What is AEO (answer engine optimisation)?

In practice

The format that works is unfashionable in marketing terms: lead with the answer in two or three sentences, then explain. Definitional pages, comparison pages and genuine FAQ content are the highest-yield formats, because they match how people phrase questions to an assistant.

Where it fits in a build

Strongest where buyers ask questions before they know which supplier to ask — definitions, comparisons, how something works, what something costs to run. Less relevant for brand or campaign pages.

Common mistakes

• Burying the answer beneath several paragraphs of context.
• FAQ markup on questions nobody asks, added to game rich results.
• One enormous page covering fifty topics, which answers none of them clearly enough to be cited.

Related terms

• Generative engine optimisation (GEO)
• Structured data
• SEO

Working on something that involves this?

ASTACKRA designs and builds AI systems, automation and custom software for businesses that need technology shaped around their own workflow. If this term turned up in a proposal and you want a straight answer about whether it applies to your situation, ask us — no obligation, and we will tell you if the answer is no.