Stop me if you’ve heard this before: “If you want to be found on Google, you need SEO.”

For years, Search Engine Optimization was the holy grail of online visibility. The strategy was simple:

• Identify the right keywords for your Industry

• Publish keywords across Website Copy

• Publish keywords in Newsletters

• Publish keywords in FAQs

And voila! - You are ranking on Google and driving traffic.

But the truth is: SEO alone isn’t enough anymore.

Why? Because the way people search online is changing - and fast. Today, over 27% of global internet users rely on virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to find what they need.

And guess what? These AI assistants don’t Google Search like humans do. They don’t type keywords into a browser; they speak directly to other AI systems to source answers.

The New Kid on the Block is: AEO (Answer Engine Optimization).

While SEO trains Google to find your website, AEO trains chatbots and virtual assistants to recognize your brand and offer as the definitive solution to a user’s problem.

Here’s the key difference:

• SEO is about pleasing humans and algorithms with optimized keywords.

• AEO is about convincing AI systems that your business is the best authority in your industry.

Now that you know what AEO is and why it is important:

Here is how to Build AEO and Train AI to Recommend Your Brand

1. Optimize for Conversational Queries: AI assistants rely on natural language processing, so your content must match how people speak. Think about the full questions your audience might ask: “What’s the best accounting software for small businesses?” Then, structure your content to answer these questions clearly.

2. Claim Your Space in AI Ecosystems: Make sure your business is present on platforms used by virtual assistants, like Google My Business, Yelp, and Apple Maps. Keep your profiles accurate, up-to-date, and optimized.

3. Create FAQ-Rich Content: FAQs are a goldmine for AEO. Answer specific, niche questions your audience is asking. Use tools like AnswerThePublic or People Also Ask to identify trending queries.

4. Structure Data for AI: Use schema markup to tag your content with structured data. This helps AI understand the context of your website and identify it as a reliable source of information.

5. Build Authoritative Backlinks: Just like SEO, AEO relies on authority. Secure links from respected industry sites to strengthen your brand’s credibility in the eyes of AI.

6. Test Your Results: Regularly test how virtual assistants like Siri or Alexa answer questions in your niche. If your brand isn’t being mentioned, adjust your AEO strategy.

The Bottom Line

In today’s world, optimizing for SEO is no longer the finish line - it’s just the starting point. AEO is the future of search. By training chatbots and virtual assistants to recognize your brand as the authority in your field, you’re not just keeping up with the Joneses; you’re pulling ahead of the crowd.

Ready to make the leap into AEO and future-proof your business? Let’s talk. Placemaker can help you dominate in both SEO and AEO to ensure your brand is found by humans and AI assistants.

Mansa Latham

www.tryplacemaker.com

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