Answer Engine Optimization (aeo)
Visibility in the Age of AI-Driven Student Search
Search used to mean typing keywords into a search engine and clicking through a list of results. Now, students turn to AI platforms, like ChatGPT, Google AI, Perplexity, and others, to ask direct questions about programs, outcomes, cost, and fit, and trust the answers they receive. AI search is conversational, with students asking follow-ups, comparing options, and exploring details over time.
Carnegie’s Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) solution helps colleges and universities get discovered, cited, and accurately represented across these AI-powered interactions—so your institution shows up not just once, but repeatedly. Backed by industry-leading AEO technology and decades of higher ed search and enrollment expertise, we ensure your institution appears clearly, accurately, and credibly wherever AI shapes student decisions.
More Ways to Accelerate AEO Impact
AEO Workshops
Training sessions that equip internal marketing, content, and web teams with practical AEO principles and implementation guidance. Workshops help teams understand how to structure content for AI discovery, apply best practices consistently, and support long-term scalability.
Conversion Rate Optimization
Optimization of key on-site conversion pathways tied to priority programs or high-intent traffic influenced by AEO. As AI-driven visibility increases, CRO ensures that qualified users who do reach the site engage, convert, and move efficiently through the enrollment journey.
GA4 AEO Traffic Monitoring
Advanced analytics configuration to better identify, isolate, and measure traffic influenced by AI-driven search experiences. This includes refined tracking, custom reporting, and insights that connect AEO visibility to on-site behavior and downstream outcomes.
Organic Social
Strategic guidance and content support to shape institutional narratives, expertise, and program messaging across organic social platforms. We reinforce consistency, elevating subject-matter voices, and influencing the conversations and signals surfaced by AI-driven search experiences.
Technical Implementation
Deeper technical investigations and implementation support beyond baseline AEO maintenance. This also includes structural CMS updates to support AI visibility.
Media Relations Support
Strategic media relations counsel that converts AEO visibility into earned credibility through targeted storytelling. We align institutional expertise with journalist interests using media intelligence, narrative development, and disciplined pitching— reinforcing authority surfaced by AI search.
How it Works
Align on Priorities and Establish a Baseline
We begin by aligning on priority programs, audiences, and student search moments. Together, we identify who you need to reach, what questions they’re asking, and where AI visibility matters most, establishing the foundation for meaningful analysis and action.
Measure AI Visibility and Brand Sentiment
As part of an initial AEO Audit, we evaluate how your institution appears across major AI platforms, including ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, Copilot, and Grok.
Over a 30-day monitoring period, we track prompts and AI-generated responses across priority topics to assess visibility, competitive presence, citations, and sentiment. This reveals how often you appear, how you’re described, and how you compare to competitors and aspirational institutions.
Evaluate Readiness and Define Direction
Next, we assess the content, structure, and technical signals that influence AI-driven discovery. This includes identifying narrative gaps, technical barriers, and authority signals that affect how AI engines interpret, summarize, and surface your institution.
These insights are translated into a clear, prioritized roadmap and reviewed with your team in a dedicated working session, providing clarity on what to address now, what to plan next, and where the greatest opportunities exist.
Activate and Sustain AI Visibility
With clarity established, we move into AEO Activation. Carnegie works alongside your team to implement recommendations, create and refine content, strengthen AI-facing signals, and continuously optimize visibility over time.
Through ongoing content development, asset optimization, and visibility tracking, we help institutions remain accurately represented, competitive, and trusted as AI platforms and student behavior continue to evolve.
Ready to Get Started?
The Definitive Guide to AI Search for Higher Ed
Learn how AI-powered answer engines are changing student search and what AEO means for colleges and universities. Download our practical AI Search guide and explore Carnegie’s deep-dive AEO audit and activation support.
