Beginner6 lessons · ~3h · Foundation tier
AEO Foundations
The complete beginner's course in Answer Engine Optimization — what it is, how engines choose what to cite, the Canon framework, and the core moves to become the source AI quotes.
By Burke Atkerson, Founder & Principal AEO Strategist
Course preview
Flip through the AEO Foundations deck for a two-minute overview before you start.
What you'll learn
- ✓Explain what AEO is and why being cited matters more than ranking.
- ✓Describe how AI answer engines retrieve, rerank, and cite sources.
- ✓Apply the eight-pillar AEO Canon as a diagnostic.
- ✓Write answer-first, extractable passages an engine can quote.
- ✓Build genuine off-site authority and audit your footprint.
- ✓Measure AI visibility and adapt as engines change.
Syllabus
- What AEO Is and Why It MattersAEO is the practice of structuring content so AI answer engines extract, trust, and cite it. This lesson sets the foundation: why being the cited source is the new visibility.Reuses: What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?
- How AI Engines Choose What to CiteAI engines run a retrieve → rerank → cite pipeline. This lesson shows what happens at each stage so you know exactly what you're optimizing for.Reuses: How Do AI Answer Engines Choose What to Cite?
- The AEO Canon FrameworkThe AEO Canon organizes everything that drives AI citation into eight pillars across three layers. This lesson gives you the map and how to use it as a diagnostic.Reuses: The AEO Canon: The Eight Pillars of Answer Engine Optimization
- Writing Passages AI Will QuoteEngines cite passages, so you have to write the sentence you want quoted and put it first. This lesson is the craft of extractability.
- Earning Off-Site AuthorityAI trusts what the web already trusts, and it weighs brand mentions over backlinks. This lesson covers earning genuine off-site authority — and auditing yours.
- Measuring AEO and AdaptingEngines change monthly and citations are volatile, so AEO is a measure-and-adapt discipline. This lesson covers what to track and how to stay chosen.
Foundation tier · Tier 1 Certificate
Finish all 6 lessons to earn your Tier 1 Certificate.
Complete every lesson and pass the knowledge checks to claim a shareable Tier 1 Certificate — proof you've mastered AEO Foundations. Practitioner certificates stack toward full AEO mastery.