What is AEO — and why should you care?

You've heard of SEO. You might even be doing it. It's how businesses get found on Google — the right words on the right pages, done consistently over time.

But something has changed. And it's changing fast.

The way people search has shifted.

A growing number of people aren't typing into Google anymore. They're asking ChatGPT. They're using Perplexity. They're talking to Siri or Alexa and expecting a straight answer.

These tools don't show you a list of ten websites. They give you one answer. Maybe two. That's it.

So the question is — is your business in that answer? Or are you invisible?

That's where AEO comes in.

AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimisation. It's about making sure your website gets picked up and referenced by AI tools when someone asks a question your business could answer.

Think of it this way. Someone asks ChatGPT: "who's a good accountant in Islington?" ChatGPT doesn't browse the web in real time and hand you ten options. It pulls from what it knows — sources it considers clear, credible, and relevant.

AEO is the work you do to become one of those sources.

How is it different from SEO?

SEO gets you into the list. AEO gets you into the answer.

They're not the same thing, but they're not opposites either. A lot of good SEO practice feeds directly into AEO. The difference is in what you're optimising for.

With SEO, you're trying to rank on page one of Google. With AEO, you're trying to be the business an AI tool mentions when someone asks the right question.

What does it actually involve?

Nothing mysterious. It comes down to a few things:

• Writing content that answers real questions, clearly and directly
• Making sure your website is easy to read — for people and for machines
• Being consistent about who you are and what you do across the web
• Building enough of a reputation that AI tools treat you as a reliable source

Most of this is just good web practice. But the focus is different. You're not stuffing in keywords — you're writing for someone who wants a straight answer and has about three seconds of patience.

Should you ditch SEO and focus on this instead?

No. SEO still matters. Google still drives a huge amount of traffic and that's not going away overnight.

But ignoring AEO right now is a bit like ignoring mobile-friendly websites in 2012. It feels optional — until suddenly it isn't.

The businesses getting ahead are doing both. Solid SEO as the foundation, AEO on top.

Where do you start?

Honestly, start with your website. Does it clearly explain what you do, who you do it for, and where you're based? Does it answer the questions your customers actually ask — in plain English, without padding?

If not, that's the first job.

If you want someone to look at it properly, that's exactly what we do. Our SEO + AEO service is built for small businesses that want to stay visible — now and as things keep changing.

Heard of GEO too? It's closely related. Read our companion piece: What is GEO — and how does it fit with AEO? Or if you want the full picture, our practical guide to GEO goes deeper.