Answer Engine Optimization
AEO : be the direct answer, not just another link
When someone asks a question, the search engine tries to answer it on the results page itself: a featured snippet, a block of related questions, an AI Overview, an answer read aloud. AEO is about preparing your content to be that answer.
What AEO is
Optimising for questions, not just keywords
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) deals with searches phrased as questions or expecting a specific answer: what is it, how much does it cost, how is it done, what's the difference, which should I choose. For these queries, search engines increasingly show the answer on the results page itself.
That cuts both ways. A displayed answer reduces some clicks, but it also puts the source in the most visible position and lends it an authority that a link in fourth place doesn't have. And the same work that makes you eligible for a featured snippet (clear, well-structured answers in the right place on the page) is what makes it easier for a generative engine to cite you.
AEO isn't a standalone discipline: it relies on SEO to rank among the top results, which is where search engines usually take these answers from, and it overlaps with GEO.
Where answers appear
The answer formats we work on
Featured snippets
The extract Google shows above or beside the results, as a paragraph, list or table, linking to the source. Google selects it automatically from pages that already rank well; you can't request it or mark it up in code.
People Also Ask
The block of expandable questions related to the search. Each question shows an extract from a different page, and opening one reveals more: an excellent map of your customers' real questions.
AI Overviews
AI-generated summaries in Google Search, with links to the pages used as sources. They're built from Google's index and tend to cite specific passages that answer the question or one of its sub-questions.
Voice assistants
When an assistant answers by voice, it usually reads a single answer. Short, self-contained answers in natural language have the edge. For local businesses, consistent business profile data is decisive.
Method
How we structure an answer so it can be extracted
Simple rules that, applied with judgement, change how search engines read a page.
- 01
The question as a heading
We use the actual wording customers use (from Search Console, People Also Ask and the questions your sales team hears) as an H2 or H3.
- 02
Direct answer first
Immediately below, two or three sentences that answer on their own, with no preamble. If someone reads only that, they should have their answer.
- 03
Format to fit the question
Numbered steps for a "how", a table for a comparison, a list for options, a paragraph for a definition. The right format is the one the search engine can reuse.
- 04
Context and evidence
Then the detail: nuances, exceptions, examples from your experience, sources and a review date. That's what builds trust and adds what other pages lack.
Comparison
SEO, AEO and GEO: how they differ
They share most of the same foundations. What changes is the goal, the unit that competes and how you measure.
| SEO | AEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank pages in search results | Have your content shown directly as the answer | Get generative engines to cite or mention your brand |
| Where | Organic results on Google, Bing and other search engines | Featured snippets, People Also Ask, voice, AI Overviews | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, AI Overviews and AI Mode |
| What competes | The whole page | An extract: paragraph, list or table | Passages, data points and the brand as an entity |
| Key levers | Technical work, content, links, search intent | Question–answer structure, format, existing top-ten position | AI crawler access, extractable content, entity, mentions |
| How it's measured | Rankings, clicks, traffic and conversions | Snippets won, People Also Ask presence, CTR | Presence and citations across a question set, AI referral traffic |
| Relationship | The foundation for everything else | Builds on SEO | Builds on SEO and AEO |
What's included
The concrete work in an AEO project
Question research
We collect your customers' real questions from Search Console, People Also Ask, forums, reviews and your sales team, and group them by topic and decision stage.
Content restructuring
We adapt pages that already rank among the top results so they contain extractable answers, and create new content for questions nobody on your site answers yet.
Learn moreMarkup and tracking
Structured data where it adds value (Article, Product, LocalBusiness, BreadcrumbList) and tracking of featured snippets and AI Overview presence for key queries.
Common mistakes
What doesn't work, even though it's still recommended
Adding a generic FAQ section to the bottom of every page doesn't turn a site into a source of answers. Since 2023, Google has shown FAQ rich results only for a limited number of well-known, authoritative sites, such as government and health websites, so FAQPage markup is no longer a shortcut to more space in the results.
Nor does it help to write answers so short they say nothing, or to repeat the question in every paragraph. Search engines pick answers that resolve the question well within a useful, trustworthy page. Structure helps; substance decides.
- Answers useful on their own, with detail afterwards
- Real questions, not invented filler
- Content reviewed by someone who knows the subject
FAQ
About AEO
Can I mark up my content to win a featured snippet?
No. There's no markup to request one: Google automatically chooses the extract from pages that already rank well for that query. What you can do is rank among the top results and offer a clear, well-formatted answer.
Do featured snippets take clicks away?
For very simple questions, sometimes yes: the answer is enough. For questions with nuance, the featured source tends to receive qualified visits. That's why we choose where it's worth competing based on what the query is worth to your business.
What's the difference between AEO and GEO?
AEO focuses on search engines' answer formats (snippets, People Also Ask, voice, AI Overviews). GEO covers all generative engines, including conversational assistants, and adds AI crawler access and entity signals. The comparison table on this page sums it up.
Does voice search still matter?
As a separate channel, its importance varies a lot by sector. For local businesses and practical questions it remains relevant. In practice, preparing short, self-contained answers serves voice, snippets and AI at the same time.
How long should an answer be?
There's no official length. As a practical rule, the direct answer should make sense on its own in two or three sentences, and the explanation that follows should be as long as the topic requires. An answer too short for a complex question helps nobody, the search engine included.
How do I know what questions my customers ask?
Search Console shows question-style queries that already bring you impressions; People Also Ask broadens the map; and your sales and customer service teams know the real doubts. We combine all three.
Related
Related
Generative Engine Optimization
Generative Engine Optimization: we help ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews find, understand and cite your website as a source.
Content marketing
SEO-led content marketing: strategy, topic clusters, briefs, expert writing with E-E-A-T, content refreshes and pruning, and measurement tied to business goals.
Entity SEO
Entity SEO: Knowledge Graph, knowledge panels, Organization schema and sameAs, consistent NAP and topical authority so Google and AI recognise your brand.
Turn your pages into answers
We analyse which of your customers' questions you can answer better than anyone, and how to structure those answers.