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The 47-Point AEO Technical Audit Checklist for 2025 (Including Google’s INP & SGE Requirements)
Sean Dorje
Published
August 29, 2025
3 min read
The 47-Point AEO Technical Audit Checklist for 2025 (Including Google's INP & SGE Requirements)
Introduction
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) has become the critical strategy for ensuring your content gets recognized and cited by AI systems when they generate responses. (Relixir) With AI-driven search platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini transforming how users discover information in 2025, traditional SEO approaches are no longer sufficient. (LinkedIn)
The stakes have never been higher. According to recent data, LLM-sourced sessions jumped 527% across 19 GA4 properties from January to May 2025, with LLM-generated traffic delivering 124% higher conversions than traditional search channels. (Dev.to) Meanwhile, when AI answers appeared, organic click-through rates dropped by more than half—from 1.41% to 0.64%—for informational queries. (LinkedIn)
Google's 2025 updates have fundamentally changed the technical requirements for AEO success. The replacement of First Input Delay (FID) with Interaction to Next Paint (INP) and the impact of Search Generative Experience (SGE) on Core Web Vitals thresholds demand a comprehensive audit approach. This 47-point checklist provides the definitive framework for ensuring your website meets these new standards while maximizing visibility across all AI search engines.
The Current AEO Landscape: Why Technical Audits Matter More Than Ever
Generative engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Bing Copilot will influence up to 70% of all queries by the end of 2025. (Relixir) This shift represents a fundamental change in how search works, with AI platforms now answering millions of questions daily without sending users to a single website.
Traditional search has evolved dramatically, with the growth of generative AI, conversational interfaces, and multimodal tools changing how people find and interact with information. (Omnius) Legacy search engines are being challenged by AI-native platforms that answer questions directly, personalize results, and pull data straight from the web and internal systems.
For B2B SaaS companies, the implications are particularly significant. Over half of B2B buyers now ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini for vendor shortlists before visiting Google results. (Relixir) This makes technical optimization for AI discovery not just important, but essential for survival.
Google's 2025 Core Web Vitals Updates: INP and SGE Requirements
Understanding INP (Interaction to Next Paint)
Google's replacement of First Input Delay (FID) with Interaction to Next Paint (INP) represents a more comprehensive measure of page responsiveness. While FID only measured the delay of the first interaction, INP considers the latency of all interactions throughout the page lifecycle.
Critical INP Benchmarks for 2025:
Good: INP < 200 milliseconds
Needs Improvement: 200-500 milliseconds
Poor: > 500 milliseconds
Search Generative Experience (SGE) Impact
SGE has introduced new performance thresholds that directly impact AI citation likelihood. Pages that meet enhanced Core Web Vitals standards are significantly more likely to be referenced in AI-generated responses.
Updated Core Web Vitals Thresholds:
Largest Contentful Paint (LCP): ≤ 2.5 seconds
Interaction to Next Paint (INP): < 200 milliseconds
Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS): < 0.1
These metrics now directly influence how AI systems evaluate and cite content, making technical performance a critical component of AEO strategy. (Relixir)
The Complete 47-Point AEO Technical Audit Checklist
Core Web Vitals & Performance (Points 1-12)
Checkpoint | Requirement | 2025 Benchmark | Impact on AEO |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) | Main content loads quickly | ≤ 2.5 seconds | High - AI crawlers prioritize fast-loading content |
2. Interaction to Next Paint (INP) | Page responds to user interactions | < 200 milliseconds | Critical - Replaces FID as core ranking factor |
3. Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) | Visual stability during load | < 0.1 | Medium - Affects user experience signals |
4. First Contentful Paint (FCP) | Initial content appears | ≤ 1.8 seconds | Medium - Early content discovery |
5. Time to Interactive (TTI) | Page becomes fully interactive | ≤ 3.8 seconds | High - AI systems test interactivity |
