AEO vs SEO: What's the Difference?
Understand how Answer Engine Optimization differs from traditional SEO, and why you need both strategies.
Search engine optimization (SEO) has been the cornerstone of digital marketing for decades. Now, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is emerging as its complement for the AI age.
What is SEO?
SEO optimizes your website to rank higher in traditional search engine results pages (SERPs). It focuses on:
- Keyword targeting
- Link building
- Technical optimization
- Content quality
- User experience signals
The goal: get your website to appear when users search specific terms.
What is AEO?
AEO optimizes your brand’s presence in answer engines—AI systems that provide direct answers instead of links. This includes:
- ChatGPT and GPT-powered search
- Claude and Anthropic’s AI
- Perplexity AI
- Google’s AI Overviews
- Bing Chat / Copilot
The goal: get your brand mentioned when AI provides answers.
Key Differences
1. Output Format
SEO: Aims for a ranked position in a list of links AEO: Aims for inclusion in a synthesized text response
2. User Intent Fulfillment
SEO: User clicks through to find the answer AEO: User receives the answer directly, often without clicking
3. Measurement
SEO: Rankings, clicks, impressions, traffic AEO: Mentions, citations, sentiment, recommendation frequency
4. Optimization Focus
SEO: On-page factors, backlinks, technical performance AEO: Content clarity, factual accuracy, authoritative sourcing
5. Competition Model
SEO: 10 blue links competing for attention AEO: One synthesized answer drawing from multiple sources
Where They Overlap
Both disciplines share core principles:
- Quality content wins - Both reward helpful, accurate information
- Authority matters - Trusted sources rank and get cited
- Technical accessibility - Content must be crawlable
- User experience - Clear, well-structured content performs better
Why You Need Both
Ignoring either strategy creates blind spots:
- SEO without AEO: You rank in Google but AI never mentions you
- AEO without SEO: AI cites you but you have no website traffic
The brands winning today optimize for both.
Building an Integrated Strategy
Start with Strong SEO Fundamentals
- Technical site health
- Keyword-targeted content
- Quality backlink profile
Layer in AEO Tactics
- Structure content for AI citation
- Create definitive, factual resources
- Monitor AI visibility across platforms
Measure Both Channels
- Track traditional SEO metrics
- Add AI mention monitoring
- Compare share of voice in both
The Future is Hybrid
Search isn’t dying—it’s evolving. Traditional search and AI answers will coexist, with different user behaviors driving each.
Smart marketers aren’t choosing between SEO and AEO. They’re building integrated strategies that capture visibility wherever users look for information.