M04-02 · AI + Content & Marketing Strategy

SEO, Answer Engine, and Generative Engine Optimization

Teaches students to drive organic traffic through search engine optimization, answer engine optimization (AEO), and generative engine optimization (GEO). Covers keyword research using professional tools (Ahrefs, SEMrush), creating content briefs from keyword clusters, on-page SEO, AEO strategies for structuring content so AI answer engines extract and cite it, GEO strategies for visibility in generative AI outputs, technical SEO auditing, SERP analysis, and content audits using Screaming Frog.

30 Hours

8 Learning objectives

Evaluate Bloom's ceiling (?)

5 Competencies

What You'll Be Able To Do

Learning Objectives

Objectives

Depth

Conduct keyword research using Ahrefs or SEMrush to identify keyword clusters organized by search intent (informational, commercial, transactional), competition level, and volume Apply
Create SEO content briefs specifying primary keyword, secondary keywords, search intent, target word count, required sections based on SERP analysis, and internal linking targets Create
Apply on-page SEO requirements to published content: meta titles under 60 characters, meta descriptions under 155 characters with CTA, header hierarchy, image alt text, and URL slug optimization Apply
Design content structures optimized for AI answer engine extraction using Q&A formats, schema markup (FAQ, HowTo), concise direct-answer paragraphs, and factual accuracy standards Create
Analyze a website's organic performance using Google Search Console (impressions, clicks, CTR by query) and GA4 (organic sessions, conversion events, landing page performance) Analyze
Evaluate a content library through a site audit (Screaming Frog/Ahrefs) to identify thin content, keyword cannibalization, missing metadata, and content gap opportunities Evaluate
Apply technical SEO fundamentals: page speed optimization, mobile responsiveness verification, crawlability checks, sitemap submission, and structured data validation Apply
Apply generative engine optimization (GEO) strategies to improve brand visibility in AI-generated responses, using tools like Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit and Ahrefs Brand Radar to monitor and measure citation presence Apply

Levels: Remember · Understand · Apply · Analyze · Evaluate · Create — highest demands most original thinking.

Core Competencies

What You'll Master

Keyword Research & Strategy

Ahrefs/SEMrush proficiency, keyword clustering, intent classification, competition analysis, content gap identification, long-tail keyword targeting.

On-Page SEO Execution

Meta optimization, header structure, internal linking strategy, image optimization, URL architecture, SEO plugin configuration (Yoast/RankMath).

Answer Engine Optimization

AI-extractable content structuring, FAQ/HowTo schema markup, direct-answer formatting, factual accuracy as a ranking factor, monitoring AI citation.

Content Auditing

Screaming Frog/Ahrefs crawl analysis, thin content identification, cannibalization resolution, redirect strategies, content refresh prioritization.

Organic Performance Analysis

Google Search Console metrics, GA4 organic channel analysis, ranking position tracking, conversion attribution from organic, competitive benchmarking.

Portfolio Artifact

What You'll Build

SEO & AEO Strategy Package — Student creates a complete SEO strategy for a simulated business: a keyword research report with 30+ keywords organized into 5-7 pillar clusters with intent tags, 3 fully optimized SEO content briefs, a site audit report identifying 10+ issues with prioritized recommendations, an AEO-optimized article with schema markup and direct-answer formatting, and a 30-day organic performance analysis with Google Search Console and GA4 data.

Tools You'll Use

Industry Tools, Not Toy Projects

Ahrefs / SEMrush

Professional SEO platforms for keyword research, site audits, competitor analysis, and backlink monitoring.

Google Search Console

Google's tool for monitoring organic search performance, indexing status, and search query data.

Google Analytics 4

Web analytics platform for tracking organic traffic, conversion events, and user behavior.

Screaming Frog

Website crawler for technical SEO audits, finding broken links, analyzing metadata, and identifying content issues.

Yoast / RankMath

WordPress SEO plugins for on-page optimization, schema markup, and content readability analysis.

Claude

AI assistant for content brief development, AEO formatting, and SEO strategy analysis.