Search engine optimization (SEO) forever changed online content by forcing everyone to add keywords to rank higher in search results.
But now, AI is changing the way people search for info online. For example, you’ve probably noticed that when you ask Google a question, you’ll get an AI overview powered by Gemini, Google’s LLM, at the top of your results.
That’s why answer engine optimization (AEO) is booming. David Slater, a CMO with previous experience at Mozilla and Salesforce, told Business Insider that there have been ~30 AEO product launches in recent months, “all trying to do what SEO did 20 years ago.”
What’s the difference?
Traditional search engines return a list of links for users to sort through, while chatbots run a search, then offer a summary of what they’ve found. So:
- SEO focuses on keywords, while AEO focuses on providing direct answers to the various questions that users might ask a chatbot.
- Content optimized for AEO would consist of full-sentence, conversational answers with cited sources — the kind of content AI pulls from and links to when answering a question.
Why is everyone talking about it now?
Well, Google integrating its LLM into Search is a pretty big indicator that AI-integrated search engines are in, but also:
- A recent study found that 27% of Americans have replaced search engines with AI chatbots, such as ChatGPT or Perplexity.
- ChatGPT added clickable links, maps, and other search tools, making it a more appealing search option and leading to increased referral traffic from ChatGPT, according to Ethan Smith, CEO of marketing firm Graphite Growth.
- AI companies took ~58% of global VC funding in Q1 2025 — and VC has also taken an interest in AEO startups.
The good news: Marketing expert Neil Patel suggests that many people, himself included, regard AEO as a subset of SEO. So if you’re already doing that, there’s not much reinventing the wheel.
