AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
The practice of optimizing content so AI answer engines adopt it as an authoritative source when responding to queries
What is AEO?
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing content so that AI answer engines — ChatGPT, Perplexity, and others — select it as a trusted source when generating responses to user queries.
The term is often used interchangeably with GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). In some contexts, AEO refers to the broader category of AI answer optimization while GEO specifically covers generative AI engines.
Key optimization signals
AI answer engines weigh several signals when selecting sources:
- Authority: Domain trust, author expertise, citation frequency
- Clarity: Direct answers to questions, explicit definitions and numbers
- Freshness: Up-to-date information, visible update dates
- Structure: FAQ, definition, and list formats that are easy to parse
- llms.txt: Declared access policy for AI crawlers
AEO vs GEO
The two terms are frequently used interchangeably in practice. Distinctions are sometimes drawn based on platform type (search vs. generative) or measurement methodology, but there is no universally agreed boundary.