Search is no longer only a list of blue links. Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini increasingly answer questions directly, often citing a handful of sources. Answer engine optimisation (AEO) and generative engine optimisation (GEO) are about becoming one of those sources.
What stays the same
The foundations of SEO still apply: pages must be crawlable, fast and clearly about something. AI systems draw heavily on content that already performs well in traditional search.
What changes
Answers favour content that is specific, well structured and easy to quote. A page that states a clear answer in its first lines, then supports it, is easier to cite than one that buries the point.
Practical steps
- Write key pages around the questions buyers actually ask, with direct answers.
- Add structured data for your organisation, services, articles and FAQs.
- Keep company facts consistent everywhere they appear online.
- Earn mentions on reputable third-party sites in your industry.
How to measure it
There is no single ranking report yet. The practical approach is to test the questions that matter to your business across major assistants on a regular schedule and track whether, and how, your brand appears.
