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What Is AEO?

Learn about Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and how it can improve your content strategy.

• 2 min read
By David Anderton-Yang

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the process of optimizing content to appear in AI-generated answers provided by Large Language Models (LLMs) and Answer Engines.

What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?
AEO is the process of optimizing content to appear in AI-generated answers provided by Large Language Models such as ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude. Unlike traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO), AEO focuses on making content discoverable by large language models for citing in responses and for utilization as training data.
Improve your AEO performance by tracking your brand's visibility in AI answer engines with Sionyx™, providing actionable recommendations to improve your AEO performance. Get started now!
See also: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), Google AI Overviews ↗

Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking links on a search engine results page (SERP), AEO focuses on being the answer cited by AI.

SEO vs AEO

  • SEO (Search Engine Optimization): Optimizing for clicks. You want users to visit your website.
  • AEO (Answer Engine Optimization): Optimizing for citations. You want AI models to understand your content and use it to construct answers.

Why AEO Matters

With the rise of Answer Engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overviews, user behavior is shifting. People are asking questions and expecting direct answers, not a list of links.

If your content isn’t optimized for these models, your brand might be invisible in this new search landscape.

How to Optimize for AEO

  1. Structure Data: Use clear headings, bullet points, and schema markup.
  2. Answer Questions Directly: Provide concise, factual answers to common questions.
  3. Build Entity Authority: Ensure your brand is associated with relevant topics in the AI’s training data.
What is Entity Authority?
How strongly your brand, product, or content is associated with specific topics within AI model embeddings. Higher entity authority increases the likelihood of being cited in relevant AI responses.
See also: Entity Authority

How Sionyx Can Help

Navigating the shift from SEO to AEO can be complex. Sionyx provides the tools you need to measure and improve your visibility in AI answer engines.

  • Track Answer Visibility: See how often your brand is cited by major LLMs.
  • Analyze Sentiment: Understand how AI models perceive your brand.
  • Get Actionable Insights: Receive specific recommendations to improve your content for AI discovery.

Start adapting your strategy today to stay ahead in the age of AI search with Sionyx.