AEO, short for Answer Engine Optimisation, means helping AI systems find and accurately describe a brand or its content when answering relevant questions. It builds on useful content and ordinary search practices. Teams can track whether their brand is mentioned or linked in a defined set of AI answers.
For a marketing team, the useful question is whether prospective buyers encounter accurate information about the brand while researching a category. A mention in an answer is different from a website visit, so both visibility and referral traffic should be measured.
Clear product information, current facts, accessible pages, and useful comparisons help people and search systems understand the offer. No page format, markup, or wording guarantees that an AI system will use or cite a source.
Some teams use GEO and AEO interchangeably. When evaluating either one, ask which questions and AI products are tracked, and whether the result is a mention, a citation, or a visit.