What is ASO?
Agentic search optimization prepares your site for AI agents that research on a user's behalf: reading many pages, comparing options against the user's criteria and producing a shortlist or a recommendation.
Agents behave differently from people. They skim structure, extract specs and prices, follow links programmatically, and give up on pages they can't parse. ASO makes your pages easy for them to read and compare.
Why ASO matters
When an agent builds the shortlist, the user may never see the brands it couldn't evaluate. Clear, comparable data gets you onto that shortlist.
How ASO works
- 01
Task
The user gives an agent a goal, such as “find three CRM tools under $50 per user with WhatsApp integration”.
- 02
Research
The agent searches and visits candidate sites.
- 03
Extract
It reads specs, prices, features and reviews from each page.
- 04
Decide
It compares the options against the criteria and reports back.
ASO best practices
- Use semantic HTML landmarks: main, nav, header and footer.
- Publish prices, plans and key specs as text, not images.
- Use tables with header cells for specs and comparisons.
- Add Product, Service, Organization or SoftwareApplication structured data.
- Keep pages server-rendered and fast.
Common ASO mistakes
- “Contact us for pricing” with no hint of a price range.
- Specs available only in PDFs or images.
- Navigation that only works on hover or through JavaScript events.
How to measure ASO
Metrics to track
- Agent-readability score of key pages
- Presence in agent shortlists for target tasks
- Structured data coverage for products and plans
What it improves
- Semantic HTML
- Comparable specs and pricing
- Structured data coverage
- Agent visit success
ASO vs. related optimizations
These overlap with ASO. Work on one usually helps the others.
ASO FAQ
What's the difference between an AI agent and a chatbot?+
A chatbot answers questions. An agent carries out multi-step tasks, like researching, comparing, filling in forms or booking, often by browsing websites on its own.
Do agents read structured data?+
Many do, because it's the most reliable way to extract facts like price and availability. Others read the visible page, so both matter.
Should I hide pricing from agents?+
If your pricing is negotiable, give a starting price or a range. Agents comparing options tend to skip vendors they can't price.
How is ASO different from AXO?+
ASO is about agents finding and comparing your content during research. AXO is about the overall experience agents have with your product, including APIs and sign-in.