AEO vs Traditional SEO
AEO vs SEO
When to optimise for AI answers vs ranked links
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) targets direct answers inside ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews. Traditional SEO targets ranked blue links. They share the same crawl foundation, but AEO adds schema, question-based headings, and 40-80 word extractable answers as first-class deliverables.
Side-by-side
| Feature | AEO | Traditional SEO |
|---|---|---|
| Primary target | AI-generated answer | Ranked search result |
| Winning unit | 40-80 word passage | Page ranking |
| Headings | Question-based (H1/H2) | Keyword-based |
| Schema priority | FAQPage, HowTo, Speakable | Article, breadcrumbs |
| Measurement | Brand mentions in AI answers | SERP position, clicks |
Verdict
Run both. Use SEO as the floor and AEO as the ceiling — one asset, two surfaces, ship them together.
FAQs
Does AEO replace SEO?
No. Google, Bing, and DuckDuckGo still drive most transactional traffic. AEO grows brand visibility inside AI answers on top of that.
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