What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?
AEO is the practice of structuring content so answer engines (featured snippets, voice assistants, AI chat) can extract and present it as the direct answer.
Definition
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) structures your content so that answer engines, from featured snippets and voice assistants to AI chatbots, can extract it and present it as the direct answer to a question.
AEO vs GEO
The two overlap heavily. AEO focuses on the format of answers (question-shaped headings, concise definitions, FAQ markup). GEO covers the broader goal of being cited by generative engines, including entity building and brand mentions. Strong AEO is a prerequisite for strong GEO.
Core techniques
- Write the question as the heading and answer it in the first 40-60 words.
- Use FAQPage, HowTo and DefinedTerm structured data.
- Keep one question per section; answer engines extract blocks, not pages.
- Cover the follow-up questions people actually ask next.
Frequently asked questions
Is AEO worth it for small sites?
Yes. Answer extraction cares about clarity and structure more than domain size, so small focused sites regularly beat large generic ones for specific questions.