What is AEO? Answer engine optimization, explained for small businesses
AEO is how you get your business into the answers people get from ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google's AI. Here's what it means and where to start.
I've launched five businesses, from DrinkParty, a board game that ended up selling in all 50 states and across Canada, to a fitness company, a clothing line and software apps. Every time, the hardest part wasn't building the thing. It was getting people to find it. The way people find businesses is changing again, and AEO is the name for the new game.
What does AEO stand for?
AEO stands for answer engine optimization. An answer engine is any tool that answers a question directly instead of handing you a list of links: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google's AI Overviews, Microsoft Copilot and voice assistants. AEO is the work of making sure those tools know about your business, trust it, and mention it when it's relevant.
You'll also hear it called GEO (generative engine optimization) or simply AI search optimization. They mean roughly the same thing.
How is AEO different from SEO?
SEO aims to rank your pages in a list of results. AEO aims to get your business named inside an answer. The two overlap a lot. AI tools pull much of what they know from the web, so a site that's clear, well structured and well linked tends to do well in both.
The difference is emphasis. AEO cares more about direct answers to specific questions, consistent facts about your business everywhere online, and what other sites say about you.
Why should a small business care about AEO?
Because “who should I call?” is increasingly a question people ask an AI. When someone asks for a recommendation, the tool usually names a handful of businesses, not ten pages of results. If you're not one of them, you never got a chance to compete.
The good news: most small businesses haven't touched this yet, so it's still early.
How do I get started with AEO?
- Check where you stand. Ask the AI tools the questions your customers ask. Here's how to run that test.
- Make your facts consistent. Same name, address, phone, hours and services on your site, Google Business Profile and directories.
- Answer real questions. Use clear question headings and direct answers. See how to write FAQ sections AI will quote.
- Add structured data. Label your pages so machines don't have to guess. Start with these four schema types.
- Earn mentions. Reviews, local press, directories and partner sites all tell AI tools you're legit.
Does AEO replace SEO?
No. Think of AEO as SEO's next chapter, not a replacement. Most of the fundamentals still apply, and good SEO makes AEO much easier.
Curious where you stand? Run our free AI check and we'll send you a short report.