Wise1. Answer the search on the page
The answer is the first thing on the page, which is what search and AI tools reward.
- Put the answer at the top
- Make it interactive
- Connect it to your product below
AEO vs SEO
SEO aims to rank pages in search results so people click. AEO, answer engine optimization, aims to get your content quoted or cited inside AI answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews. They share foundations like crawlable pages, clear answers and authority. AEO adds direct answers and citable facts.
Updated · By Blake Emal · 4 real examples, each linked to its source
What are the steps
- Keep the SEO basicsCrawlable pages, fast load, clear titles and links.
- Answer the question in the first linesA direct answer under the heading.
- Use structureLists, tables and question headings that are easy to quote.
- Show who wrote it and whenAuthor, organization and an updated date.
- Let AI crawlers inAllow the crawlers you want in robots.txt.
How do the options compare
| SEO | AEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank and get clicks | Get cited in answers |
| Where it shows | Search results | ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews |
| Key format | Optimized pages | Direct answers, lists, tables |
| Measured by | Rankings and clicks | Citations and referral visits |
| Shared basics | Crawlability, authority, links | Crawlability, authority, links |
Where do these numbers come from
Which real examples show it
Wise
Smallpdf2. Name the page after the exact task
The title matches the search word for word and the tool works right away.
- Use the exact search phrase as the title
- Put the tool above the fold
- Add short FAQs underneath
Zapier3. Build a page for every pair of tools
Each app pair matches a search people really type.
- Make one page per tool pair
- Let people start the setup on the page
- List triggers and actions below
HubSpot4. Grade something people care about
A grade is a quick answer people want to share and improve.
- Turn your expertise into a score
- Ask for only the inputs you need
- Show how to improve the score
Get three ideas for your own product
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What else do people ask
Is AEO the same as GEO
Mostly. GEO, generative engine optimization, is another name for optimizing for AI generated answers.
Does AEO replace SEO
No. Answer engines lean on search indexes, so SEO basics still come first.
How do I measure AEO
Track referral visits from AI tools in analytics and check answers for your key questions by hand.