, you should make sure that your website Contains pages with clear headings, concise answers at the top, and a logical flow of information. If your content lacks structure, you are essentially forcing the LLM to work harder to extract meaning, which often means not extracting your content at all.
How to structure a page for AEO
I’ve never been interested in gatekeeping, so here’s the typical outline I follow when structuring my blog posts with AEO in mind:
H1 (title)
As a journalist, I used to be called the Queen of Headlines because I knew how to get creative with clever puns, funny puns, and attention-grabbing copy while incorporating keywords. My headlines drove clicks and often resulted in my content ranking high in the SERPs.
Imagine my surprise when the same tactics didn’t work in an AEO world and I didn’t see the engagement I was used to in the SEO world.
Don’t make the same mistake as me. Instead, keep these basic principles in mind when structuring your headline:
Be explicit and descriptive. Your H1 should tell both people and LLMs exactly what they will learn. I don’t want to push myself, but How to Structure Pages for AEO and Answer Engines: A Quick-Start Guide works because it’s specific to the topic, approach, and outcome.
Use natural language patterns. When people ask, “How do I optimize for answer machines?” Your H1 should reflect this wording. Question-based H1 statements (“How do I do…?” “What is…?” “Why does… work?”) or clear declarative statements (“Complete Guide to…”) work well because they directly match query intent.
Preload your primary keyword. State your main topic in the first few words. “AEO Page Structure: How to Optimize Content for Response Engines” is stronger than “The Ultimate 2024 Comprehensive Guide to Structuring Your Pages for Modern Response Engine Optimization Success.” LLMs processing your page will give these introductory words more weight.
If possible, limit the length to 60-70 characters. While LLMs are not bound by title tag restrictions, concise H1s are easier to extract and cite. They also tend to be clearer and more focused, making them easier to understand.
Skip the fluff. Avoid filler words like “ultimate,” “complete,” or “definitely” unless they add real meaning. Answer machines value clarity and relevance, not superlatives.
Tools like those from HubSpot Content Hub can help you optimize your H1s and page structure with built-in SEO recommendations, making it easier to implement these principles at scale.
TL;DR
A TL;DR section in an AEO post should provide maximum value in the least amount of space – it is your content’s elevator pitch to both human readers and response machines. Structure it so that even if someone doesn’t read anything else, they get actionable insights.
Basic principles:
Place it directly according to your imagination. Immediately after your H1 and the first few paragraphs, before your first H2. This positioning ensures that LLMs identify your key insights early in the processing of your page, and it reflects the featured snippet placement that users expect from traditional search.
Use 2-4 bullet points or a short paragraph. Bullet points work best when you have different, parallel insights (“Here are the three things you need to know”). A paragraph works when you summarize a single, coherent insight. Keep the entire TL;DR under 100 words – any longer and it’s not really “too long; didn’t read” anymore.
Make each point self-contained and actionable. Don’t tease – deliver. “Use question-based H2s and H3s to match natural query patterns” is better than “Heading structure is important for AEO.” Every bullet should provide real value that someone can respond to immediately.
Preload your main keyword naturally. If your post is about AEO page structure, make sure “AEO page structure” or a similar variation appears in your TL;DR. This reinforces the topical relevance for LLMs scanning the beginning of your content.
Write in the active voice with a clear subject-verb-object structure. “Answer engines prioritize clarity over keyword density” is easier to extract than “Clarity is prioritized by response engines over keyword density.” LLMs process simple syntax more reliably.
Label it clearly. Use “TL;DR” or “Key Takeaways” as a mini-heading (bold text or H2, as desired). This explicit labeling helps both people and LLMs recognize “this is the summary section.”
Avoid duplicating your conclusion. Your TL;DR should preview what’s to come, while your conclusion should summarize what you’ve covered. They serve different purposes – don’t just copy between them.
Question-based H2/H3s
Question-based H2s and H3s are AEO gold because they directly align with the way users query answer engines. When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity a question, the system looks for content that explicitly addresses that question, and nothing signals relevance better than a headline that reflects the query itself.
These are the best practices I consider when mapping my H2s and H3s:
Use actual questions that people ask. Get the “People Also Ask” fields, respond to the public, or your own customer support tickets. Questions like “Why is site structure important to AEO?” or “What types of schemas should I start with?” are far easier to find than generic headings like “The Importance of Structure” or “Schema Basics.”
Start with question words. “How,” “What,” “Why,” “When,” “Where,” and “Should” are your friends. These trigger patterns help LLMs identify your content as question answering material. “How often should I update my FAQs?” It is immediately apparent that this is a specific user need.