6. Total Blocking Time (TBT) | Main thread availability | ≤ 200 milliseconds | Medium - Affects overall responsiveness |
7. Speed Index | Visual completeness | ≤ 3.4 seconds | Medium - Content visibility timeline |
8. Mobile Performance Score | PageSpeed Insights mobile | ≥ 90 | Critical - Mobile-first AI indexing |
9. Desktop Performance Score | PageSpeed Insights desktop | ≥ 95 | High - Desktop AI crawler performance |
10. Server Response Time (TTFB) | Initial server response | ≤ 200 milliseconds | High - Foundation for all other metrics |
11. Resource Loading Optimization | Critical resources prioritized | All critical < 1s | High - Affects content discovery speed |
12. Third-party Script Impact | External script performance | < 500ms delay | Medium - Prevents performance degradation |
Schema Markup & Structured Data (Points 13-22)
Structured data is the foundation of AEO success. AI engines need clear, structured information to understand and cite your content effectively. (Relixir)
Checkpoint | Schema Type | Implementation | AEO Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
13. Organization Schema | Complete business entity data | JSON-LD format | Establishes entity authority with AI systems |
14. Product Schema | Detailed product information | All key products | AI engines recommend solutions in context |
15. FAQPage Schema | Comprehensive Q&A content | All FAQ sections | Directly feeds AI answer generation |
16. Article Schema | Blog and content pages | All articles | Improves content discoverability |
17. BreadcrumbList Schema | Site navigation structure | All pages | Helps AI understand site hierarchy |
18. LocalBusiness Schema | Location and contact data | If applicable | Local AI search optimization |
19. Review Schema | Customer testimonials | Product/service pages | Builds trust signals for AI |
20. SoftwareApplication Schema | SaaS product details | Product pages | Technical product understanding |
21. HowTo Schema | Process and tutorial content | Instructional content | Captures procedural queries |
22. VideoObject Schema | Video content metadata | All video content | Multimodal AI optimization |
Content Structure & Optimization (Points 23-32)
AI systems require content to be structured in specific ways for optimal understanding and citation. Competitive audits should examine content structure and format, comprehensiveness, tone and readability, and keyword and topic gap analysis. (Search Engine Land)
Checkpoint | Element | Requirement | AEO Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
23. Heading Hierarchy | H1-H6 structure | Logical, semantic order | AI content parsing |
24. Answer-First Content | Direct question responses | First 100 words | Featured in AI responses |
25. Semantic HTML | Proper HTML5 elements | All content sections | Improved AI comprehension |
26. Content Depth | Comprehensive coverage | 1500+ words for pillar content | Authority establishment |
27. Internal Linking | Strategic link structure | 3-5 relevant links per page | Content relationship mapping |
28. External Citations | Authoritative source links | 2-3 per article | Credibility signals |
29. Content Freshness | Regular updates | Monthly review cycle | Maintains AI relevance |
30. Readability Score | Accessible language | Flesch score 60+ | AI processing efficiency |
31. Entity Mentions | Clear entity references | Consistent naming | Entity relationship building |
32. Topic Clustering | Related content grouping | Hub and spoke model | Topical authority |
Technical Infrastructure (Points 33-42)
Checkpoint | Component | Standard | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
33. HTTPS Implementation | SSL certificate | Valid, trusted CA | Security requirement |
34. Mobile Responsiveness | Responsive design | All breakpoints | Mobile-first indexing |
35. XML Sitemap | Complete site map | All important pages | AI crawler guidance |
36. Robots.txt | Crawler directives | Properly configured | AI access control |
37. Canonical URLs | Duplicate content handling | All pages | Content consolidation |
38. 404 Error Handling | Broken link management | Custom 404 pages | User experience |
39. Redirect Management | URL changes | 301 redirects | Link equity preservation |
40. Image Optimization | File size and format | WebP, compressed | Performance impact |
41. CDN Implementation | Content delivery | Global distribution | Speed optimization |
42. Database Optimization | Query performance | Optimized queries | Backend performance |
AI-Specific Optimization (Points 43-47)
The final five checkpoints focus specifically on AI engine requirements and emerging optimization opportunities.
