What is AEO? Answer Engine Optimization
If you build products or run sites, you’ve probably noticed something: people aren’t just Googling anymore — they’re asking AI. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, Gemini… all of them are becoming the new gateways to information.
That’s where AEO — Answer Engine Optimization — comes in. It’s basically the next evolution of SEO, focused on making your content show up inside AI-generated answers instead of traditional search results.
In short: SEO helps you rank in Google.
AEO helps you get mentioned in ChatGPT’s responses.
SEO vs AEO: Same idea, new rules
Here’s the quick comparison:
SEO → optimize for search engines (Google, Bing).
AEO → optimize for answer engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot).
SEO metrics → impressions, clicks, rankings.
AEO metrics → mentions, citations, visibility inside AI answers.
The fundamentals are the same — good content, solid backlinks, structured data — but the context is different.
Instead of keywords like “best Node.js frameworks”, AEO targets questions like “What’s the best backend stack for a startup?”
You’re writing for humans talking to machines, not humans searching on Google.
Why this matters
AI assistants are eating search. Some quick stats from SEO.com’s article:
Over 400M people use OpenAI tools weekly.
Bing’s app installs jumped 4× after adding AI.
By 2026, 25% of organic traffic might shift to AI chatbots.
So yeah, people aren’t clicking through search results like before. They’re reading summaries generated by models. If your brand, project, or blog isn’t part of those summaries — you’re invisible.
The challenge: You can’t just “SEO” your way in
There’s no magic keyword trick for AEO. Tracking is messy. The tools are new. And every model pulls from different sources.
You can’t just throw a sitemap at ChatGPT and expect it to crawl you.
That said, there are practical steps you can take.
How to start with AEO
Get your basics right
Make sure your site is crawlable, fast, and indexable. Good internal links, clean structure, schema markup (FAQ, Article, etc.).
Write for questions, not just keywords
Use conversational phrasing. Think in prompts: “How do I…?”, “What’s the difference between…?”, “Which tool should I use for…?”
Add real value
AI models love unique data and credible sources. Publish research, code snippets, benchmarks — things that other sites (and people) might reference.
Earn citations
Get your content mentioned or linked from trusted sources. The more your brand shows up in reputable data, the more likely it ends up in AI answers.
Track mentions manually (for now)
Until analytics catches up, you’ll have to check manually. Search your brand or topic in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, etc., and see if you’re referenced.
Iterate
Like SEO, AEO takes time. A few weeks to a few months depending on how visible your content already is.
AEO isn’t replacing SEO — yet
Think of it as another layer on top of your SEO stack. If you’re already optimizing for users and quality, you’re halfway there.
AEO just means thinking about how AI engines find and quote your content.
TL;DR
SEO = optimize for Google.
AEO = optimize for ChatGPT.
Focus on structured, conversational, high-value content.
Earn citations and mentions from trusted sources.
Track results manually until better tools arrive.
The web’s shifting from searching to asking. If your site isn’t part of the answers, someone else’s will be.