Be specific, not general. “What is AEO?” is fine for a definition section, but “How do I check my existing content for AEO?” is better because it targets a specific intent. The more specific your question is, the more likely it is to match the actual question.
Answer directly under the heading. Get to the point! Never bury the answer three paragraphs down. Your first sentence under H2 or H3 should directly answer the question. Think of it like featured snippet optimization, but for LLMs.
“You should update short answers and FAQs quarterly or whenever your product, industry regulations, or user behavior patterns change significantly.”
Maintain a natural formulation. Don’t use keywords or ask questions that are awkward. “How can marketers structure pages for response engine optimization?” reads better than “How do AEO response engines structure pages?” LLMs are trained in natural language. So write like a person helping another person.
Create a logical hierarchy. Use H2 for main questions and H3 for related sub-questions. For example, an H2 might ask, “How do I structure a page for AEO?” with H3s underneath like “Where should the TL;DR go?” and “What about the FAQ sections?” This helps LLMs understand the relationship between topics.
Lists
I love good listicles because they provide information in a simple, understandable way that leaves little room for misinterpretation. And it turns out LLMs love them too, for similar reasons.
Lists are incredibly easy for LLMs to parse, extract and cite. When a response engine scans your content, lists provide clear, structured information that can be quickly divided and understood without the need for extensive interpretation. They are essentially pre-formatted answers ready to be extracted.
When structuring your list for your next post, keep these basic principles in mind:
Make sure each list item is self-contained. Each bullet point or numbered point should make sense even when read in isolation. Don’t write “Use clear headings” or assume the LLM has remembered your introductory reason paragraph.
Instead, write: “Use clear, question-based headings that reflect what users are searching” so that the element contains its own context.
Start with the action or key concept. Load the important things upfront. “Preload your primary keyword in the H1” is stronger than “When writing your H1, consider preloading your primary keyword for better visibility.” LLMs scan the beginning of each list item more heavily.
Keep the structure of the elements parallel. If your first three bullet points begin with action verbs (“Optimize,” “Include,” “Structure”), maintain this pattern throughout. The parallel structure helps LLMs recognize the list as a coherent set of related items rather than as random fragments.
Add brief explanations if helpful. A list item can contain more than one sentence. “Use schema markup. It helps LLMs understand your content structure” works, but “Use schema markup like FAQPage and HowTo-Schema to provide explicit structure signals that response engines can analyze and prioritize” is more useful and still scannable.
Use basements sparingly but strategically. When a main point has two to three supporting details, subpoints work great. Just don’t nest more than two levels deep or you’ll lose both the human reader and the LLM understanding.
Number lists when order matters. If you want to outline steps in a process or order items by priority, use numbered lists. This tells the LLM that there is an order or hierarchy. For collections of equally weighted peaks or features, bullets are fine.
Introduce your list with context. Don’t just drop a list. A short sentence beforehand like “Here are five ways to structure your H1 for maximum AEO impact” will help LLMs understand what the list represents and how to frame it when citing your content.
Diploma
A conclusion for an AEO post should reinforce your main points, provide a clear conclusion, and ideally inspire the reader to take action – but it also serves a specific purpose for answer machines: this is where LLMs often look for summary statements and final recommendations.
Basic principles:
Summarize without repeating it verbatim. Your conclusion should summarize the key message in fresh language. If your post included seven tips for structuring pages, don’t just list them again, but summarize them into a more comprehensive insight.
“Structuring pages for AEO is all about clarity and hierarchy, and making your content easy to extract and cite for LLMs” gets to the heart of the matter without rehashing every point.
Include a clear, actionable next step. Answer machines often draw conclusions when users ask, “What should I do with X?” Give them something concrete: “Start by checking your top 10 pages for question-based headings and TL;DR sections, then gradually add schema markup.” This makes your conclusion more discoverable for action-oriented queries.
Emphasize your main keyword and topic. Mention your main concept one last time in a natural way. “By prioritizing AEO-friendly site structure, you’re not just optimizing for today’s answer machines – you’re also future-proofing your content for the future, no matter how search evolves.” The semantic focus remains clear for LLMs processing the page.
Keep it concise but substantive. Two to four paragraphs are usually enough. Long enough to provide real value, short enough for an LLM to process within contextual boundaries. Avoid phrases like “We’ve covered everything…” and just convey the insight.
End with perspective or context. Give readers (and LLMs) a sense of why this is important beyond tactics. “Answer engines will become the primary way people discover information, and the marketers who master structured, extractable content will gain visibility that traditional SEO never allows,” adds weight and credibility to your conclusion.
