What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?
AEO is optimizing content to be cited by AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google's AI Overviews. It's about making your content authoritative, clear, and structured for AI comprehension so that when users ask AI assistants for recommendations, your business appears in the response.
Unlike traditional SEO which focuses on ranking in search results, AEO focuses on being the source that AI systems cite and recommend to users.
Will AEO replace my SEO efforts?
No — AEO complements SEO. You need both. SEO gets you found on Google's traditional search results. AEO gets you recommended by AI chatbots. Together, they dominate all search channels and ensure you're visible wherever your customers are searching.
Think of it this way: SEO is essential for when people use Google. AEO is essential for when people use ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity. Since 40%+ of searches now happen through AI, you need both strategies.
How long before I see AEO results?
Most clients see their first AI citations within 2 to 6 weeks. Full dominance takes 3 months as AI platforms learn about your business and update their knowledge. That's exponentially faster than traditional SEO, which typically takes 6-12 months for meaningful results.
Timeline breakdown:
- Week 1-2: Audit and optimization implementation
- Week 2-6: First AI citations start appearing
- Month 2-3: Citation frequency and position improve
- Month 3+: Dominant citation position established
How much does AEO cost?
We offer three transparent pricing tiers: Free (£0), Pro (£99/month), and Premium (£199/month). Start free and upgrade as you grow. No contracts, cancel anytime.
- Free Tier: £0/month - 5 URL scans, basic reports, email support
- Pro Tier: £99/month or £999/year - 50 scans, AI citation tracking, monthly strategy calls
- Premium Tier: £199/month or £1,999/year - Unlimited scans, white-label reports, API access, dedicated account manager
Need done-for-you service? Book a consultation for custom pricing. Visit our pricing page for full details.
What industries benefit most from AEO?
ALL industries benefit from AEO. However, we've seen particularly explosive results for:
- Professional services (law, accounting, consulting)
- B2B companies and enterprise software
- SaaS businesses competing for recommendations
- E-commerce looking for product citations
- Healthcare providers and medical practices
- Financial services and fintech
- Local businesses in competitive markets
If you're online and customers search for your services, you need AEO. See our industry-specific guide for detailed strategies.
How do I know if AEO is working?
Track your AI citations using query testing. Ask ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity questions your customers would ask, and monitor if your business appears in responses.
We provide monthly reports showing:
- Citation frequency across different AI platforms
- Your position in AI responses (1st mentioned, 2nd, 3rd, etc.)
- Specific queries triggering your citations
- Comparison with competitors
- Trend analysis and improvement metrics
Most clients see measurable improvements within 4 to 8 weeks.
What makes AEO different from SEO?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) optimizes for search engine rankings in Google's blue link results. You're competing to be position 1, 2, or 3 on the page.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) optimizes for AI recommendations and citations within conversational responses. When someone asks ChatGPT "recommend a UK marketing consultant," AEO determines if you're mentioned.
SEO gets you found. AEO gets you recommended by AI.
See our detailed AEO vs SEO comparison guide for more information.
Can small businesses afford AEO?
Yes. AEO is actually more accessible than traditional SEO because it focuses on authority and expertise rather than expensive link building.
Small businesses with genuine expertise can compete with larger companies in AI citations. A small boutique law firm in Manchester can get cited alongside multinational firms if they demonstrate expertise and optimize correctly.
We offer packages starting with one-time audits (£197), making AEO accessible to businesses of all sizes. No long-term contracts required for starter packages.
Which AI tools should I optimize for?
Focus on the major AI assistants:
- ChatGPT with over 100 million weekly users
- Claude growing rapidly in professional settings
- Perplexity for search-focused AI queries
- Google AI Overviews integrated into Google Search
- Microsoft Copilot for enterprise users
We optimize for all major AI platforms simultaneously using strategies that work across all AI platforms. This ensures you get cited regardless of which AI tool your customers use.
Do I need to change my entire website for AEO?
No. AEO typically involves optimizing key pages, adding structured data, improving content clarity, and ensuring AI crawlers can access your site.
Most businesses start with:
- 3-5 high-priority pages (homepage, key service pages)
- Schema markup implementation
- robots.txt optimization for AI crawlers
- Content restructuring for clarity
We focus on changes that deliver maximum impact with minimal disruption to your existing site. Many clients see results with just 5-10 hours of optimization work.
What's the difference between ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity?
ChatGPT by OpenAI has the largest user base (100M+ weekly), ideal for general queries, recommendations, and conversational search.
Claude by Anthropic excels in professional and analytical tasks, growing rapidly in business and technical contexts.
Perplexity focuses specifically on search with real-time web citations, similar to a traditional search engine but AI-powered.
Google AI Overviews appear directly in Google Search results above traditional listings.
The good news: We optimize for all platforms using strategies that work across the entire AI ecosystem.
How often do AI models update their knowledge?
AI models with real-time web access (like ChatGPT with browsing, Perplexity, and Google AI) update continuously by crawling the web in real-time.
Models without web access update periodically through training—typically every few months with new data.
This is why ongoing AEO optimization is important: You need to maintain and improve your citations as AI systems evolve, competitors optimize, and user queries change.
Our ongoing packages include continuous monitoring and optimization to ensure you stay ahead of changes.