AI & Search

AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)

Optimising content to be the direct answer an AI or search feature gives, rather than one of many results a user clicks through.

AEO focuses on winning the single, direct answer - the featured snippet, the voice-assistant reply, or the AI-generated summary - instead of competing purely for position in a list of links. It rewards content that answers a specific question clearly and early on the page.

AEO and GEO overlap a lot; the difference is mostly emphasis. AEO is about being the answer to a question; GEO is the broader practice of being visible across generative AI engines. Both reward the same fundamentals: clarity, structure, and trust.

Further reading

Related terms

Want to see how your page measures up on this and more?

Free first audit

Ready to see what's holding your site back?

Run one page through AuditCrow and get a clear, prioritised report on what is standing between your site and the job you need it to do.

One page free · Plain-language fixes · Your first taste of the full platform