> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cognerd.in/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Frequently Asked Questions About How CogNerd Works

> Answers to common questions about how CogNerd monitors AI platforms, what AEO and GEO mean, how pricing works, and how your data is protected.

Below you'll find answers to the questions we hear most often from new and existing customers. If you don't see your question here, reach out to support or [book a 30-minute demo](https://calendly.com/hub-cognerd/30min) for a live walkthrough.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Which AI platforms does CogNerd monitor?">
    CogNerd monitors 10+ AI platforms, including:

    * ChatGPT (OpenAI)
    * Claude (Anthropic)
    * Gemini (Google)
    * Perplexity
    * Microsoft Copilot
    * Grok (xAI)
    * DeepSeek
    * You.com

    The Optimize and Enterprise plans cover all supported platforms. The Monitor plan includes 2 platforms. Enterprise customers can also request custom platform integrations for platforms not in the default list.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How is CogNerd different from traditional SEO tools?">
    Traditional SEO tools track where your website ranks in Google search results for specific keywords. CogNerd tracks something different: whether your brand is **cited or mentioned in AI-generated answers**.

    When someone asks ChatGPT "what's the best project management software?" or Claude "which accounting tools do consultants use?", SEO rankings don't determine whether your brand appears — AI training data, source credibility, and structured content do. CogNerd is built specifically to monitor and improve your visibility in that new layer of discovery.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What is AEO — Answer Engine Optimization?">
    AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization. It's the practice of structuring your content and digital presence so that AI platforms are more likely to cite your brand in their generated answers.

    Where SEO focuses on ranking signals for search engines, AEO focuses on citability signals for answer engines like ChatGPT and Claude. This includes things like schema markup, FAQ content, authoritative backlinks, and structured entity data — all of which CogNerd's AEO Report audits and scores.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What are GEO files?">
    GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. GEO files are structured documents that AI crawlers read to understand who you are and what you do. They include:

    * **llms.txt** — a plain-text file that summarizes your brand for large language models
    * **Schema.org JSON-LD** — structured data that helps AI systems understand your entity type, products, and relationships
    * **FAQ pages** — question-and-answer content that maps directly to how AI models respond to queries
    * **Entity graphs** — linked data that connects your brand to related concepts and categories

    CogNerd's GEO Assets feature auto-generates these files based on your brand profile, so you don't have to author them manually.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How quickly will I see my first report?">
    Most customers see their first AI visibility report within 24 hours of connecting their brand. The initial analysis queries each monitored AI platform and compiles your visibility score, mention count, sentiment, and competitor benchmarks.

    After the first report, the cadence depends on your plan: weekly on Monitor, daily on Optimize, and real-time on Enterprise.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How does CogNerd pricing work?">
    CogNerd uses a tiered subscription model. The three main variables are:

    * **How many brands** you need to track
    * **How many AI platforms** you want monitored
    * **How often** you want reports generated

    Plans start at $49/month (Monitor) for a single brand with weekly reports, and go up to $149/month (Optimize) for 5 brands with daily reports and full platform coverage. Enterprise pricing is custom. Annual billing reduces the monthly rate on both paid plans.

    Within each plan, AI features like Brand Analysis and AEO Reports are metered by a credit system. See the [Credits](/credits) page for the full breakdown.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is there a free trial?">
    Yes. You can start a free trial at [app.cognerd.in](https://app.cognerd.in) without a credit card. The trial gives you enough access to connect your first brand and see an initial visibility report.

    If you'd prefer a guided tour before signing up, [book a 30-minute demo](https://calendly.com/hub-cognerd/30min) and we'll walk through the platform with you.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="How is my data protected?">
    CogNerd treats your data with the following protections:

    * **Encrypted in transit and at rest** — all data is encrypted using industry-standard protocols
    * **Account isolation** — your brand data is logically isolated from other accounts and never shared
    * **Not used to train AI models** — your content, brand data, and analysis results are never used as training data for any AI model
    * **SOC 2-compliant infrastructure** — CogNerd runs on infrastructure that meets SOC 2 compliance standards

    If you have specific data residency or compliance requirements, contact us to discuss Enterprise options.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>