Short answer
AEO (answer engine optimization) is the practice of structuring content so answer engines, from AI assistants to Google's AI features, can find a clear, direct answer and quote it. It favours question-led headings, a short answer near the top, specific facts, tables and FAQs that match how people ask.
AEO in practice
- Find the questions buyers actually ask
- Give each a page or section with a direct answer in the first lines
- Support the answer with facts, numbers and sources
- Use tables for comparisons and specs
- Keep the visible text and any structured data consistent
AEO vs GEO vs SEO
| Discipline | Focus | Success looks like |
|---|---|---|
| SEO | Ranking pages in search results | Clicks from search |
| AEO | Being the quoted answer | Your answer used in AI and answer features |
| GEO | Being used and cited by generative engines | Mentions and citations in AI answers |
Questions
Do we need special markup for AEO?
Google says no special schema is required for its AI features. Structured data can still help machines read facts, as long as it matches the page.
Facts checked against the sources below on 12 October 2026. Platforms change quickly: if something here no longer matches what you see, tell us and we will update it.
