SEO in the age of AI: is AEO the answer?

What is AEO?

The abbreviation AEO stands for answer engine optimisation. You optimise – and structure your texts so that they answer the questions that users ask search engines. You can do this, for example, by optimising your FAQs, but you can also use AEO in a running text.

AEO is part of the zero click search trend, where people expect immediate answers to their questions, without having to click on anything. Examples of zero click search are featured snippets, but also, for example, voice search and the answers that AI chatbots and AI search engines put together for users.

What is the connection between AEO and AI?

AEO (answer engine optimisation) is nothing new in online marketing. Ever since voice search was launched, we have been advising our customers to optimise their FAQs for (voice-enabled) searches. So why is it suddenly so relevant right now? That has everything to do with the acceleration caused by the speed of recent AI developments.

After all, the rise of AI-powered search engines has significant consequences for online search behaviour:

People ask an AI-driven search engine or AI chatbot a question. Do you want AI tools to use your website as a source for their answer? In your text, focus on answering (sub)questions (AEO) instead of using the right keywords (SEO). This way, the tools can easily extract the answer from your text.

The use of language becomes (even) less formal. The transformation to "written colloquialisms" is now complete. So adjust your writing style and write your FAQs, for example, in the first person, because that's how people usually ask a question (for example: "how do I make pumpkin soup quickly?")

In short: by structuring your online content around questions and using written colloquial language, you will increase the chance that your content will be found by AI tools.

What is the main difference between AEO and SEO?

With SEO, you optimise texts to rank higher among search engine results. People click through to your website from the overview page for the answer to their question.
At AEO, people get an immediate answer to their question.

What are the similarities between AEO and SEO?

Structured data is very important in both AEO and SEO. By adding the right code to your web pages, the search engine gets additional information about the content of the pages.
Both AEO and SEO should focus on user needs, never write a text for a search engine.

5 advantages of AEO

By focusing on AEO in your strategy, you increase the chance that your content will be used as a source for the answer formulated by an AI tool.
When your company is used as a source – and ideally also mentioned – in an AI tool’s answer, it improves your reputation. People perceive your brand as reliable and helpful.
If you bet on AEO, this also helps you to come up as a result in voice search assignments.
With AEO, you increase the chance that your website will be shown as a featured snippet.
You broaden your reach. AEO works well for people who search via their smartphone, computer and voice assistants.

Will anyone visit your website?

Zero click search looks like an important part of the future. And although people don't have to click through, many people do – for now. Betting on AEO does not necessarily mean that no one will ever visit your website. AEO also helps you to build authority and trust.

Conclusion

So... is AEO the solution for your SEO strategy in the age of AI? It's certainly an important part of the puzzle, but don't forget that there are other trends besides AI that have a major impact on search behaviours. For example, young people are increasingly searching through social media channels such as TikTok, so you should have a presence there too.

That is why we recommend a 360° approach to SEO in which you focus on "classic" SEO and AEO and also focus on social media, (short form) video, local SEO, voice search and image search. Many roads nowadays lead to one answer. So it's time to adjust your strategy accordingly.