What is AEO?
Answer engine optimization—designing content so answer systems can quote you accurately.
AEO (answer engine optimization) focuses on how answer engines—search features and assistants that respond in natural language—select, summarize, and attribute information.
Overlap with GEO and classic SEO
| Layer | Emphasis |
|---|---|
| Classic SEO | Crawlability, relevance, links, snippets |
| GEO | Visibility in generative summaries broadly |
| AEO | Precise, quotable answers to specific questions |
You still need fast, indexable pages. AEO adds question-led content: definitions, steps, comparison tables, and sourced claims editors can verify.
Practical habits
- Map top question queries from Search Console, sales calls, and support tickets.
- Publish one canonical answer per question; avoid contradictory duplicates.
- Use clear attribution (author, updated date, citations) on YMYL topics.
- Test how assistants paraphrase your pages; fix ambiguous wording.
Next steps
- What is GEO?
- SEO training for teams — workshop outline for internal rollout