Answer engine optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content so AI search engines — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews — cite it as the answer. It relies on clear question-shaped headings, concise direct answers, and structured data like FAQ schema.
AEO vs traditional SEO
Traditional SEO optimizes to rank a page in a list of blue links. AEO optimizes to be quoted directly inside an AI-generated answer, where there often isn't a list at all.
The two overlap — strong technical SEO helps both — but AEO puts more weight on clarity, structure, and machine-readable markup.
How to optimize for answer engines
Lead each section with a direct, self-contained answer of around 40–55 words. Use question-shaped headings that match how people actually ask.
Add FAQPage and other structured data so engines can parse your answers unambiguously, and keep your pages fast and crawlable.
Why it matters now
As more searches end inside an AI answer, being the cited source is becoming as valuable as ranking first. AEO is how you earn that citation.