How we research and score AI SEO courses
Every course in our AI SEO course comparison is scored on the same nine criteria, weighted to a 100-point total. This page explains exactly how, and what our scores can and cannot tell you.
How are courses selected?
We include courses, memberships and free resources that teach optimisation for AI search (AI SEO, GEO or AEO) as a main topic, are publicly available to buy or access, and have a public page describing what they include. We aim to cover a range of formats and price points, not just the most heavily marketed options.
We exclude courses that only mention AI in passing, courses with no public description, and products that are mainly software with a small training add-on. The launch comparison covers 10 courses; we expect to add more over time.
How is information researched?
We start with the provider's own public page or listing, then record observable data such as public ratings, review counts and member numbers where the platform shows them. Every factual claim on the site is traceable to a source listed under the course, with the date we accessed it.
Unless a review says otherwise, we have not bought or completed the course. We do not describe a course as “tested” unless we have tested it. Where something is not publicly documented (for example lesson runtimes or module counts), we say so instead of estimating.
What do the evidence labels mean?
Facts on this site carry one of four labels so you can see how much weight to put on them.
- Verified
- Checked directly against a primary source we could access (the provider’s own page or listing) on the date shown.
- Observed
- Seen by us on a public page on the date shown (for example a live price, member count or rating), but liable to change at any time.
- Provider claim
- Stated by the course provider or instructor about themselves. Reported as their claim; not independently audited.
- Unverified
- Reported by third parties or only partially confirmed. We could not check it against a primary source yet.
What are the scoring criteria and weights?
Courses are rated on nine criteria. AI search depth is weighted highest because it is what separates an AI SEO course from a general SEO course. Support, freshness and measurement carry real weight because AI search changes quickly and needs tracking.
| Criterion | Weight | What we look for |
|---|---|---|
| AI search / GEO / AEO depth | 20 | How thoroughly the course covers how AI search surfaces (Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT search, Perplexity and similar) select, retrieve and cite sources, and what to do about it. |
| Practical implementation, workflows and tooling | 15 | Whether learners get concrete workflows, templates, tools or campaign-level walkthroughs they can apply, rather than theory alone. |
| Evidence, testing and case material | 15 | Whether recommendations are backed by published experiments, data or case material with visible methodology. Unaudited provider claims score lower than reproducible evidence. |
| Instructor / operator credibility | 10 | Publicly verifiable track record of the people teaching. Self-reported figures are accepted as provider claims but weigh less than independently visible work. |
| Freshness and update frequency | 10 | How recently the material was published or updated, and whether there is a stated or observable update cadence. AI search changes quickly, so undated material scores lower. |
| Measurement and tracking | 10 | Coverage of how to measure AI visibility: citation and mention tracking, AI referral traffic in analytics, prompt tracking and reporting. |
| Feedback, community and support | 10 | Access to live calls, Q&A, reviews of your own work, or an active community. Self-paced material with no support scores low here by design. |
| Value relative to format | 5 | Price judged against what the format delivers. Free resources score highly; paid options are judged on what the fee buys, not on price alone. |
| Accessibility and learning path | 5 | How easy it is to start and progress: clear structure, stated prerequisites, and suitability for people who are not already advanced practitioners. |
| Total | 100 |
How is the overall score calculated?
Each criterion gets a rating from 0 to 5. The rating is converted to points in proportion to that criterion's weight, and the points are added up. For example, a 3.5/5 rating on ai search / geo / aeo depth (weight 20) is worth 14 points.
Overall scores are calculated automatically from the ratings, never typed in by hand, so every course is scored the same way. If any criterion has not been rated, the course is shown as “not yet scored” rather than given a partial total.
| Rating | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 5 | Strong, specific public evidence the course does this well. |
| 4 | Clearly covered, with some detail visible publicly. |
| 3 | Covered, but detail is limited or mostly provider-described. |
| 2 | Touched on, narrow in scope, or weakly evidenced. |
| 1 | Minimal coverage. |
| 0 | Not offered or no evidence it is covered. |
Ratings are editorial judgements based on the evidence available. Provider claims that we cannot check count for less than information we can verify directly, which can disadvantage courses that publish little about themselves.
How are prices checked?
We read prices from the provider's own public page or listing and record the date. Prices marked Unverified come from third-party sources because we could not access the provider's page. All prices are in US dollars as listed and exclude tax.
Some memberships change their price often. Where we have seen a price change, we record it in the course's price history. Always confirm the price on the provider's site before buying.
How are verification dates and updates handled?
Every course shows a “last verified” date: the most recent date we checked its public page. When we update a course, we re-check price, format and public rating, update the sources, and re-rate any criteria affected. This comparison was last updated on . Providers can send corrections through our about page; we update the page if we can verify the change.
Why do different course formats suit different people?
No single format is best for everyone. Free self-paced courses suit beginners and budget-limited learners. Short live cohorts suit people who want a structured framework quickly. Ongoing memberships suit practitioners who want continuous updates, feedback on real projects and a peer community.
Our weighting rewards support and freshness, which favours live memberships. Weighting value and accessibility more heavily would favour free courses. That is why the recommendations by buyer type matter as much as the overall ranking.
Independence
We have no affiliate links, sponsorships or commercial relationships with any course provider listed. No provider has paid for inclusion or placement, or reviewed our scores before publication.