If you’re investing time and money into SEO but still not showing up in the right places, you might be missing something important: AEO.
AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization. It’s the next evolution of SEO… one that focuses not just on ranking, but on being the answer. In a world where more and more people are turning to voice assistants, AI chat tools, and featured snippets instead of scrolling through search results, AEO is what gets you chosen.
What Is AEO?
Answer Engine Optimization is the practice of structuring your content so it gives direct, trustworthy answers to questions people are already searching for. It’s about helping search engines (and tools like ChatGPT, Alexa, or Google Assistant) pull your answer and serve it straight to the user, without them even clicking.
That means you’re not just on the first page. You’re the answer at the top of it.
Why AEO Is Essential in 2025
- Voice search is growing: People now search by asking full questions, not just typing keywords.
- AI is changing the way content is consumed: Platforms like ChatGPT and Google SGE are pulling answers straight from structured data.
- Position Zero beats Position One: Featured snippets and AI-generated responses pull from content that’s AEO-optimized.
If your website isn’t built to answer questions, you’re getting outranked by someone who is.
How to Put AEO on Your Website
You don’t need to overhaul everything. But you do need to be strategic. Here’s how:
1. Start with Research
Use tools like Answer the Public or Google Search Console to find out what people are asking about your services. Focus on question-based keywords (like “how do I…”, “what is…”, or “can you…”).
2. Write Clear, Structured Answers
Each page should directly answer some questions. Use:
- An H2 question (“What is ____?”)
- A 2–3 sentence answer directly underneath it
- Supporting content that goes deeper afterward
This helps your content get picked up for featured snippets and AI responses.
3. Use FAQ Blocks
Add FAQ sections to key pages using schema markup (or plugins that support it). This tells search engines, “Hey, this is an answer to a question.”
Write a clear list of common questions and answers (related to your services, location, or niche).
Format them properly on your site using headers (like H2 for the question and a short paragraph for the answer).
Then—and here’s the tricky part—you need to add JSON-LD structured data to your website’s code.
This is a special script (in a language called schema.org) that tells search engines “This is a FAQ. Please feature it.”
Here’s what it looks like:
{
“@context”: “https://schema.org”,
“@type”: “FAQPage”,
“mainEntity”: [
{
“@type”: “Question”,
“name”: “What is AEO?”,
“acceptedAnswer”: {
“@type”: “Answer”,
“text”: “AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization. It helps your content appear as a direct answer in search and AI tools.”
}
}
]
}
This code needs to be added to the <head> of your site or through a plugin that supports custom schema. You also need to test it using Google’s Rich Results Test tool to make sure it’s valid.
If that sounds like a lot… it is.
That’s why most people skip this step—and miss out on one of the easiest ways to boost visibility in search.
4. Update Your Google Business Profile
AEO isn’t just for your website. You can add Q&A content directly into your Google Business Profile, which can help you rank in local answers too.
5. Keep It Human and Helpful
AEO isn’t about keyword stuffing. It’s about real, helpful answers that build trust. That’s what algorithms look for—and what your audience needs.
Want Help? We Do This for You.
If you’re overwhelmed or short on time, we offer done-for-you AEO services.
For $50 per researched keyword, we’ll:
- Find 8-12 high-impact questions people are searching for in your niche
- Write clear, optimized answers
- Add them to your website (and Google Business Profile if you’d like)
Ready to become the answer people find?
Book a free consult or get started here:
👉 Schedule a meeting