AEO is missing just two vowels. U and I.

Stephanie
3 days ago
5 min read

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is how your business gets mentioned by AI tools like ChatGPT and Google's AI Overview. Here's how to make sure U and I are showing up...

What's changed?

Google just announced the biggest change to Search in 25 years. Page one as we know it is changing - AI results are already in front of 2.5 billion people every month. If AI doesn't know you exist, you're invisible.

This guide covers seven practical steps to start showing up in AI results. Plain English. No technical background needed. And before we start, this isn't about scrapping your SEO. It's about adding AEO alongside it. The two work together.

What's in this guide

What AEO actually means and how it sits alongside your existing SEO
How to find the exact questions your audience is already asking
Why consistency across every platform matters more than ever
The one technical step worth knowing about (and how to action it without a developer)
How to build the kind of authority AI tools trust and cite

Prefer to read this offline? Download the PDF version below.

Download the free guide to AEO

Step 1: Know what AEO actually means. And what it doesn't.

SEO gets you ranked on Google. AEO gets you mentioned by AI. When someone asks ChatGPT, Claude, Google's AI Overview, or any other AI tool a question - AEO is what determines whether your business gets cited as the answer.

But fear not, AEO is not replacing SEO. It sits alongside it. Google's own quality framework for SEO - EEAT (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness) - is also exactly what makes AI tools trust and cite your content.

A well-structured, authoritative website that ranks well is also far more likely to be picked up by AI. The two feed each other. So this isn't about scrapping what's working. It's about adding to it.

Think of it this way: SEO puts you on the shelf. AEO makes the AI pick you up and recommend you. You need both.

Step 2: Answer specific questions. Not just keywords.

This is where AEO and SEO differ in practice. SEO typically targets keywords e.g. "heat pump installer Cornwall" (forgive me, after 14 years marketing heat pumps this is the easiest example I can provide!).

AEO is driven by the way people talk to AI - in full, specific questions e.g. "how much does it cost to install a heat pump in a three-bedroom house in Cornwall?"

Both matter. Your keyword page still needs to exist. But now you also need content that answers those longer, more specific questions directly, because that's what AI cites. Answer in the first sentence, not buried in paragraph five.

Two easy ways to find the right questions:

First, Google your niche or topic and look at the 'People Also Ask' box in the search results. These are real questions real people are typing into Google. Write content that answers each one directly.

Second, look at the comments on your competitors' social media posts, product reviews or queries, and YouTube videos. Questions in comments are gold - they tell you exactly what your audience doesn't yet understand and is actively searching for. Write content that answers those questions and you're already ahead.

Your FAQ page is now one of your most powerful AEO tools. Populate it using People Also Ask results for your topic.

Step 3: Write like a human, not a brochure (or a robot)

AI tools are trained on how people actually communicate. Jargon-heavy, corporate-speak content gets skipped. Plain English, conversational, helpful content gets cited. Short paragraphs. Clear headings. No waffle.

If a 14-year-old couldn't understand it, rewrite it. This is good marketing practice anyway - AEO just makes it essential.

Read your website content out loud. If it sounds like a brochure, it needs a rewrite.

Step 4: Build your reputation beyond your own website

AI tools don't just look at your website, they look at what the whole internet says about you. Reviews on Google, mentions in industry articles, coverage in local press, guest posts, directory listings, social media presence... all of this builds the picture of whether you're a trusted source. The more credible third-party mentions you have, the more likely AI is to cite you.

Start with your Google Business Profile. Make sure it's complete, up to date, and has genuine reviews.

Step 5: Be consistent everywhere

If your website says one thing, your LinkedIn says another, and your Google listing says something else - AI gets confused and moves on. Your business name, what you do, who you help, and what makes you different should be worded consistently across every platform.

AI looks for agreement across multiple sources before deciding to trust - and cite - you.

Google your business name right now. Is the information consistent across everything you see?

Step 6: Publish content that's genuinely useful

Generic content an AI could write itself has no citation value. What AI tools actually cite is original expertise - your take on an industry issue, a practical guide based on your experience, backed by real unique data or insight that isn't available anywhere else.

One genuinely useful, specific piece of content is worth ten generic blog posts. Quality over quantity, always.

One technical note worth adding here is schema markup. This is a small piece of code that tells AI tools and search engines exactly what type of content is on your page - FAQ schema in particular is a direct AEO signal. On WordPress, a plugin like Yoast handles it automatically. Otherwise it's a quick job for your web developer.

What do your clients ask you most often? Answer it properly, in writing, on your website. That's your next piece of AEO content...

Step 7: Be patient - and start now!

AEO isn't an overnight fix. Building the kind of authority that AI tools trust typically takes three to six months of consistent effort. But the businesses that start now will have a significant head start over those who wait until it's obvious they've been left behind.

But the good news is most of these steps make your marketing better in every way - not just for AI.

Pick one step from this list and do it this week. Progress beats perfection!

Want to save this for later? Download the PDF version to keep and refer back to.