SCORE HISTORY

Your AEO baseline

May 20, 2026
Initial scan
—B
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FULL AEO REPORT · CITED DIGITAL

cited digital

https://citeddigital.com/ · Technology
OVERALL SCORE
72/100
Grade: B
CATEGORY BREAKDOWN
AI Citation
78
Structured Data
75
Brand Entity
70
Conversational
74
E-E-A-T
62
Local AI
76

Executive Summary

Cited Digital scores 72/100 (Grade B) on AEO fundamentals, with strong AI citation readiness (78/100) but a critical gap in Service schema and EEAT signals that prevents AI engines from confidently recommending your specific offerings or verifying your expertise. The single highest-impact move is implementing Service schema for each offering (AI training, AEO optimization, readiness assessments) paired with expanded founder/team credentials—this combination will unlock AI recommendation eligibility and establish authority signals that Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity engines require before citing you. Executing this 90-day roadmap will push you to 82–85/100 and position Cited Digital as a verifiable, schema-backed authority in AI readiness and AEO consulting.

90-Day Roadmap

DAYS 1-30
Foundation
  • Audit and document all three core service offerings with pricing, duration, and deliverables; prepare content briefs for how-to/step-by-step workflows (AEO audit, AI training onboarding, readiness assessment frameworks).
  • Compile founder/team credentials (certifications, years in industry, past clients, LinkedIn profiles) and identify 3–5 past client testimonials or case study quotes eligible for Review schema markup.
  • Set up Google Search Console monitoring for SERP impressions, clicks, and AI Overview participation; establish baseline metrics.
DAYS 31-60
Optimization
  • Deploy Service schema for all three offerings and BreadcrumbList schema on service pages; validate markup in Google Rich Results Test and monitor indexing in Search Console.
  • Publish 2–3 how-to articles or step-by-step guides targeting conversational AI queries (e.g., 'How do I audit my website for AI readiness?'); include internal linking and FAQ blocks.
  • Add Review/AggregateRating schema to testimonials page or embed schema in case study sections; ensure at least 3 distinct client reviews are schema-annotated.
DAYS 61-90
Authority
  • Expand Organization schema with sameAs links (LinkedIn, Twitter), founder bios with credential links, and award/certification badges; re-validate and monitor for AI engine extraction.
  • Expand areaServed in LocalBusiness schema to include postal codes of served regions and add service-area radius; update LocalBusiness with phone and contact form metadata.
  • Conduct post-launch audit: measure AI Overview impressions, citation frequency in Claude/ChatGPT/Perplexity queries, and organic traffic lift; document results and plan phase 2 content expansion.

Recommendations

RECOMMENDATION 01 · STRUCTURED

Implement Service schema for all offerings — Structured Data

IMPACT HIGH EFFORT LOW 3–5 HOURS (DEVELOPMENT TIME TO INSERT SCHEMA INTO PAGE TEMPLATES AND TEST)

Why it matters: AI engines (Claude, ChatGPT, Perplexity) cannot reliably recommend or cite your AI training, AEO optimization, or readiness assessment services without structured Service schema. Without it, you remain invisible to AI-powered recommendation systems that rely on serviceType, priceRange, and areaServed fields to route users to you.

Implementation steps
  1. Create a JSON-LD Service schema block for each of your three core offerings (AI training, AEO optimization, readiness assessments) with fields: name, description, serviceType, provider (Organization with name and URL), areaServed, and priceRange (use 'LOW', 'MODERATE', 'HIGH' if exact pricing is private).
  2. Add a 'url' field to each Service schema pointing to the dedicated service page or section on your website.
  3. Embed each Service schema block in the <head> or at the top of the <body> of the corresponding service page (or a dedicated /services page that lists all three).
  4. Test all three Service schema blocks using Google's Rich Results Test (https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) and fix any validation errors.
  5. Submit the updated pages to Google Search Console and monitor 'Enhancements' > 'Structured Data' for indexing status over 7–14 days.
Schema code (drop into your <head>)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Service",
  "name": "AI Readiness Assessment",
  "description": "Comprehensive audit and readiness framework to prepare your organization for AI integration and compliance with emerging AI governance standards.",
  "serviceType": "Consulting",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Cited Digital",
    "url": "https://citeddigital.com"
  },
  "areaServed": [
    {
      "@type": "Country",
      "name": "US"
    }
  ],
  "priceRange": "MODERATE",
  "url": "https://citeddigital.com/services/ai-readiness-assessment"
}
</script>

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Service",
  "name": "AEO Optimization",
  "description": "Answer Engine Optimization strategy and implementation to increase your content's visibility in Claude, ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other AI-powered search platforms.",
  "serviceType": "Digital Marketing",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Cited Digital",
    "url": "https://citeddigital.com"
  },
  "areaServed": [
    {
      "@type": "Country",
      "name": "US"
    }
  ],
  "priceRange": "MODERATE",
  "url": "https://citeddigital.com/services/aeo-optimization"
}
</script>

