In this article
Search behaviour has fundamentally changed with the rise of AI-powered answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews. This guide explains what Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is, how it differs from traditional SEO, and why businesses need both strategies to maintain visibility in 2026.
Contents
What’s the difference between AEO and SEO?
Why AEO matters for business in 2026
How to build an AEO strategy that works with SEO
Frequently asked questions about AEO
Over the last few years, we’ve seen the search landscape fundamentally change. In 2023, OpenAI’s ChatGPT became the fastest-growing consumer application in history, reaching 100 million users in just two months and AI-powered answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Microsoft Copilot are used by millions of people find information every day.
In response to the growing interest and adoption of AI-powered answer engines, Google integrated AI Overviews into its search experience, with these AI-generated responses now appearing in billions of searches.
This adoption of new technology has caused a shift in people’s search behaviour. While Google still dominates the search market, AI answer engines like ChatGPT have slightly eroded Google’s market share.
People are shifting from researching and comparing sources themselves to relying on AI tools that synthesise information from multiple sources and deliver a single, cited response, often without requiring any clicks.
For businesses that have invested heavily in SEO and their presence on Google, this change in behaviour might seem concerning. But your SEO work isn’t wasted. It just forms the foundation for something called Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), and understanding AEO is key to staying visible as search evolves.
What is AEO?
AEO, also known as Answer Engine Optimisation, is the practice of optimising your content so that AI-powered tools choose it as the source when answering user questions.
Unlike traditional search, where people scan through results to find information, answer engines like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews deliver instant answers. Users type a question, and the AI provides a response immediately without having to click or scroll.
What’s the difference between AEO and SEO?
The core difference between AEO and SEO comes down to the end goal of each marketing strategy.
For an SEO strategy, the goal is to rank as high as possible in the search results, as the higher you are, the more likely your site is to get clicked by a user.
For an answer engine optimisation strategy, the goal is to appear in the answer as the source that gets cited, quoted, or featured.
While the end goals may be different, both strategies share the same foundation. Quality content, demonstrated expertise, well-structured information, and credible authority signals matter for both SEO and AEO because AI platforms look for the same trust and quality signals that search engines do.
| Traditional SEO | AEO |
| Optimising to rank in search results | Optimising to be cited by AI systems |
| Focus on keywords and backlinks | Focus on clear, authoritative answers |
| Success = high-ranking position | Success = being the chosen source |
| Traffic to your website | Direct answers (with or without attribution) |
Why AEO matters for businesses in 2026
AEO is so important for businesses because the adoption of AI-powered answer engines has been rapid and widespread. Many people are now turning to these AI-powered answer engines instead of searching for answers themselves.
For businesses, this creates a visibility problem. While appearing in the top 10 links of a Google search results page was a surefire way to get clicks to their website, answer engines have fundamentally changed that equation.
When someone asks ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overview a question, they get a direct answer, often without any links at all, or with just a handful of citations. Even when sources are cited, users frequently get what they need from the answer itself and never click through.
This means businesses can have excellent content that would traditionally rank well and drive traffic, but if it’s not optimised for AI systems, it becomes invisible in answer engine interactions. The traffic you relied on from traditional search rankings can decline not because your SEO has failed, but because user behaviour has shifted to getting answers without clicking.
Your content might still be valuable, authoritative, and well-optimised for traditional search, but if AI tools aren’t choosing it as a source to cite, you could be missing out on a growing portion of how people find information.
How to build an AEO strategy that works with SEO
Building an effective answer engine optimisation strategy doesn’t mean abandoning your existing SEO work. In fact, the work you or your SEO agency has already done forms the foundation of an AEO strategy because AI-powered answer engines look for the same quality signals that traditional search engines value. To build an AEO strategy that complements your SEO strategy, you’ll need to:
- Ensure your SEO fundamentals are in place – Your website should be technically sound, mobile-friendly, and fast-loading with clean site architecture.
- Focus on question-centric content – Identify and answer the specific questions your customers are actually asking.
- Build real expertise and authority – Publish original insights based on genuine experience, not generic content anyone could write.
- Make your content citation-friendly – Structure your content so AI systems can easily extract and attribute information.
- Get cited by credible sources – Earn mentions and backlinks from authoritative publications in your industry to signal trustworthiness.
Moving forward with AEO
The businesses that combine strong SEO fundamentals with AEO best practices will maintain visibility as search continues to evolve. The ones that ignore this shift risk becoming invisible in an increasingly important channel where their customers are already looking for answers.
A digital marketing agency like Shout Digital can help businesses navigate this shift and help you build the authority, content quality, and structure that gives you the best chance at visibility in both traditional search results and AI-driven responses. If you want to discuss how AEO fits into your broader marketing and search strategy, get in touch.
Frequently asked questions about AEO
What is an answer engine?
An answer engine is an AI-powered tool that provides direct answers to questions instead of showing a list of links. Unlike traditional search engines like Google that show ten results for you to click through, answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google’s AI Overviews give you an immediate response by synthesising information from multiple sources. Users ask a question and receive an answer without needing to visit multiple websites.
Is AEO going to replace SEO?
No. AEO builds on SEO rather than replacing it. Both strategies share the same foundation, such as quality content, strong technical fundamentals, and demonstrated expertise. And AI-powered answer engines look for the same trust and authority signals that traditional search engines value. AEO is simply an evolution of SEO that addresses how people are increasingly finding information through AI tools.
Will I get less website traffic if answer engines are giving direct answers?
Potentially, yes. Zero-click interactions are becoming more common; however, being cited builds brand authority and trust even without clicks. Users who see your brand as a credible source may visit later or remember you when ready to take action.
Can small businesses benefit from AEO, or is it just for large companies?
Small businesses can definitely benefit from AEO and sometimes perform better than larger competitors because of their strong expertise in specific niches. If your business provides valuable insights and answers questions better than competitors, you have a good chance of being cited regardless of company size.
How do I start AEO?
Start by ensuring your SEO fundamentals are strong. Your website should be technically sound, mobile-friendly, fast-loading, and already ranking for relevant keywords. Once that foundation is in place, identify the specific questions your customers are asking and create content that answers them directly and authoritatively. AEO builds on good SEO, so if your technical foundations or content quality are weak, address those first. Shout Digital helps businesses integrate AEO strategies into their existing SEO work, ensuring both approaches complement each other rather than compete. Get in touch if you’d like to learn more about our AI SEO services.
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