AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization — optimising your website and content to appear when someone asks AI agents like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, or Google AI Overviews. It's the successor to SEO for the AI assistant era.
In one sentence: If SEO brings you to search results, AEO brings you into AI's answers.
Why it matters now
In the past 18 months, a large portion of online research has shifted from Google search to AI assistants. This is happening because:
- AI assistants give condensed answers instead of 10 links
- They understand what you're asking, not which words you use
- They synthesise information from multiple sources into one answer
- They've been integrated everywhere: ChatGPT, Google search, Bing, Perplexity, Claude.ai
Example: Previously someone would type «best HR software Greece» into Google and see 10 results. Now they ask ChatGPT «what's the best HR software for Greek companies with 50-200 employees?» and get 3 specific recommendations. If you're not in the 3, you're invisible.
How it differs from SEO
| SEO | AEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank high in search results | Get recommended by AI agents |
| Mechanics | Keywords + backlinks | Schema markup + structured content |
| Format | Articles/landing pages | FAQs + structured answers |
| Measurement | Rankings + traffic | Citations + AI mentions |
| Speed | 6-12 months | 3-9 months |
One doesn't replace the other. AEO builds on SEO foundations and adds new factors.
Three things to do now
Add proper schema markup to your website
If you're a hotel, use Hotel schema. If a clinic, MedicalClinic. If B2B, Organization with detailed properties. Schema is what AI agents «read».
Add FAQ section to every important page
Not generic FAQs. Specific questions your audience asks. Each question 150-300 words answer. Wrapped in FAQPage schema.
Publish educational content regularly
1 substantial article/month in your niche. Not sales-y. Educational. Authority-building.
What to avoid
- Don't try to «trick» AI with keyword stuffing. It picks up on this.
- Don't write vague content that says nothing.
- Don't forget user experience. AEO without useful content doesn't work.
- Don't expect instant results. AEO is a compounding asset, not a quick win.