What Is AEO & SEO? How to Get Found by AI Search Engines

Not long ago, "getting found online" meant ranking on page one of Google. Today, millions of people skip the search results entirely — they ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google's AI Mode and read the answer directly. If your business isn't cited in those answers, you're invisible to a fast-growing share of your market.

This guide explains the two disciplines that determine your visibility in 2026: SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) — what they are, how they differ, and how to use both together.

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimisation is the practice of making your website rank higher in traditional search results — the blue links you see on Google, Bing, and similar engines. It covers:

Technical health — fast load times, mobile-friendly design, clean URL structure
On-page content — keyword-rich headings, meta descriptions, and body copy
Authority signals — backlinks from reputable sites
Structured data — schema markup that helps search engines understand your content

SEO is still essential. Billions of searches happen every day, and organic traffic from Google remains one of the highest-converting channels for most businesses. The goal is to be the most relevant, trustworthy result for the queries your customers type.

What is AEO?

Answer Engine Optimisation is the newer discipline — and the one most businesses are missing. AEO is the practice of structuring your content so that AI assistants can extract it and cite your business as a direct answer to a user's question.

When someone asks ChatGPT "What's the best AI receptionist for a dental clinic?" or asks Perplexity "Which companies offer AI automation for small businesses?", the AI generates an answer from web content it has indexed. AEO is about making sure your business appears in those answers.

How AEO and SEO work together

AEO and SEO are not competitors — they're complementary. A strong SEO foundation (fast site, clear structure, quality content) makes AEO easier. And AEO work (FAQ sections, structured data, conversational content) often improves your traditional SEO rankings too.

5 steps to improve your AEO today

1

Add FAQ sections to key pages

Write questions your customers actually ask, then answer them clearly and concisely. AI engines love Q&A format — it maps directly to how users phrase queries.

2

Implement FAQ and Organization schema

Add JSON-LD structured data so AI crawlers can extract your business identity, services, and answers without guessing.

3

Write for direct answers

Lead with the answer, then explain. AI engines pull the first clear sentence that answers a question — don't bury it three paragraphs in.

4

Build consistent brand mentions

Get cited on third-party sites, directories, and review platforms. AI engines use citation frequency as a trust signal.

5

Monitor your AI visibility

Regularly test what ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Mode say when asked about your industry. Track whether your brand appears and adjust your content accordingly.

Frequently asked questions