Checkpoint | Focus Area | Implementation | Strategic Value |
|---|---|---|---|
43. Conversational Content | Natural language patterns | Question-answer format | Voice search optimization |
44. Entity Relationship Mapping | Connected concepts | Semantic linking | AI understanding depth |
45. Multi-format Content | Diverse content types | Text, video, images | Multimodal AI compatibility |
46. Real-time Data Integration | Dynamic content updates | API-driven content | Freshness signals |
47. AI Guardrails Compliance | Content safety measures | Appropriate content filters | Platform compatibility |
How Relixir Automates AEO Technical Audits
Relixir's AI-powered platform automatically surfaces technical gaps and optimization opportunities across all 47 checkpoints. (Relixir) The platform simulates thousands of buyer questions and reveals how AI sees your brand, diagnosing competitive gaps that traditional SEO tools miss.
Key automation features include:
Comprehensive Site Crawling: Automatically identifies technical issues across all 47 audit points
Real-time Performance Monitoring: Tracks Core Web Vitals and INP metrics continuously
Schema Validation: Ensures all structured data meets AI engine requirements
Content Gap Analysis: AI-powered identification of missing topics and optimization opportunities
Competitive Intelligence: Reveals why competitors rank higher in AI responses
The platform requires no developer lift and can flip AI rankings in under 30 days, making it an essential tool for modern AEO strategies. (Relixir)
Implementing Your AEO Audit Dashboard
Setting Up Monitoring Systems
To effectively track your AEO performance, establish monitoring systems that capture both traditional metrics and AI-specific signals:
Core Metrics to Track:
INP scores across all key pages
Schema markup validation status
AI citation frequency and context
Content freshness indicators
Entity mention consistency
Creating Actionable Reports
Your audit dashboard should provide actionable insights that directly connect technical issues to AEO performance. AI is highly effective in performing gap analysis, a task humans often struggle with due to cognitive biases. (Moz) This makes automated reporting essential for maintaining competitive advantage.
Dashboard Components:
Real-time Core Web Vitals monitoring
Schema markup health scores
Content optimization recommendations
Competitive gap analysis
AI citation tracking
Advanced AEO Considerations for 2025
AI Guardrails and Content Safety
As AI systems become more sophisticated, content safety and guardrails become increasingly important. AI guardrails are rules or policies that define what an AI model can or cannot do when interacting with users or internal systems. (BusinessGPT) These guardrails are designed to prevent unsafe or inappropriate content, data leakage, regulatory violations, and hallucinations.
For AEO success, ensure your content:
Meets platform-specific safety guidelines
Avoids triggering content filters
Maintains factual accuracy
Includes appropriate disclaimers
Enterprise-Grade Implementation
Large organizations require additional considerations for AEO implementation:
Scalability Requirements:
Automated content generation with human oversight
Multi-site schema deployment
Performance monitoring across domains
Compliance with enterprise security standards
Relixir's enterprise-grade guardrails and approval workflows ensure that automated AEO optimizations meet corporate standards while maintaining effectiveness. (Relixir)
Measuring AEO Success: Beyond Traditional Metrics
Traditional SEO metrics don't capture the full picture of AEO performance. (Relixir) New measurement frameworks must account for AI citation frequency, context quality, and cross-platform visibility.
Key Performance Indicators for AEO
Primary Metrics:
AI citation frequency across platforms
Context quality of citations
Brand mention sentiment in AI responses
Query coverage breadth
Competitive displacement rate
Technical Performance Metrics:
INP scores and trends
Schema markup coverage
Content freshness indicators
Mobile performance consistency
Cross-platform compatibility
ROI Measurement
AI platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Bing Copilot now refer between 0.5% and 3% of total website traffic on average, with some SaaS companies exceeding 1%+. (Dev.to) This growing traffic source requires dedicated measurement and optimization strategies.
Future-Proofing Your AEO Strategy
Emerging Technologies and Trends
The AI search landscape continues evolving rapidly. Core trends driving this shift include chat-based search, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), enterprise knowledge tools, and on-device assistants. (Omnius)
Preparation Strategies:
Implement flexible schema markup systems
Develop content creation workflows that scale
Establish monitoring systems for new AI platforms
Build technical infrastructure that adapts to new requirements
Continuous Optimization Framework
AEO requires ongoing optimization rather than one-time implementation. Establish processes for:
Monthly technical audits using the 47-point checklist
Quarterly content gap analysis
Continuous performance monitoring
Regular competitive intelligence gathering
Platform-specific optimization updates
Conclusion
The 47-point AEO technical audit checklist for 2025 provides a comprehensive framework for optimizing your website for AI search engines. With Google's INP requirements and SGE impact fundamentally changing the technical landscape, systematic auditing has become essential for maintaining visibility in an AI-driven search environment.
