We analyzed 10,000 websites across 12 sectors to measure the chasm between Google rankings and AI engine citations — and built the first benchmark for Answer Engine Optimization maturity.
10,000 sites · 6 countries · 12 sectors · H2 2024
Between July and December 2024, the CapstonAI Research team analyzed a stratified panel of 10,000 websites proportionally sampled by sector, monthly traffic tier (1K–10M visits/month), and geography (France, USA, UK, Germany, Japan, South Korea).
For each site we ran standardized query batteries across ChatGPT (GPT-4o), Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Bing Copilot, recording citation frequency, entity recognition, and source attribution. Schema markup coverage was audited via automated structured-data parsers.
When we queried ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews with 50 standardized purchase-intent questions per sector, 73% of e-commerce sites never appeared in any AI-generated response — despite many holding strong Google rankings (positions 1–5).
The gap is even steeper in sub-sectors: fashion retail (81% invisible), consumer electronics (77%), home & garden (74%), vs. software/SaaS (48% invisible).
Schema markup is the single most impactful technical lever we identified. Sites deploying FAQPage schema recorded an average AI citation rate of 48% — versus 12% for sites with no structured data.
The multiplier effect compounds when multiple schema types are stacked. Sites running a full AEO schema stack (FAQ + HowTo + Article + Speakable + Dataset) achieved citation rates of 71%, making them nearly 6× more likely to appear in AI responses than unoptimized competitors.
FAQPageHowToArticleSpeakableDatasetBreadcrumbListThe AEO Gap Scoremeasures the delta between a site's Google visibility (normalized to a 0–100 scale based on ranking position and estimated click-through rate) and its AI engine visibility score (citation frequency across our 4-engine test battery).
Red = critical gap · Amber = moderate gap · Green = aligned
A score of 67 means a site ranking #3 on Google captures nearly zero AI traffic — pure opportunity loss.
AEO maturity varies dramatically by geography. US websites score 72/100on our AEO Maturity Index — more than double France's score of 34/100. The US lead is driven by higher schema markup adoption (64% vs 21% in France), faster content update cadence, and greater AI-native content investment.
For French businesses, this gap represents an enormous first-mover opportunity: AEO adoption is low, competition is sparse, and AI traffic is growing fastest in underserved markets.
Within our panel, we identified 847 sites that implemented AEO optimizations (schema markup, structured Q&A content, entity reinforcement) during H2 2024. Tracking their AI referral traffic from analytics integrations revealed a compounding growth curve.
By December 2024, these sites recorded +340% AI referral traffic versus their July 2024 baseline — while the control group (no AEO changes) grew just +15% over the same period.
AEO sites began outperforming the control group by week 6. The gap widened as AI engines reinforced established citations through reinforcement learning.
CapstonAI Research · The State of AI Visibility 2025
As AI-powered answer engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Bing Copilot) become the primary interface for information discovery, a new form of digital invisibility is emerging. CapstonAI's landmark study of 10,000 websites reveals that the majority of businesses — regardless of their Google ranking — are completely absent from AI-generated answers.
Key findings:73% of e-commerce sites are invisible to ChatGPT (Finding #1). FAQ schema markup increases AI citation likelihood by 4× (Finding #2). The average "AEO Gap Score" — our new metric measuring the delta between Google and AI visibility — stands at 67 points for e-commerce sites ranking in Google's top 3 (Finding #3). US websites lead AEO maturity at 72/100 vs France at 34/100 (Finding #4). Sites that implemented AEO optimizations grew AI referral traffic by 340% in 6 months (Finding #5).
Implication: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is no longer optional for businesses that want to remain visible in the next decade of search. The companies that act now will capture a disproportionate share of AI-driven traffic before competitors wake up.
For press inquiries, additional data cuts, or embargoed access: research@capston.ai
Subject: Exclusive data: 73% of e-commerce sites invisible to ChatGPT (10K site study)
Hi [Name],
We just published the largest AI visibility study to date: 10,000 websites analyzed across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Bing Copilot.
