Two kinds of search, one goal
SEO, search engine optimization, is about earning a high position in a list of links. AEO, answer engine optimization, is about being the source an AI assistant uses, quotes or recommends when it writes an answer.
The goal is the same: show up when a buyer is looking for what you sell. What changes is the shape of the result. A search page gives a buyer ten options to compare. An AI answer often gives them two or three names and a reason for each.
What stays the same
Most of what makes a site good for SEO also helps with AEO:
- Pages that can be crawled and indexed
- Clear, specific information about what you do, who you serve and where
- Content that answers real questions well
- A reputation that other sites confirm
If your SEO foundation is weak, AEO will not fix it.
What changes with AEO
1. Questions matter more than keywords. People ask AI assistants full questions, such as "why are my Meta ads getting leads but no customers?" Pages built around one clear question, answered early, are easier for an assistant to use.
2. The answer has to stand on its own. An assistant may pull a single paragraph out of your page. Write so the key answer makes sense without the rest of the article.
3. Clarity about your business beats clever branding. An assistant cannot recommend you for something your site never plainly says you do. Vague taglines give it nothing to work with.
4. Other people's words count heavily. Reviews, directory listings, interviews, news mentions and community discussions help an assistant decide whether you are a credible option.
5. Measurement is different. Instead of tracking rank for a keyword, you track whether your business is mentioned for a fixed set of buyer questions across assistants. See how to track whether AI assistants recommend your business.
Where to start
- Make sure AI crawlers can read your site. Use our guide: Can AI crawlers read my website?
- Rewrite your core service pages to say plainly what you do, for whom and where.
- Publish answers to the ten questions buyers ask most before they hire you.
- Build mentions on trusted sites in your industry.
- Track a fixed set of questions every month.
About the author
Alvin Day · Founder, Day Consulting
Alvin Day is a consultant and growth-systems operator helping service businesses improve how they market, sell, operate, and scale. His work combines strategy, AI, automation, and hands-on implementation, built around the real constraints of each business.
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