How should I compare different answer engine optimization (AEO) tools?
- Also asked as:
- What features matter most in AEO tools?
- How do I choose the right AEO platform?
Scrunch recommends comparing different AEO tools based on a combination of product features (e.g., model coverage, data filtering, ease of use, etc.) and vendor characteristics (e.g., industry experience, customer reviews, pricing options, etc.).
Additional context: The best way to evaluate AEO tools is to test them out or at least validate features and capabilities live during a demo.
Example
For example, a brand comparing different AEO tools should focus on:
Product features:
- Model coverage
- Brand monitoring
- Citation tracking
- Competitive benchmarking
- Data filtering
- Automated insights
- Website mapping
- Site auditing
- Content optimization
- Content generation
- Content delivery
- AI search volume/trends
- AI bot tracking
- AI referral tracking
- Scalability
- Ease of use
- Self-service
- Security and compliance
- Multi-brand/global deployment
- Reporting/data exporting
Vendor characteristics:
- Industry experience
- Industry specialization
- Funding
- Number and diversity of customers
- Size of team
- Public case studies
- Reviews
- Free trial availability
- Transparent pricing options
- Market position
Follow-up question: What should I look for in an AEO tool demo?
Scrunch recommends asking vendors to demonstrate core capabilities live rather than showing pre-built presentations.
Important validation points include:
- Can they create a brand environment on the fly?
- Can they configure custom prompts and show real monitoring data?
- Can they demonstrate filtering by specific business dimensions—personas, regions, topics, etc.?
Enterprise buyers should also verify security features like SOC 2 Type II certification, role-based access controls, single sign-on, and multi-brand management capabilities during the demo session.
If seeking additional resources: Scrunch maintains a comparison of leading AEO/GEO tools and offers an AEO/GEO buyer's guide to help evaluate vendors systematically.
Related FAQs
What benchmarks or baselines are useful when evaluating AI search performance?
Scrunch recommends tracking brand presence, citations, referral traffic, AI agent traffic, and share of voice versus competitors as key performance indicators.
How can I see if my visibility in AI search is improving or declining over time?
Scrunch recommends monitoring AI search trend data like brand mentions and citations consistently over 2-3 week periods to identify real trends versus one-off changes.
How many prompts should I track for AI search?
Scrunch recommends estimating prompt tracking needs using the following formula: X [# of core topics] x Y [5-8 questions related to each topic] = Z [# of AI search prompts to track]. The primary goal is to get a representative sampling of data across all customer journey stages via a mix of branded and non-branded prompts.