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AEO Canon · the reference for answer-engine optimization
AEOCanon

Lesson 2 of 6

Briefs That Produce Citable Pages

An AEO brief targets a question and engineers extractability — specifying the answer-first summary, question-shaped headings, evidence, and links up front.

Learning objectives

  • ▸Write a brief that engineers extractability.
  • ▸Specify the evidence and links each page needs.
  • ▸Hand a writer everything to produce a citable draft.

The lesson

Read the full lesson →How to Brief Writers for AEOAn AEO brief defines "done" before drafting — the target question, the answer-first structure, the evidence to cite, and the original angle only you can supply. A good brief is what turns a writer (or an AI draft) into citable content instead of generic filler. Includes a downloadable brief template.3 min read

Key takeaways

  • ▸An AEO brief targets a question, not just a keyword.
  • ▸It dictates answer-first structure, evidence, and internal links up front.
  • ▸A good brief is the difference between generic and citable.

Knowledge check

Knowledge check

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  1. 1. How does an AEO brief differ from a normal content brief?

  2. 2. What must an AEO brief specify for credibility?