Users today no longer want to search, but to get the right answer instantly. Whether that is through Google's answer box, an AI assistant or voice search: those who want to stay visible need to make sure their brand is in that answer. That is exactly where Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) in pictures.
With AEO, you not only increase your online visibility, but also your credibility. Your brand will be recognised as a trusted source, leading to more traffic, more customers and a solid competitive advantage. At Onder, we make sure your content stands out, is understood and included in the answers that matter.
Disclaimer: Terms like LLMO, GEO and AEO are used in the market for a concept we call 'AI SEO'. These different abbreviations essentially refer to the same thing: optimisation for answering engines or AI search engines, such as ChatGPT. With us, AI SEO is not a separate service, but a fixed onder part of every SEO journey. In fact, we optimise for any search query and any type of search result - whether it takes place on Google, ChatGPT or other platforms.
What is AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)?
AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization and is thus part of AI SEO. AEO focuses on your brand's visibility in answer engines rather than just search engines. Where SEO helps you rank higher in search results, AEO ensures that your content appears directly in Google's answer boxes, featured snippets and AI tools such as ChatGPT, Bing Copilot and voice assistants.
Instead of long stories, AEO is all about compact, clear and reliable answers. Think short blocks of text that get straight to the heart of the question.
Example:
SEO: Article "The best smartphone for seniors" with detailed explanation and keyword optimisation.
AEO: Response: "The Samsung Galaxy A32 is one of the best smartphones for seniors, thanks to its large screen and simple interface." This is followed by the rest of the content.
Why is AEO important?
Users want a clear answer right away. Especially if they:
onderway quickly look up something (mobile-first),
ask a question by voice (Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant),
search via AI tools such as ChatGPT or Bing.
AEO makes sure your content is visible in exactly those places. Do you appear in an answer box or AI response? Then you are seen as an expert. And that increases the chances of people clicking through to your site.
Results: more visibility, more trust and better conversions.
The advantages of AEO at a glance
Direct visibility: Appear in featured snippets, answer boxes and AI answers.
Better user experience: Compact and clear answers better suit mobile and voice search.
More traffic and conversions: Those who answer directly are more likely to attract attention and inspire confidence.
Competitive advantage: Many companies are not yet working on AEO - this is your chance to lead the way.
Stronger position of authority: Being mentioned regularly in answer boxes confirms your expertise.
Flexibility with changing search behaviour: You are prepared for the evolution of search engines and AI.
AEO and SEO: the differences and similarities
Although SEO and AEO are often mentioned in the same breath, there are clear differences:
Aspect
SEO
AEO
Target
Findability in search engines
Visibility in answering machines and AI
Form
Long, extensive content
Short, compact answers
Focus
Keywords and pages
Questions and direct answers
User
Reads and clicks through
Want to hear or see the answer immediately
Channels
Google, Bing, websites
Featured snippets, voice search, AI answers
Similarity: Both require relevant, reliable and well-structured content. Together, they form a powerful combination for your online visibility.
How does Answer Engine Optimisation work?
AEO is all about demand: "How do I make sure my content gets picked up in response?"
This is done in four steps:
Demand-driven content creation Start from your target audience's questions. Tools like AnswerThePublic or Google's "People also ask" will help you find those questions.
Formulating direct answers Start your content with a short, clear answer of 40-60 words. Then elaborate with details, context and examples.
Using structure and markup Use clear headings, bullet points and scheme markup, so that search engines understand your content better.
Optimising for voice search and AI Keep in mind natural, spoken questions (e.g. "What is the best running shoe for beginners?").
How Onder helps you with AEO
We translate Answer Engine Optimization to a strategy that works for your brand.
We onderry out what questions your target audience is asking and make sure your content answers them directly and convincingly. In doing so, we pay attention to structure, compactness and reliability. This way, your information will be picked up by search engines, AI tools and voice assistants.
Whether it's improving existing content, writing new FAQs or adding structured data: we make sure your brand is visible in LLMs! We can also see how your brand performs against competitors in LLMs, such as ChatGPT (see image hereonder).
Want to get started with AEO yourself? Start with these steps:
Analyse questions from your target audience: Use tools like AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked or Semrush.
Write FAQs: Provide each frequently asked question with a compact answer.
Optimise for snippets: Place summaries, tables or lists at the top of your articles.
Use structured data: Add schema markup (FAQPage, HowTo, Product).
Test your content: Ask your own questions in Google or AI tools and see if your content appears.
Keep combining with SEO: AEO works best alongside a strong SEO strategy.
AI SEO checklist
Frequently asked questions about AEO
1. Is AEO a replacement for SEO? No, AEO does not replace SEO. It enhances SEO and ensures you are visible in both search engines and response engines.
2. How soon can I expect results with AEO? Sometimes within just a few weeks, depending on your niche and competition. Often it takes several months to become structurally visible.
3. Does AEO also work for small businesses? Yes, smaller companies in particular can benefit because they can adapt content faster and respond to specific queries.
4. Should I rewrite my existing content for AEO? Not always. You can often extend existing pages with short summaries, FAQs and schema markup.
5. What tools help with AEO? AnswerThePublic, AlsoAsked, Semrush, Ahrefs and Google's own "People also ask" are good starting points.
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