AEO Strategies Overview
Answer Engine Optimization requires a multi-faceted approach. Unlike traditional SEO, which focused primarily on on-page and off-page optimization, AEO involves fostering conversations and guiding AI to mention and engage with your brand.
The AEO Strategy Framework
Brand visibility in AI search is influenced by three main pillars:
| On-Page | Earned Media | Community Marketing |
|---|---|---|
| Owned Content Optimization | Wikipedia Listings | Reddit Presence |
| Technical SEO for AI Crawlers | News/Media Coverage | Forum Participation |
| Quotes & Statistics | Public Relations | User-Generated Content |
| Schema.org Markup | Entity Optimization | Social Proof |
How AEO Differs from SEO
SEO is about optimizing on-page and off-page factors. You want your website found and content showing up for keywords. People read your content to find solutions.
AEO shares the same goal of being found but involves additional efforts. It goes beyond traditional optimization—it's about fostering conversations. You need to guide AI systems to mention your brand and discuss you in their responses.
Key Differences
| Aspect | Traditional SEO | AEO |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Website ranked for keywords | Brand mentioned in AI responses |
| Content | Pages indexed by search engines | Entity clusters that train LLMs |
| Results | Blue links on SERPs | Text mentions, citations, quotes |
| Optimization | Keywords and backlinks | Semantic relationships and authority |
| Measurement | Rankings, traffic | Mentions, citations, visibility |
"Today's AI search engines are answering machines rather than search engines. We have to take that into account in our optimization strategies."
Strategy Categories
1. Content Optimization
What it involves:
- Structuring content for semantic parsing
- Adding quotes, statistics, and citations
- Optimizing for natural language queries
- Building comprehensive topic coverage
Impact: Direct influence on how AI understands and cites your content.
2. Technical Implementation
What it involves:
- Schema.org and JSON-LD markup
- llms.txt configuration
- AI crawler accessibility
- Performance optimization
Impact: Ensures AI systems can access and parse your content correctly.
3. Authority Building
What it involves:
- Wikipedia presence
- News and media mentions
- Public relations campaigns
- Expert positioning
Impact: Establishes your brand as an authoritative source AI should reference.
4. Community Engagement
What it involves:
- Reddit participation
- Forum engagement
- User-generated content
- Social proof building
Impact: Creates the mentions and discussions that AI models learn from.
5. Citation Optimization
What it involves:
- Adding meaningful quotes
- Including compelling statistics
- Citing authoritative sources
- Creating citable content
Impact: Research shows 30-40% visibility improvement with proper citations.
Traditional SEO Still Matters
A key finding from research: There's a strong correlation between SEO factors and mentions in LLMs.
Studies running thousands of search prompts found:
- Google rankings correlate with LLM visibility — Ranking on page 1 in Google showed ~0.65 correlation with LLM mentions
- Backlinks have weaker correlation — Traditional link building has less direct impact
- Content variety doesn't significantly impact visibility — Different content types show similar correlation patterns
What this means: Continue your SEO work to improve brand visibility in LLMs and AI searches. Your SEO helps your AEO.
The Challenge: Understanding AI Queries
Unlike traditional SEO, where keyword research tools provide insights, AI search introduces a blind spot: you can't see the exact prompts users are entering.
Reverse-Engineering Visibility
Using citation sources from AI search results, you can:
- Identify content currently cited in AI responses
- Spot patterns across cited pages
- Compare your content vs. competitors
- Map gaps and opportunities
User Query Patterns
Traditional search queries: 2-4 words average LLM prompts: ~13 words average
Instead of "downhill mountain bike," users ask: "What downhill mountain bike would you recommend for a 40-year-old, well-trained cyclist?"
This shift means optimizing for natural language questions, not just keywords.
Optimization Methods Ranked by Impact
Research testing over 10,000 search prompts found these methods most effective:
| Rank | Method | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Quotations | High (30-40% improvement) |
| 2 | Statistics | High (30-40% improvement) |
| 3 | Fluency Optimization | Medium-High (15-30%) |
| 4 | Cite Sources | Medium-High (15-30%) |
| 5 | Technical Terms | Medium |
| 6 | Authoritative Tone | Medium |
| 7 | Easy-to-Understand Language | Medium |
Long-Term Strategy
"There are no silver bullets in AEO, as there have been none in SEO. However, consistent processes with a clear goal and positioning will pay off in the long run."
In the current early phase of AEO, some tactics might work short-term. However, in the long run, authority building will become increasingly important and impact how AI systems respond.
Long-term brand building and authority building will be the right strategy to bring your brand, products, and services into the new era of AI.