Key findings:
→ 73% of e-commerce sites are invisible to ChatGPT
→ FAQ schema markup = 4× more AI citations
→ Introducing the AEO Gap Score — the first metric to quantify the Google/AI visibility chasm
→ AEO-optimized sites: +340% AI traffic in 6 months
Full report (with charts, methodology, and downloadable data): [URL]
Happy to provide exclusive quotes, custom data cuts, or embargoed access for [publication].
Best,
[Name] · CapstonAI Research
Objet : Étude exclusive : 73% des sites e-commerce invisibles sur ChatGPT (10 000 sites analysés)
Bonjour [Prénom],
CapstonAI vient de publier la plus grande étude sur la visibilité IA jamais réalisée : 10 000 sites web analysés sur ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews et Bing Copilot.
Résultats clés :
→ 73% des sites e-commerce sont invisibles pour ChatGPT
→ Le schema FAQ multiplie par 4 les chances d'être cité par les IA
→ Lancement de l'AEO Gap Score — la première métrique mesurant l'écart Google/IA
→ Les sites optimisés AEO ont vu leur trafic IA augmenter de 340% en 6 mois
→ La France (34/100) est loin derrière les USA (72/100) en maturité AEO
Rapport complet (avec graphiques, méthodologie, données téléchargeables) : [URL]
Je reste disponible pour des citations exclusives, des coupes de données personnalisées ou un accès sous embargo pour [Média].
Cordialement,
[Prénom] · CapstonAI Research
CapstonAI automatically implements the schema markup stack that makes your site visible to ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
Cite this research: CapstonAI Research. "The State of AI Visibility 2025." CapstonAI, January 2025. https://capstonai.nanocorp.app/aeo-report-2025
Social Media Kit
🚨 New research: 73% of e-commerce sites are INVISIBLE to ChatGPT — despite ranking on Google. We analyzed 10,000 websites and the results are brutal. Thread 🧵 [data below]
We just published the largest AEO study ever conducted. 10,000 websites analyzed. 240,000+ AI queries. 6 months of data. The headline: your Google ranking means nothing if ChatGPT doesn't know you exist.
The single most impactful thing you can do to get cited by ChatGPT: Add FAQ schema markup. Sites with FAQ schema are 4× more likely to appear in AI answers. That's it. One JSON-LD block can 4× your AI visibility. (from our study of 10,000 sites)
Introducing the AEO Gap Score — a new metric we invented to quantify the chasm between Google visibility and AI visibility. Average score for e-commerce sites ranking #3 on Google: 67 points. That means they capture almost ZERO AI traffic despite top Google rankings.
France vs USA on AI search readiness: 🇺🇸 USA: 72/100 AEO maturity 🇬🇧 UK: 61/100 🇩🇪 DE: 44/100 🇫🇷 France: 34/100 French businesses are leaving enormous AI traffic on the table. Early movers will win big. Data: our 10K site study.
Sites that optimized for AI search (AEO) in H2 2024 saw AI referral traffic grow by 340% in 6 months. The control group? +15%. The gap between AEO adopters and laggards is widening every week. Our full 2025 AI Visibility Report is now live.
The 10 worst sectors for AI visibility: 10. Legal: 14% visible 9. Real Estate: 16% 8. Automotive: 20% 7. Hospitality: 22% 6. E-commerce: 27% ... If you're in these industries, your AI visibility is almost zero. Here's what to do:
The AEO schema stack that gets you cited by AI engines: ✅ FAQPage schema ✅ HowTo schema ✅ Article schema ✅ Speakable schema ✅ Dataset schema ✅ BreadcrumbList schema Sites running the full stack: 71% AI citation rate. Sites with no schema: 12%. The gap is 6×.
Quick thread: What is the AEO Gap Score? It's the delta between your Google visibility and your AI visibility. A score of 67 (e-commerce average) means: you rank #3 on Google, but ChatGPT ignores you. We invented this metric. Here's how it's calculated 🧵
Big news: CapstonAI just published 'The State of AI Visibility 2025' — our original research analyzing 10,000 websites for AI search readiness. Key finding that surprised us most: ranking on Google is now *negatively correlated* with AEO readiness in some sectors. Full report: [link] #AEO #AISearch #SEO2025