Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is the practice of structuring your website so it can be used as the direct answer to a question — in Google's featured snippets and 'People also ask' boxes, and increasingly in AI assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity.
Why AEO matters now
More and more people get an answer without ever clicking a blue link. If your site isn't structured to be that answer, a competitor's will be. AEO is how you stay visible as search shifts from a list of links to a single response.
How to optimise for answer engines
- Answer real questions clearly and concisely, near the top of the page.
- Use FAQ sections with genuine questions and short, direct answers.
- Add structured data (FAQPage, Article, Organization) so machines can read your content.
- Write in plain English — the way people actually ask.
- Keep facts (prices, hours, services) explicit and consistent across your site.
Done well, AEO means your business is the answer people see first — whether they search on Google or ask an AI.