Since Google SEO has existed, the goal was clear: page 1, position 1. The user sees ten blue links and decides where to click. This model is currently changing fundamentally.
What SEO does — and where it ends
Classic SEO optimizes for the Google algorithm: keywords, backlinks, load time, Core Web Vitals. If that works well, the website appears high in the search results. The user clicks (or doesn't).
The problem: 60% of Google searches already show AI Overviews today — AI-generated summaries directly on the results page (Advanced Web Ranking, 2026). The user gets the answer without clicking. SEO traffic drops even though rankings stay the same.
What AEO does differently
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) — also called Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) — optimizes not for clicks but for mentions. Goal: ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google AI should recommend the company directly in their answers, before the user even visits a website.
The relevant optimization signals differ clearly from classic SEO: schema markup (JSON-LD), an llms.txt that explains the company to AI crawlers, FAQ content with direct answers to customer questions, and a consistent picture across all external sources (LinkedIn, industry directories, press mentions).
Why the combination is decisive
SEO and AEO don't exclude each other. Whoever is cited in AI answers benefits twice: their own website gets more direct visits (AI-referred traffic), and these visitors are already pre-qualified — they received an AI recommendation.
What AEO means in practice
- Schema markup (JSON-LD) for organization, services and FAQ content
- An llms.txt that explains to AI crawlers what the company does and for whom
- FAQ pages with direct answers to typical customer questions
- Consistent company data on LinkedIn, directories and external sources
- Regular review — because AI models update continuously
Not yet sure where your company stands in AI answers? AI Visibility Monitoring shows it — monthly, with real test questions.
Test the dashboard free — from €0