Consider making a forward-looking statement. Briefly mention what comes next or what you should pay attention to. “As LLM technology evolves, you can expect response engines to understand context even better – but clear structure will always be your competitive advantage.” This signals that you are thinking beyond today’s tactics.
FAQ module
I’ve found that an FAQ section in an AEO post is one of the most valuable structural elements because it directly reflects how people query answer machines. When someone asks ChatGPT or Perplexity a question, the system actively searches for content in Q&A format.
A well-structured FAQ makes extraction effortless.
Basic principles:
Use real H3 headings for each question. Don’t just write the questions in bold or a different font. Make each FAQ question its own H3 heading. This gives LLMs clear semantic signals that it is a unique question-answer pair.
“Where should the TL;DR go on the page?” as H3 is infinitely easier to find than the same text in bold.
Write questions exactly as users ask them. Use real search queries, customer questions or PAA boxes. “Do I need both an FAQ section and PAA-style H3 questions?” is better than FAQ vs PAA questions because it matches natural language patterns. LLMs are trained to recognize question syntax.
Answer immediately and directly. Your first sentence under each H3 should be a complete, self-contained answer. Don’t make the LLM wade through three paragraphs to find the answer. “The TL;DR should occur immediately after your H1 and introduction, before your first H2 section.” Gives the answer upfront, then you can elaborate if necessary.
Keep answers concise but complete. Aim for 2-4 sentences per FAQ answer. Short enough to be pulled out quickly, long enough to be really useful. If you need more depth, that’s a sign that the topic deserves its own full section in the post and not just an FAQ treatment.
Use FAQPage schema markup. This is non-negotiable for AEO. The FAQPage schema explicitly tells answer engines: “This is a question and this is the accepted answer.” It is one of the clearest structural signals you can send. Make sure each question-answer pair is marked correctly.
Prioritize high-quality questions. Don’t fill your FAQ with obvious or insignificant questions just to hit a number. Focus on questions that address real confusion, common objections, or next-level concerns that your main content doesn’t fully cover. Quality over quantity.
Place the FAQ strategically. Most AEO posts benefit from FAQs near the end, after you’ve covered the main content but before concluding. This positions them as “additional helpful information” while keeping your primary content hierarchy clean.
However, if the FAQs address critical blocking issues, you should consider moving them to a higher level.
Separate the questions from your H2/H3 structure. Your FAQ should complement your main content headings, not duplicate them. If you already have an H2 titled “Why is page structure important for AEO?” have? Don’t repeat it in your FAQ. Use the FAQ for related but different questions like “How is AEO different from traditional SEO?”
Best tools to structure a page for AEO
Here are four essential tools for structuring pages for AEO, organized by category:
1. Content Management System: HubSpot Content Hub
Sure, I may be biased, but that’s true HubSpot’s Content Hub is purpose-built for modern content optimization and has native features that make AEO implementation straightforward. The platform offers AI-powered content optimization suggestions, built-in SEO recommendations for headings and structure, and drag-and-drop modules for FAQ sections and lists.
What sets Content Hub apart is its integrated approach: you can manage schema markup, track content performance, and optimize structure, all in one place without having to juggle multiple tools. The CMS also supports content clustering and pillar page architecture, which helps establish topical authority that response engines prioritize.
2. Schema Markup Tool: Google’s Rich Results Test
Google’s Rich Results Test (formerly the Structured Data Testing Tool) is essential for validating your schema markup before publishing. Although targeted at Google, markup validation generally applies to the way response engines analyze your content.
Use it to test FAQPage schema, HowTo schema, Article schema and other structured data types. The tool shows you exactly how search engines and answer engines interpret your markup and highlights errors or warnings that could prevent proper extraction.
3. Content analytics platform: Clearscope or MarketMuse
These platforms help you understand topic coverage and content structure from a semantic perspective.
Although tools like Clearscope and MarketMuse are traditionally used for SEO, they are becoming increasingly valuable for AEO because they identify content gaps, suggest related questions to answer, and help you create comprehensive content that LLMs recognize as authoritative.
They analyze the best-performing content and suggest structural improvements, heading optimizations, and topic clusters that increase your chances of being cited by answer engines.
4. AI Writing Assistant: Claude or ChatGPT (Plus or Enterprise)
Yes, response engines themselves can be your best tool for optimizing content for response engines. I’ve found that you can use Claude or ChatGPT to test how well your content answers specific questions, identify gaps in your structure, or even generate FAQ questions based on your main content.
