AEO: How to Get Your Business Recommended by ChatGPT and AI Search

Search isn't just Google anymore. People now ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google's AI for recommendations directly — and most websites are invisible to them. Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is how you fix that.

What AEO actually is

Where traditional SEO aims to rank a page, AEO aims to make your business the answer an AI gives. When someone asks "who's the best Webflow developer in Birmingham?", AEO is what determines whether your name comes up. It's the natural evolution of SEO for an AI-first world.

Why it matters now

Search is shifting from keywords to entities — AI engines want to understand who you are and what you do as a clear, trusted entity, then surface you in conversational answers and zero-click results. If your site doesn't communicate that clearly, you're left out of an entire and fast-growing channel.

The practical steps

Strong AEO comes from a few things working together: structured data (JSON-LD schema like Person, Service, and FAQ) so machines understand your business; clear, direct answers to real questions (a proper FAQ where the answer leads the first sentence); consistent entity signals across your site, Google Business Profile, and directories; and genuinely helpful content that AI wants to cite.

How I build it in

Every site I build now gets AI search optimisation alongside traditional SEO — schema, answer-led FAQs, and clean semantic structure — so you're discoverable by both Google and AI from day one. Want your business showing up in AI answers? Let's talk.

FAQ (paste as visible accordion)

What is Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)?

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is the practice of making your business the answer that AI engines like ChatGPT and Perplexity give when someone asks a relevant question. It's the evolution of SEO for AI-first search.

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How do I get my business recommended by ChatGPT?

You get recommended by adding structured data (schema), writing clear answer-led FAQs, keeping consistent entity signals across your site and Google Business Profile, and publishing genuinely helpful content AI wants to cite.

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Is AEO different from SEO?

Yes — SEO aims to rank a page on Google, while AEO aims to make your business the spoken or written answer an AI gives. The two work together, and both should be built in from day one.