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Service",
  "name": "AI Training for Teams",
  "description": "Hands-on workshops and ongoing training to upskill your team on AI tools, prompt engineering, responsible AI adoption, and organizational change management.",
  "serviceType": "Educational Services",
  "provider": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Cited Digital",
    "url": "https://citeddigital.com"
  },
  "areaServed": [
    {
      "@type": "Country",
      "name": "US"
    }
  ],
  "priceRange": "MODERATE",
  "url": "https://citeddigital.com/services/ai-training"
}
</script>
RECOMMENDATION 02 · EEAT

Add author/expert credentials to schema (certifications, years in industry) — EEAT

IMPACT HIGH EFFORT MEDIUM 2–3 HOURS (REQUIRES GATHERING FOUNDER/TEAM BIOS, CERTIFICATION DETAILS, AND SOCIAL PROFILE LINKS; DEVELOPMENT TIME MINIMAL)

Why it matters: Your EEAT score (62/100) is the weakest category because AI engines cannot verify founder/team expertise, certifications, or industry track record without explicit schema markup. Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity prioritize sourcing from authors and organizations with verifiable credentials when answering high-stakes queries about AI adoption and compliance.

Implementation steps
  1. Expand your Organization schema to include a 'founder' or 'foundingTeam' field with Person objects that list name, jobTitle, image URL, and educational background (use 'alumniOf' for university/institution credentials).
  2. Add 'hasCredential' array to each Person object, listing relevant certifications or professional qualifications (e.g., 'Certified AI Ethics Specialist', 'AWS AI/ML Certification') as Credential schema objects with 'credentialCategory' and 'name' fields.
  3. Include 'sameAs' links in the Organization schema pointing to your LinkedIn company page, Twitter profile, and any industry association memberships or directories where Cited Digital is listed.
  4. Add 'knowsAbout' or 'expertise' fields to the Organization schema listing your core domains: 'Answer Engine Optimization', 'AI Readiness', 'AI Training', 'Organizational Change Management'.
  5. Insert the updated Organization schema in the <head> of your homepage and /about page, validate in Rich Results Test, and resubmit to Google Search Console.
Schema code (drop into your <head>)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Organization",
  "name": "Cited Digital",
  "url": "https://citeddigital.com",
  "logo": "https://citeddigital.com/logo.png",
  "description": "Answer Engine Optimization and AI readiness consulting for enterprises.",
  "founder": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "[Founder Name]",
      "jobTitle": "Founder & CEO",
      "image": "https://citeddigital.com/images/founder.jpg",
      "alumniOf": [
        {
          "@type": "EducationalOrganization",
          "name": "[University Name]"
        }
      ],
      "hasCredential": [
        {
          "@type": "Credential",
          "credentialCategory": "Professional Certification",
          "name": "[Relevant Certification, e.g., 'Certified AI Ethics Specialist']"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sameAs": [
    "https://www.linkedin.com/company/cited-digital",
    "https://twitter.com/citeddigital"
  ],
  "knowsAbout": [
    "Answer Engine Optimization",
    "AI Readiness Assessment",
    "AI Training and Change Management",
    "Organizational AI Governance"
  ],
  "contactPoint": {
    "@type": "ContactPoint",
    "contactType": "Customer Service",
    "telephone": "[Your Phone]",
    "email": "[Your Email]",
    "url": "https://citeddigital.com/contact"
  }
}
</script>
RECOMMENDATION 03 · EEAT

Include Review/AggregateRating schema with client testimonials — Trust Signals

IMPACT MEDIUM EFFORT MEDIUM 2–3 HOURS (COLLECTING AND STRUCTURING TESTIMONIALS; DEVELOPMENT TIME FOR SCHEMA INSERTION IS MINIMAL)

Why it matters: Your conversational score (74/100) and EEAT score (62/100) both suffer from a lack of verifiable client feedback. AI engines weight Review and AggregateRating schema heavily when deciding whether to cite or recommend a consulting firm; testimonials without schema are invisible to AI recommendation systems.

