Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)

Definition: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring and packaging content so that generative “answer engines” (e.g., Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, ChatGPT with browsing) can safely select, quote, and cite your page in their synthesized answers. AEO favors claim-first definitions, extractable structures (steps, tables, calculators, decision trees), clear entities, and evidence pointers over long-form prose.

Scope:

Includes: Optimizing for AI Overviews and other answer engines; entity clarity; claim-first writing; definition/how-to/comparison/calculator/troubleshooter formats; citation-ready references; inclusion measurement (screenshots/logs).
Excludes: Paid placements; purely keyword-led SEO tactics; legacy Featured Snippets/Knowledge Panels (related but different selection systems).
Notes: Visibility varies by query, locale, and product updates; AEO complements—not replaces—traditional SEO and distribution.

Why it matters: Inclusion in answer engines puts your definitions, procedures, and decisions in front of buyers at the moment of question—often above classic results. Structured, entity-clear content lets challenger brands win citations against bigger names and turns thought leadership into answer-shaped assets that convert.

See also: AI Overviews; Entity; Source eligibility; Format discipline; Definition page; Comparison page; Calculator page; AI-selectable paragraph; Answer debt

References:

Google Search Help — How AI Overviews Work
Google Search Central — AI features and your website
Microsoft Copilot / Bing — Generative answers based on public websites
Nielsen Norman Group (NN/g) — How AI Is Changing Search Behaviors
Words Have Impact — GEO Writing: The Future of Content Isn’t Google. It’s Generative.
Words Have Impact — The Matthew Effect in AI Search (and What You Can Do)
Words Have Impact — Answer Debt: Why Long-Form Gets Ignored—and How to Fix It

Synonyms: GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), AISEO, generative search optimization