Understanding Your AEO Score
How WriteCited calculates your AEO Score (0–100), what each component measures, and how to fix a low score before publishing.
The AEO Score is a 0–100 rating that measures how likely your content is to be cited by AI models before you publish. It is calculated in real time across five components, each worth 20 points.
The five components
| Component | Max | What it checks |
|---|---|---|
| Direct Answer Presence | 20 | Direct answer in the first 100 words. Target keyword in opening sentence. No preamble before the answer. |
| Entity Definition Clarity | 20 | Key terms defined explicitly. Named entities (tools, companies, concepts) defined on first use. |
| Structural Quality | 20 | Correct H2/H3 hierarchy. Short paragraphs (3 sentences max). Lists for multi-step content. Minimum 4 FAQ questions. |
| Schema Markup Completeness | 20 | Article + FAQPage + HowTo (if applicable) schema present and valid JSON-LD in page head. |
| Entity-Rich Language | 20 | Named companies, tools, people. Statistics with source attribution. Specific numbers, not approximations. |
Score benchmarks
- •90–100: Exceptional citation potential. Publish immediately.
- •75–89: Strong. Minor improvements possible but not required.
- •60–74: Moderate. Fix lowest-scoring component before publishing.
- •Below 60: Needs structural revision. Check Direct Answer and Structural Quality first.
Fixing a low score
- •Low Direct Answer: Move your definition to the very first paragraph. Delete any intro sentences before it.
- •Low Entity Definition: Add a 'Definition:' callout for your primary term. Define every tool on first mention.
- •Low Structural: Shorten paragraphs. Add numbered list to any process section. Ensure 4+ FAQ questions.
- •Low Schema: Export JSON-LD from WriteCited and paste into your page head. Without this, schema points are lost regardless of content quality.
- •Low Entity-Rich: Add minimum 3 named statistics with sources. Replace 'many companies' with specific names.