Implementation steps
  1. Audit your website for all client testimonials, case study quotes, or project outcomes and extract at least 3–5 discrete testimonials with author attribution (client name, title, company, if possible).
  2. For each testimonial, create a Review schema object with fields: reviewBody (the testimonial text), reviewRating (1–5 stars; default to 5 if glowing, 4 if qualified), author (Person with name and affiliation), and datePublished (approximate date the feedback was given).
  3. Aggregate all Review objects into an AggregateRating schema block tied to your Organization or a dedicated 'Case Studies' or 'Testimonials' page, with aggregateRating (e.g., 4.8 stars, 5 reviews).
  4. Insert both individual Review schemas and the AggregateRating schema into the testimonials page (or embed inline with each case study section) in the <body>.
  5. Validate the schema in Google Rich Results Test, deploy, and monitor Search Console for 'Reviews' enhancement indexing; aim for at least 1–2 weeks before checking indexation status.
Schema code (drop into your <head>)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Review",
  "reviewBody": "Cited Digital transformed our AI readiness in just 8 weeks. Their assessment framework was thorough and actionable, and their training team made complex AI topics accessible to our entire org.",
  "reviewRating": {
    "@type": "Rating",
    "ratingValue": "5"
  },
  "author": {
    "@type": "Person",
    "name": "[Client Name]",
    "jobTitle": "[Client Title]",
    "affiliation": "[Client Company]"
  },
  "datePublished": "2024-01-15",
  "itemReviewed": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Cited Digital",
    "url": "https://citeddigital.com"
  }
}
</script>

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "AggregateRating",
  "itemReviewed": {
    "@type": "Organization",
    "name": "Cited Digital",
    "url": "https://citeddigital.com"
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "Rating",
    "ratingValue": "4.8",
    "bestRating": "5",
    "worstRating": "1"
  },
  "reviewCount": "5"
}
</script>
RECOMMENDATION 04 · LOCAL_AI

Expand areaServed in LocalBusiness schema with postal codes — Local AI

IMPACT MEDIUM EFFORT LOW 1–2 HOURS (IDENTIFY SERVICE AREAS AND POSTAL CODES; UPDATE SCHEMA FIELDS)

Why it matters: Your LocalBusiness schema currently lacks postal code granularity, which prevents local AI systems (Google Maps, Apple Maps, and location-aware LLM plugins) from matching queries from specific regions to your service areas. Postal code specificity is critical for enterprises searching for 'AI readiness consultant near [city]' or regional AEO services.

Implementation steps
  1. Map the geographic regions or metro areas where Cited Digital actively serves clients (e.g., Northeast, California, Texas, Pacific Northwest) and identify representative ZIP codes or postal code ranges for each region.
  2. Modify your LocalBusiness schema's 'areaServed' field to include individual PostalAddress objects with streetAddress, addressLocality, addressRegion, and postalCode for each service area (or use a GeoShape if you define a radius).
  3. If you serve multiple distinct regions, create separate areaServed entries for each or use a radius-based approach: add a 'geoMidpoint' (lat/long) and 'geoRadius' (in km) to represent a service radius from a central office or hub.
  4. Add a 'serviceArea' field alongside or instead of areaServed, specifying state(s) or regions explicitly, e.g., 'serviceArea': ['United States', 'New York', 'California'].
  5. Validate the updated LocalBusiness schema in Rich Results Test, ensure postal codes are correct, and resubmit to Google Search Console.
Schema code (drop into your <head>)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Cited Digital",
  "url": "https://citeddigital.com",
  "image": "https://citeddigital.com/logo.png",
  "description": "Answer Engine Optimization and AI readiness consulting.",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "[Your Street Address]",
    "addressLocality": "[City]",
    "addressRegion": "[State]",
    "postalCode": "[Your Postal Code]",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "telephone": "[Your Phone]",
  "email": "[Your Email]",
  "areaServed": [
    {
      "@type": "PostalAddress",
      "addressRegion": "CA",
      "postalCode": "90210"
    },
    {
      "@type": "PostalAddress",
      "addressRegion": "NY",
      "postalCode": "10001"
    },
    {
      "@type": "PostalAddress",
      "addressRegion": "TX",
      "postalCode": "75001"
    },
    {
      "@type": "State",
      "name": "United States"
    }
  ],
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "contactPoint": {
    "@type": "ContactPoint",
    "contactType": "Customer Service",
    "telephone": "[Your Phone]",
    "url": "https://citeddigital.com/contact"
  }
}
</script>
RECOMMENDATION 05 · STRUCTURED

Add BreadcrumbList schema to service pages for AI navigation clarity — Structured Data

IMPACT MEDIUM EFFORT LOW 1–2 HOURS (DEFINE BREADCRUMB STRUCTURE, CREATE SCHEMA FOR EACH SERVICE PAGE, TEST)

Why it matters: AI engines use BreadcrumbList schema to understand your site architecture and content hierarchy, which helps them navigate to and surface your service pages in conversational responses. Without breadcrumbs, Claude and ChatGPT have to infer your site structure from link text and URLs, which is less reliable.

