AI has brought a host of new acronyms into our lives – from LLMs (large language models, the algorithms behind AI) to GEO (generative engine optimization, a strategy to get cited by AI platforms via high authority content). Up next: AEO. If you haven’t heard of AEO yet, don’t worry – we’re here to catch you up. AI “Answer Engine Optimization” is the practice of structuring content so that LLMs are more likely to cite or surface it. And it’s becoming as relevant to PR and content strategy as SEO was two decades ago.

The shift is real. More and more users are going to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, or Google AI Overviews instead of traditional search to answer questions like “Who is the best vendor for X?” or “How does Y work?” That means it no longer matters how well-optimized your press release is for Google. What matters today is whether it’s written in a way that LLMs can find, parse, and trust.

So how can a brand optimize their press releases and other content for LLMs? Let’s dive in.

What Makes Content LLM-Friendly?

The first question we need to be asking is what LLMs are looking for when they look at a press release. LLMs don’t read content the same way a real human person skims a page. They process it in chunks, weighing specific details over fluffy self-promotion, and looking for patterns that resemble trustworthy sourcing. Here are some of the key components that can help make a press release trusted, readable, and citable by AI:

FAQ Sections Written as Real User Queries

Searches look different in AI platforms, with queries following more of a natural language format. Rather than entering “best photo printer” into Google, you may instead ask Claude or ChatGPT a fully formulated question like “who makes the best photo printers?” or “what photo printer gets the best reviews?” Including an FAQ section in your press release allows you to mimic that format. LLMs are trained on Q&A patterns and tend to match user queries to content structured this way. This would essentially be pre-answering the queries the document wants to rank for.

Structured Headings with Descriptive Labels

Again, LLMs review documents in segments, and reward clear section labeling when extracting facts. Adding a hierarchy of headings and sub-headings within your press release creates clear semantic chunks that are specifically AI-friendly. Make sure to be as specific as possible with your headings – for example, saying “Why XYZ Company Won The Innovator of the Year Award” rather than “About Our Award” ensures that your heading content clearly tells the LLM what the section below it contains.

Facts & Claims That Can Be Verified

When it comes to writing content for LLMs – you’ll want to bring receipts. In other words, be prepared to get into detail, and back up your work. LLMs weight specificity heavily. Vague claims get ignored; named, quantified claims get cited. A press release that is rich with verifiable entities – such as company name, executive names, ranking source, ratings, review counts, award platforms, etc. – gives the model something concrete to work with. If you can’t answer “who said it, how many, and by when,” the claim is too thin for AI to use.

Third-Party Attribution & Support

Speaking of claims, attributing them to a named, real external entity is preferred by the LLMs over making first-person assertions. This doesn’t have to dominate your press release, but consider including a few stats and quotes from outside sources to round out your content. Again, this mimics the citation structure that LLMs are built to trust. “XYZ Product is a top bestseller on Amazon” reads as marketing copy; “XYZ product is rated 4/5 stars by more than 50,000 Amazon reviewers” reads as a reported fact. The difference in how an AI weighs these is significant.

Content Pitfalls to Avoid

Circular FAQ Answers

FAQs are a smart addition to a press release, but they have to be used in the right way. The most common FAQ mistake is restating the question as the answer. This adds no information, yet LLMs favor FAQ answers that genuinely resolve user intent with additional detail. Each answer should contain at least one piece of information not already present in the headline or body of the press release.

Redundancy Across Sections

Different section headers are a start, but if the content beneath each one covers the same ground, the document reads as thin rather than authoritative. LLMs synthesizing a press release want to find it authoritative across multiple dimensions. For example, if you have a Company Overview, an About Us section, and an FAQ section, each should each contribute something distinct – not repackage the same three claims in three different ways.

Promotion Without Education

This is where a lot of press releases fall short for AEO. LLMs answering practical questions – “When should I use an EOR instead of setting up an entity?” or “How does global payroll compliance work?” – pull from explanatory content, not promotional copy. Including even a brief “how it works” or “when to use this” section dramatically expands the range of queries your content can answer. The most common queries aren’t “who is #1” – they’re process and decision questions. If your content doesn’t address those, it won’t be cited for them.

Keyword Stuffing

LLMs use term frequency as a signal of topical authority, but there’s an important guardrail. Using a target phrase naturally throughout a document helps establish relevance, but repeating it identically in every paragraph signals keyword stuffing – just like with traditional search. Modern LLMs, including those powering AI Overviews and Perplexity, are already sophisticated enough to recognize and discount that technique. The key? Vary your language, even if it’s a similar phrase or concept – for example, using “top-ranked,” “highest-rated,” and similar terms throughout your press release.

Quick Checklist: LLM-Optimized Content

Before publishing a press release, blog post, or any content you want AI to cite, make sure you’re hitting on these key points:

Structure

• Use descriptive headers. Each section should be identifiable by its heading alone
• Keep paragraphs to 3–4 sentences. LLMs chunk by paragraph
• Make each section cover a distinct angle. Eliminate content that repeats across sections

Claims & Attribution

• Use a named source for any claim. Ranked #1 by (Source) is better than simply top-ranked
• Quantify everything possible. Number of clients, countries served, subsidiaries, partners, etc.
• Include full names on first reference. This is a standard PR rule that hasn’t changed. Use acronyms after that

FAQ Section

• Write questions as real user queries. Consider investigating common AI search phrases for your company/product in advance
• Include new information in every answer. Avoid circular answers that simply restate the question or repeat information already shared
• Aim for 3–5 sentences per answer. This is enough to stand alone if extracted by AI

Keywords & Tone

• Use the target phrase naturally. Aim for 5–8 uses in a 1,000-word document
• Vary synonyms across the document. Don’t simply repeat the exact phrase
• Avoid jargon – another standard PR rule! Overused words to avoid include: “world-class,” “revolutionary,” and “cutting-edge”

Educational Content

• Include a “how it works” or “when to use this” question. Every press release should have at least one
• Write declaratively, not promotionally. State facts; let the facts do the persuading for you
• Define your category. Include a brief explanation of the category in your release for readers unfamiliar with it

The core principle of AEO is straightforward: LLMs cite content that would genuinely help a human. Content that is trying to “rank” by using repeated phrases, circular claims, and promotional padding is increasingly recognizable to AI as exactly that.

The good news for communicators: the skills that make for good PR writing – such as specificity, attribution, clarity, and substance – are the same skills that make content LLM-friendly. All you have to do is put those skills to new use. Bottom line? AEO isn’t a separate discipline from good PR. It’s just more of a reason to double down on what we’ve always done well.

Want help structuring your next press release or content piece for both media and AI? We offer a full suite of press release and content development services designed to optimize visibility across key audiences, channels, and AI. Send us a note at makesomenoise@resoundmarketing.com or schedule a call today.