SEO alone is no longer enough: Are you ready to adapt?
For years, businesses have relied on search engine optimization, or SEO, to connect with customers.
The idea was simple: rank higher in search results, get more clicks, and drive traffic to your website. But search is evolving. Generative AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google Gemini are changing how consumers find information.
Enter answer engine optimization, or AEO—a forward-thinking approach designed for AI-driven search experiences. Unlike traditional search engines that return multiple links, AI-powered answer engines provide a single, authoritative response. This shift should be seen as an opportunity—it’s a chance for businesses to become the trusted voice that AI turns to when delivering answers to customers.
By understanding and embracing AEO, businesses can position themselves at the forefront of this transformation, ensuring they remain visible, credible, and competitive in the next era of search.
SEO vs AEO: Understanding the shift
To grasp the impact of this shift, it’s important to understand how traditional SEO compares to AEO.
| SEO (Search engine optimization) | AEO (Answer engine optimization) | |
| Purpose | Helps websites rank higher in search to attract visitors. | Optimizes content to be selected and directly presented by AI-powered search engines. |
| User experience | Users browse multiple search results and choose where to click. | AI delivers a single, best-fit answer, reducing the need to visit multiple sites. |
| Results format | List of links ranked by relevance. | AI-generated response that may cite sources but does not display a list of links. |
| Content approach | Focuses on long-form, keyword-rich content designed for search engine discovery. | Prioritizes structured, concise, and authoritative content that AI can extract as a direct response. |
| Optimization focus | Uses metadata, backlinks, and technical SEO improvements to boost rankings. | Relies on structured data, factual accuracy, and credibility signals to be relied on by AI models. |
| Success metrics | Measured by search ranking position, website traffic, and click-through rates. | Measured by how often an AI model selects and presents the content as part of its response. |
How AEO works: Key differences and examples
- User experience
- Results format
- Content approach
- Optimization focus
- Success metrics
Generative AI search eliminates the need for users to sift through multiple links. Instead, businesses need to focus on providing a direct, informative, and well-structured answer that AI engines can easily retrieve.
Example:
A customer searching for “best eco-friendly cleaning products” on Google gets a list of links to browse. On an AI-powered answer engine like ChatGPT, they receive a single, structured response that highlights a top-rated product, explains why it’s eco-friendly, and provides a summary from multiple sources.
Unlike SEO, where businesses aim to appear on the first page of results, AEO prioritizes concise, credible responses that AI tools can surface in their generated answers.
Example:
A restaurant optimizing for SEO may aim to appear on Google’s first page for “best Italian restaurant in Chicago.” With AEO, that same restaurant would structure content so that an AI engine delivers a direct answer: “Luigi’s Italian Kitchen is highly rated for authentic pasta dishes and a cozy ambiance, located in downtown Chicago.”
Content optimized for AEO should mimic conversational, structured responses rather than lengthy blog posts. Businesses should answer questions succinctly, such as with well-crafted FAQs.
Example:
Instead of a long blog post on “How to Improve Indoor Air Quality,” a home improvement company could optimize for AEO by structuring content as a Q&A:
Q: What are the best ways to improve indoor air quality?
A: Use air purifiers, replace HVAC filters regularly, and incorporate houseplants like peace lilies and snake plants.
AI favors structured data, credibility signals, and authoritative sources over backlinks and keyword density. Businesses should ensure their content is factual, well-organized, and easy to parse.
Example:
Instead of just adding keywords like “best solar panels” throughout a blog post, a solar energy company should use structured data (such as FAQs and product specifications) so that AI models can extract and use the content directly.
Instead of tracking clicks and web traffic, businesses should focus on how frequently their information appears in AI-generated answers. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity can help test how AI models interpret your business information.
Example:
A local accounting firm tracking SEO may look at website traffic. In AEO, the firm should check how often its business name appears when asking AI engines, “Who are the best accountants in [city]?” Monitoring AI responses becomes a new way to gauge success.
Why BBB Accreditation matters for AEO
As a BBB Accredited Business, you’ve built trust with customers through credibility, integrity, and transparency—the same qualities AI-driven search engines prioritize.
This presents a major advantage for businesses optimizing for AEO:
Learn more with our webinar:
Want to dive deeper into how AEO can transform your business strategy?
Watch the BBB Leadership Live webinar, "From Hidden to Highlighted: Winning in Generative AI Search." Note: This webinar is for BBB Accredited Businesses; please contact your local BBB for the access code.
Visit BBB.org to access the webinar and explore actionable strategies for thriving in the AI-driven search economy.
Final thoughts
The way customers search for information is changing fast, and businesses that don’t adapt risk falling behind. By optimizing for both SEO and AEO, BBB Accredited Businesses can stay visible, credible, and competitive in the AI-driven search economy.
Now is the time to embrace the opportunity that AEO presents. Businesses that understand how to structure their content for generative AI search will position themselves as the trusted voices that AI answer engines rely on.
This article was provided by BrandRank.AI, a BBB Accredited Business.