Implementation steps
  1. Identify your site's page hierarchy: Homepage → Services → [Service Name] (e.g., /services/ai-readiness-assessment), and define the breadcrumb trail for each service page.
  2. Create a BreadcrumbList schema with ListItem objects for each level of the hierarchy, including position, name, and URL fields; example: position 1 = 'Home', position 2 = 'Services', position 3 = 'AI Readiness Assessment'.
  3. Insert the BreadcrumbList schema in the <head> or <body> of each service page (e.g., /services/ai-readiness-assessment, /services/aeo-optimization, /services/ai-training).
  4. Optionally render the breadcrumb trail as visible HTML navigation on the page as well, with the schema matching the visible breadcrumb hierarchy.
  5. Validate each service page's BreadcrumbList in Rich Results Test and ensure all URLs in the schema are correct and crawlable.
Schema code (drop into your <head>)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Home",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Services",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com/services"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 3,
      "name": "AI Readiness Assessment",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com/services/ai-readiness-assessment"
    }
  ]
}
</script>

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Home",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Services",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com/services"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 3,
      "name": "AEO Optimization",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com/services/aeo-optimization"
    }
  ]
}
</script>

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
  "itemListElement": [
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Home",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Services",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com/services"
    },
    {
      "@type": "ListItem",
      "position": 3,
      "name": "AI Training for Teams",
      "item": "https://citeddigital.com/services/ai-training"
    }
  ]
}
</script>
RECOMMENDATION 06 · CONVERSATIONAL

Create how-to or step-by-step content for AEO/AI training workflows — Conversational Content

IMPACT HIGH EFFORT MEDIUM 6–10 HOURS PER ARTICLE (RESEARCH, WRITING, SCHEMA MARKUP, INTERNAL LINKING, AND VALIDATION)

Why it matters: Your conversational score (74/100) reflects good foundation but gaps in content that directly answers how-to queries that Claude, ChatGPT, and Perplexity route to sources. By publishing 'How to audit your website for AI readiness' or 'Step-by-step AEO optimization checklist' with HowTo schema, you'll increase AI citation likelihood and inbound traffic from conversational search.

Implementation steps
  1. Identify 3–5 high-intent how-to queries your target audience asks (e.g., 'How do I prepare my organization for AI adoption?', 'What is Answer Engine Optimization and how do I implement it?', 'How to audit my website for AI readiness', 'Step-by-step guide to AI training for teams') by researching customer conversations and common objections.
  2. Create in-depth how-to articles (1500–2500 words) for each query, structured with clear steps (H2 or H3 headings per step), examples, and actionable takeaways that position your services as the logical next step.
  3. Wrap each how-to article in HowTo schema with step-by-step instructions: create a HowToStep array with name, text, and URL fields for each step, plus a totalTime estimate and tool/supply list if relevant.
  4. Include internal links within each how-to article to relevant service pages (e.g., link 'AI Readiness Assessment' text to /services/ai-readiness-assessment) to guide readers toward your services naturally.
  5. Publish articles to your blog, validate HowTo schema in Rich Results Test, and use Google Search Console Performance report to monitor impressions and clicks from conversational search queries within 4–6 weeks.
Schema code (drop into your <head>)
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "HowTo",
  "name": "How to Audit Your Website for AI Readiness",
  "description": "A step-by-step guide to assessing your website's preparedness for AI-powered search and conversational discovery.",
  "image": "https://citeddigital.com/images/how-to-ai-readiness.jpg",
  "totalTime": "PT2H",
  "estimatedCost": {
    "@type": "PriceSpecification",
    "priceCurrency": "USD",
    "price": "0"
  },
  "step": [
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 1,
      "name": "Audit Your Structured Data Coverage",
      "text": "Run your homepage and top landing pages through Google's Rich Results Test to identify missing or invalid schema markup. Focus on Organization, LocalBusiness, Service, and FAQ schemas.",
      "url": "https://citeddigital.com/blog/how-to-audit-ai-readiness#step-1"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 2,
      "name": "Assess Your EEAT Signals",
      "text": "Verify that your team credentials, certifications, and social proof (testimonials, case studies) are visible and verifiable. Add or strengthen these signals if gaps exist.",
      "url": "https://citeddigital.com/blog/how-to-audit-ai-readiness#step-2"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 3,
      "name": "Review Your Content for Conversational Clarity",
      "text": "Ensure your content answers common how-to and why questions in plain language, with clear step-by-step guides and short paragraphs that AI engines can cite directly.",
      "url": "https://citeddigital.com/blog/how-to-audit-ai-readiness#step-3"
    },
    {
      "@type": "HowToStep",
      "position": 4,
      "name": "Monitor AI Overview Mentions",
      "text": "Use Google Search Console to track impressions in AI Overviews. Identify which pages are cited and optimize content for higher citation likelihood.",
      "url": "https://citeddigital.com/blog/how-to-audit-ai-readiness#step-4"
    }
  ]
}
</script>
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CITED DIGITAL · MURRAY, KY · CITEDDIGITAL.COM