Implementing this checklist requires both technical expertise and ongoing commitment to optimization. Platforms like Relixir automate much of this process, providing the scale and consistency needed for enterprise AEO success while ensuring compliance with evolving AI platform requirements.
As generative engines continue to influence an increasing percentage of search queries, organizations that implement comprehensive AEO strategies will maintain competitive advantage while those that rely solely on traditional SEO will see declining visibility and traffic. The time to act is now—before your competitors establish dominance in AI search results.
The future of search is here, and it's powered by AI. Make sure your website is ready.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and why is it critical for 2025?
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the strategy of structuring and formatting content to be easily understood, extracted, and cited by AI systems like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini. With LLM-sourced sessions jumping 527% in 2025 and AI platforms now referring 0.5% to 3% of total website traffic, AEO has become essential for maintaining visibility in AI-driven search results.
How does Google's Interaction to Next Paint (INP) affect AEO performance?
Google's INP metric measures page responsiveness to user interactions and directly impacts Core Web Vitals scores. Poor INP performance can reduce your content's chances of being featured in AI overviews and SGE results. The 47-point checklist includes specific INP optimization techniques to ensure your content meets Google's 2025 performance standards for AI search visibility.
What impact does Search Generative Experience (SGE) have on traditional SEO?
SGE significantly reduces traditional organic click-through rates, dropping them from 1.41% to 0.64% for informational queries when AI answers appear. This makes technical AEO optimization crucial, as content must be structured to be cited by AI systems rather than just ranked in traditional search results. The checklist addresses SGE-specific requirements for content formatting and schema markup.
How can technical SEO align with modern AEO best practices?
Technical SEO must evolve to support AI content extraction through proper schema markup, structured data, and content formatting that AI systems can easily parse. According to Relixir's analysis, implementing AEO schema markup and aligning technical SEO with content generation creates a foundation for both traditional search rankings and AI citation opportunities.
What are the key differences between traditional SEO audits and AEO technical audits?
AEO technical audits focus on AI readability factors like structured data implementation, content hierarchy for AI parsing, and schema markup optimization beyond traditional SEO metrics. While traditional audits prioritize rankings and traffic, AEO audits emphasize citation potential, content extractability, and compatibility with generative AI platforms that now deliver 124% higher conversions than traditional search channels.
Which AEO tools should be included in a comprehensive 2025 technical audit?
A comprehensive AEO audit should incorporate specialized tools for schema validation, AI content analysis, and citation tracking across multiple AI platforms. The audit checklist includes evaluation criteria for tools that can assess content structure for AI extraction, monitor AI platform citations, and measure performance across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other generative search engines that are reshaping content discovery.
Sources
https://dev.to/kashif-mukhtar/the-ai-discovery-surge-of-2025-seo-rewritten-28ph
https://relixir.ai/blog/2025-guide-what-is-answer-engine-optimization-aeo
https://relixir.ai/blog/best-ai-seo-platforms-b2b-saas-2025-buyers-guide
https://relixir.ai/blog/best-answer-engine-optimization-aeo-tools-boost-ai-rankings-2025
https://relixir.ai/blog/blog-5-ways-technical-seo-content-generation-align-modern-seo-best-practices
https://relixir.ai/blog/implementing-aeo-schema-markup-b2b-saas-2025-technical-checklist
https://relixir.ai/blog/metrics-that-matter-answer-engine-optimization-beyond-share-of-voice
https://relixir.ai/blog/top-10-answer-engine-optimization-aeo-tools-2025-relixir-number-one
https://relixir.ai/blog/top-answer-engine-optimization-aeo-tools-2025
https://searchengineland.com/competitive-audits-ai-serp-optimization-456537
