--- spec_name: "AEO Pack — Implementation Spec for Claude Code" spec_version: "1.0" last_updated: 2026-05-07 target_audience: "Designers, creative directors, business owners running websites on Webflow / WordPress / Shopify / Squarespace" expected_outcome: "Your website becomes citable by ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity within 2-4 weeks of crawl" ai_tools_supported: [claude_code, google_antigravity, cursor] based_on: https://mikekwal.com/blog/aeo-pack/ author: Mike Kwal --- # AEO Pack — Implementation Spec for Claude Code ## Instructions for the AI You are helping a website owner implement Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Read this spec end-to-end, then apply each step to their codebase. Confirm each step before moving to the next. If the user is on a specific platform (Webflow, WordPress, Shopify, Squarespace), use the platform-specific instructions. If you don't know the platform, ASK before changing files. For every change, explain what you're doing in one sentence so the user learns as they go. --- ## Step 1: Add `llms.txt` at site root **What it does:** Tells AI engines (Anthropic's Claude, Perplexity, ChatGPT-search) what the site is about and where to find canonical pages. **Where it goes:** `https://[domain]/llms.txt` — server root, public. **Template (fill in placeholders, then save to root):** ``` # [Brand Name] > [One-line description of what the business does] ## About - [Value proposition in 2-3 sentences] - [Who it serves] - [What makes it different] ## Key Pages - [Homepage](https://[domain]/): [Headline value prop] - [Services](https://[domain]/services): [What's sold] - [Blog](https://[domain]/blog): [Where thought leadership lives] ## Topics covered - [Topic 1] - [Topic 2] - [Topic 3] ## Contact - Email: [email] - Booking: https://[domain]/book ## Updated [YYYY-MM-DD] ``` **Platform-specific upload paths:** - **WordPress:** Place at site root (alongside `wp-config.php`). Or use a plugin like "WPCode" to inject it. Verify reachable at `[domain]/llms.txt`. - **Webflow:** Use Site Settings → Custom Code → host as a hosted asset, OR drop into a CMS Collection, OR use a redirect rule pointing `/llms.txt` to a hosted text file. - **Shopify:** Apps → "Custom Pages" or "File Manager" → upload as a page asset, route `/llms.txt` to it via Liquid template. - **Squarespace:** Settings → Advanced → Code Injection won't work for this. Use Pages → Custom Code → URL Mappings to redirect `/llms.txt` to a hosted file. --- ## Step 2: Add schema markup to every page template **What it does:** Structured data tells AI engines what content *means* (vs. just what it says). Three schemas matter most: `Article`, `FAQPage`, `HowTo`. ### Article schema (paste into `` of every blog post template) ```json ``` ### FAQPage schema (for any page with question-answer sections) ```json ``` ### HowTo schema (for any tutorial / step-by-step page) ```json ``` **Platform-specific:** - **WordPress:** Install Rank Math (free). General Settings → enable Schema for Posts (Article) and Pages. For FAQ: use the native FAQ block in Gutenberg — Rank Math wraps it in schema automatically. - **Webflow:** CMS Collection template → custom code area → paste the JSON-LD with field bindings (e.g., `{{post.title}}`). - **Shopify:** Theme code editor → `theme.liquid` `` → paste the schema with Liquid template tags. --- ## Step 3: Restructure cornerstone content as Q&A For the top 5-10 cornerstone pages on the site, rewrite the body using question-answer headings. Example transformation: **Before:** > Email automation can be powerful for Shopify stores. There are many tools you can use, and the best approach depends on factors including your tech stack... **After:** > ### Q: What's the best email automation tool for Shopify? > Klaviyo is the leader for Shopify-native email automation. It connects in 5 minutes, includes pre-built flows (welcome series, abandoned cart, post-purchase), and starts free for up to 250 contacts. > > ### Q: How do I set up an abandoned cart email in Klaviyo? > 1. Connect Klaviyo to Shopify via the official integration. > 2. Navigate to Flows → Create Flow → Pre-Built. > 3. Select "Abandoned Cart." > 4. Customize copy and timing (default: 4 hours after abandonment). > 5. Toggle