The 2026 landscape
Chapters 1-3 of AEO Tactics and Strategies for 2026.
- How AI search works in 2026How AI answers are built from fan-out, retrieval and synthesis, and what operators can influence.
- Platform-by-platform differencesHow Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot and Gemini retrieve and cite, as of October 2026.
- The Visibility LoopThe five-stage framework at the heart of this guide: map, earn eligibility, become the answer, get corroborated, measure.