You can include draft sections and ask, “What questions does this content clearly answer?” or “How would you restructure this for better extraction?” This real-time feedback from an LLM helps you understand exactly how response engines interpret and use your content.
Tips for structuring a page for response engines
Here are five quality tips for structuring pages that answer search engines love:
1. Write in easily digestible paragraphs, not walls of text
Divide your content into paragraphs of 2-4 sentences rather than dense blocks of 8-10 sentences. Reply machines process content in chunks, and shorter paragraphs are easier to extract and quote accurately.
Each paragraph should contain a clear idea or point. When your content is well organized, response engines can get exactly what they need without having to analyze complex paragraphs with multiple ideas that risk being taken out of context.
2. Submit answers in advance and then explain
Start with the answer or main point in your first sentence, then provide context, examples, or explanations. This “inverted pyramid” approach ensures that even if an LLM only processes the first part of your section (due to token thresholds or relevance scoring), it still captures your key insights.
Think of it like you’re writing for someone who might just read your topic sentence, because this way response engines essentially scan the content first before deciding what’s worth extracting in full.
3. Use transitional phrases that signal structure
Help LLMs understand how their ideas are related by using explicit transitions: “This is why this is important,” “The key takeaway is,” “This is what this means,” or “This is what it looks like in practice.”
These phrases act as semantic guideposts that help response engines understand relationships between concepts. When an LLM sees “Here are three reasons why,” they know a list is coming. When it says “The main benefit is,” you know you’re about to say something important that’s worth highlighting.
4. Create content with attribution in mind
Write as if each sentence could be quoted independently. Avoid vague pronouns or references that only make sense if someone has read the previous paragraph. Instead of writing, “This approach works because it’s faster,” write, “Question-based headings work because they follow natural query patterns.”
This distinct style makes your content easier to extract and ensures that when reply machines quote you, the quotes make sense on their own, increasing the likelihood that they will quote you in the first place.
5. Balance between depth and scanability
Don’t sacrifice substance for structure, but make sure your depth is easy to navigate. Use descriptive subheadings frequently (every 200-300 words), incorporate caption formatting for key takeaways, and ensure that someone just skimming your H2s and H3s can understand your main argument.
Answer engines don’t just extract random sentences – they look for content that illustrates it Communicate specialist knowledge while remaining accessible. The sweet spot is comprehensive coverage broken down into searchable, well-labeled sections that signal, “This person knows what they’re talking about AND makes it easy to understand.”
Frequently asked questions about page structuring for AEO
Where should the TL;DR go on the page?
The TL;DR should come immediately after your H1 and introduction, before your first H2 section. This placement gives answer search engines instant access to your key insights in the prime position at the top of your content, where LLMs process information most intensively.
Limit yourself to two to four concise bullet points or a single short paragraph (three to five sentences maximum), with each point being self-contained and actionable. Think of it as your elevator pitch – if someone only reads this section, they would still come away with real value.
Do I need both an FAQ section and PAA-style H3 questions?
You don’t necessarily need both, but using them together serves different purposes and maximizes your AEO coverage.
PAA-style H3 questions in your main content address core topics and guide readers through your primary narrative, while FAQ sections address secondary questions, edge cases, and common objections that don’t fit neatly into your main structure.
Think of H3 questions as your main course and FAQs as side dishes – they complement each other without redundancy. Just make sure you don’t ask the exact same questions in both places, otherwise valuable content space will be wasted.
What types of schemas should I start with for AEO?
Start with the FAQ page schema and article schema – these are the most universally applicable and easiest for content marketers to implement.
FAQ page schema explicitly tags your question-answer pairs, making them instantly recognizable to answer search engines, while article schema provides important metadata about your content type, publication date, and author that creates credibility signals.
If your content contains step-by-step instructions, add a HowTo schema to capture procedural queries. These three schema types cover the vast majority of AEO use cases and can be implemented without much technical effort, especially if you use a CMS like HubSpot that natively supports structured data.
How often should I update my short answers and FAQs?
Update your short answers and FAQs quarterly as a baseline, or immediately if there are significant changes to your product, industry regulations, or user behavior patterns. Answer engines value freshness and accuracy, so outdated information can hurt your discoverability even if the rest of your content is solid.
Set up calendar reminders to review your top-performing AEO content every three months, and monitor customer support tickets or new PAA questions that indicate emerging concerns worth addressing.
If your industry is evolving faster (e.g. technology or finance), consider monthly reviews for your highest traffic pages.