There’s a shift happening in how people find information online. We’re no longer just typing in keywords — we’re asking questions. Real, natural ones. And the platforms answering them aren’t just search engines anymore.
This is where Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) steps in. But let’s be clear — this isn’t a replacement for SEO. It’s a necessary evolution alongside it.
SEO: Still Essential, Just Not the Whole Picture
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the backbone of online visibility. It helps you rank in search results, drives organic traffic, and supports long-term growth. Keyword strategy, backlinks, technical health, on-page optimisation — it all matters.
But SEO was built for search engines designed around links and listings. Now, AI-driven engines and voice interfaces are changing the rules. People want answers, not blue links.
AEO: Optimising for the Answers People Want
Answer Engine Optimisation is about shaping your content so it becomes the answer. Think featured snippets, voice results, and AI summaries. AEO isn’t chasing clicks — it’s securing trust at the first interaction.
Where SEO brings people to your page, AEO positions you as the authority before they even decide to click. The content needs to be structured, concise, and recognisably credible. It’s not about stuffing in questions — it’s about earning trust with clarity and intent.
SEO and AEO: Different Tools, Same Goal
The goal is still the same: get in front of your audience in the moments that matter. But the route is different.
- SEO builds long-term organic presence
- AEO meets real questions with real answers, instantly
- SEO supports discovery across a broad set of terms
- AEO focuses on high-intent, question-based search
- SEO helps you rank
- AEO helps you own the answer