Live. The Q&A version is what gets cited by AI engines. The paragraph version becomes a footnote. --- ## Step 4: Add an FAQ block to every cornerstone page At the bottom of every long-form page, add a 5-10 question FAQ block wrapped in FAQPage schema (Step 2). AI engines disproportionately cite FAQ content. Sources for FAQ questions: - The 5 most common sales objections from the client - The 5 most common questions in support tickets / DMs - Competitor pages — search "[topic] FAQ" and see what they answer --- ## Step 5: Audit existing pages for AEO-readiness Run the AI through this checklist for each cornerstone page: - [ ] Title tag is descriptive (not generic) - [ ] H1 matches user intent / search query - [ ] First paragraph answers the page's central question in 1-2 sentences (inverted pyramid) - [ ] H2/H3 headings are questions or topics, not vague phrases - [ ] At least one Article or FAQPage schema block in `` - [ ] Page has been "updated" within the last 6 months (date stamp visible) - [ ] No critical content rendered only via JavaScript (server-render the important stuff) - [ ] FAQ block at the bottom (5+ questions, schema-wrapped) - [ ] Internal links to 2-3 related cornerstone pages - [ ] Original data, frameworks, or named methods present (citation-worthy assets) Flag any page failing 3+ checks. Prioritize fixing the highest-traffic pages first. --- ## Quick-start prompts for Claude Code / Google Antigravity / Cursor Once you've installed your AI builder, paste these prompts in order: ### Prompt 1 — Generate llms.txt ``` Read the llms.txt template in this spec. Look at my homepage at https://[my-domain]/ and any About page if it exists. Generate a custom llms.txt for my site, save it to my project root, and remind me to upload it to the live site root. ``` ### Prompt 2 — Add Article schema ``` Find my main blog post template (single.php for WordPress, the Collection template for Webflow, theme.liquid section for Shopify). Inject the Article schema JSON-LD from this spec, with field bindings to my actual post fields (title, author, date, image). Verify it's valid by running it through https://search.google.com/test/rich-results. ``` ### Prompt 3 — Add FAQ schema to a page ``` On the page at [URL], find the existing FAQ section (or the Q&A pattern in the body). Wrap it in FAQPage schema using the template in this spec. Bind to the actual question/answer text. Confirm it parses with Google's Rich Results Test. ``` ### Prompt 4 — Audit my cornerstone pages ``` Run the AEO audit checklist from Step 5 of this spec on these 5 pages: [list URLs]. Tell me which checks each page fails and what to fix first. ``` ### Prompt 5 — Restructure a page as Q&A ``` Read the page at [URL]. Rewrite the body using the inverted-pyramid question-answer pattern from Step 3 of this spec. Don't change the design or visual hierarchy — only the copy structure. Show me the diff before saving. ``` --- ## Verification (run after Steps 1-4 complete) | Check | How | |---|---| | `llms.txt` is reachable | Open `https://[domain]/llms.txt` in a browser. Should show the file content. | | Schema is valid | Paste the URL into [Google Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results). All schemas should be green. | | You're being cited | Ask ChatGPT (or Perplexity / Claude with web): *"Best [your niche] resources?"* — see if you appear. (Allow 2-4 weeks for AI engines to re-crawl after changes.) | | FAQ blocks render | Visit cornerstone pages. The FAQ section should be visible AND in the page source as schema. | --- ## Need help? Four ways to go deeper: - **Free** — Join the [Talk-to-Build community](https://www.skool.com/talktobuild). Builders shipping AI-native AEO-ready sites together. - **Done-for-you** — [MK-Way](https://mk-way.com) builds AEO-ready websites in 7 days. - **Quick question** — DM Mike on [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/mikekwal). He reads every message. - **B2B / strategy** — Connect on [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikekwal/). --- *This spec is the actionable implementation companion to the AEO Pack hub article: [https://mikekwal.com/blog/aeo-pack](https://mikekwal.com/blog/aeo-pack/). The hub explains the why; this spec ships the what.* *Last updated: 2026-05-07*