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Audits/audit/nextjs

Next.js SEO + AEO Audit: Fix AI-Answer Gaps | SEO AEO Specialist SEO & AEO Specialist

In short

A Next.js SEO + AEO audit targets the platform's single biggest lever: whether pages are server-rendered or generated (SSR/SSG) versus client-only rendered. It also checks the Metadata API, app-router robots and sitemap files, and hydration or soft-404 risks. SEO AEO Specialist crawls up to 50 pages and shows exactly what AI answer engines and Google receive in your initial HTML.

Rendering strategy decides your AEO outcome. SSR and SSG deliver full content in the initial HTML, which AI answer engines can read directly. Client-only rendering ('use client' pages, or data fetched entirely in the browser) leaves crawlers a near-empty shell; Google may eventually render it, but many AI engines do not execute JavaScript and will see nothing quotable. The audit identifies which routes ship real content versus empty shells.

Metadata is a common gap. The App Router's Metadata API (static metadata exports or generateMetadata) must populate titles, descriptions, canonicals, and Open Graph per route; pages relying on client-side title updates often ship blank or duplicated meta. Confirm app/robots.ts and app/sitemap.ts exist and list canonical URLs.

Hydration mismatches and soft 404s are subtler risks: a route that returns 200 with 'not found' content, or content that flickers in only after hydration, misleads both crawlers and AI engines. Fix client-only rendering on content routes first, complete the Metadata API, then verify status codes and sitemap output.

See the SEO audit guide and AEO guide. Run SEO AEO Specialist's free audit of up to 50 pages (EUR0), then the full report for €9. SEO AEO Specialist helps you diagnose AND fix, not just monitor; ongoing monitoring is €19/mo per domain.

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FAQ

Why does client-only rendering hurt Next.js AEO?

Client-only routes ship a near-empty HTML shell and build content in the browser. Google may render it eventually, but many AI answer engines do not execute JavaScript, so they see nothing to quote. Moving content routes to SSR or SSG puts full text in the initial HTML. The audit flags which routes render client-side only.

How should Next.js handle metadata and sitemaps for SEO?

Use the App Router Metadata API, static metadata exports or generateMetadata, to set titles, descriptions, canonicals, and Open Graph per route, and add app/robots.ts and app/sitemap.ts listing canonical URLs. Pages that update titles client-side often ship blank meta. The audit checks which routes have complete, server-rendered metadata.

See where you stand

SEO AEO Specialist runs a free AI-visibility audit and hands you the exact fixes. One-off report €9, unlimited €19/mo.

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