The Temso Blog

AI search doesn’t return a list of links, it returns structured text answers. The Four P’s (presence, position, placement, and perception) are the fundamentals for understanding how brands and sources are presented in AI search results.

Presence is the most fundamental performance metric in Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). It measures whether your brand or sources appear in AI search responses. Without presence, there is nothing to optimize and if competitors are present while you’re not, they control the narrative.

Sources reveal which domains AI relies on when generating answers. In AI search, there are two main types: inline sources within the text and cited sources at the bottom. Both play different roles in shaping presence, position, placement, and perception in Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).

Mentions are the foundation of measuring AI search performance. There are two main types: brand mentions, where companies or products are named in the response, and source mentions, where external sites are linked or cited. Both shape how presence, position, placement, and perception are evaluated in Answer Engine Optimization (AEO).