The 30-second version
When someone asks ChatGPT "what's the best invoicing tool for a UK freelancer?", you either show up in the answer or you don't. There's no second page. There's no scrolling. There's an answer, and your brand is in it or it isn't.
That's AEO — Answer Engine Optimization. Some people call it GEO (Generative Engine Optimization). They mean the same thing: getting your brand cited by AI search engines, the same way SEO got your blue link to position one.
Good news: most of the work overlaps. Strong content, clean structure, real authority — that's still what wins. Bad news: a few things are genuinely new, and ignoring them in 2026 is the same mistake as ignoring mobile in 2014.
SEO vs AEO at a glance
| SEO (Google) | AEO (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity) | |
|---|---|---|
| What gets the click | A blue link | Your name in the answer |
| Ranks measured by | Position 1–10 | Whether you're cited at all |
| Optimised for | Query keywords | Question + intent + entity |
| Wins on | Backlinks + content depth | Clear structure, quotable spans, reputable source signal |
| Updates when | Google crawls + reindexes | On every new prompt — sometimes within hours |
The six things to do this week
Most AEO advice is overcooked. Here's the short list that actually moves the needle.
Lead with the answer
Put the one-sentence answer in the first 60 words. AI engines lift quotable spans, not entire articles.
Use clear question headings
H2/H3 phrased as the question someone would actually type or speak. AI engines match question→heading aggressively.
Include schema
FAQPage, HowTo, Article. It won't rank you on its own, but it makes your content easier for AI to parse correctly.
Be specific and citable
Numbers, dates, brand names. Vague content gets summarised; specific content gets quoted.
Build entity strength
Mentions on Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, niche directories. AI engines trust entities, not URLs.
Track AI mentions, not just rankings
If you don't measure how ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity describe you, you're flying blind in 2026.
"If a single ChatGPT answer can rewrite who gets the customer this week, AEO isn't a 2027 problem. It's a Tuesday problem."
FAQ
What's the difference between SEO and AEO?+
SEO is about ranking in Google's blue links so people click through. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about being the source the AI cites in its answer, even when nobody clicks through. The two overlap but they're optimised for different outcomes.
Is GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) the same as AEO?+
Effectively yes. AEO and GEO are interchangeable terms for the same discipline — getting your brand surfaced by ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and friends. We use AEO because it's slightly more established.
Are AI engines actually replacing Google?+
Not replacing — splitting traffic. Google still gets the lion's share, but a meaningful slice of high-intent research now happens inside ChatGPT or Perplexity. The brands that show up in both win the era.
How do I check if AI engines mention my brand?+
Manually it's painful — every prompt gives different answers. Amp's AI Visibility module probes ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity automatically across countries and saves the results, so you can track mention rate over time. We also offer a free one-off check at /free-tools/ai-visibility-check.
Will AI search hurt traffic to my site?+
It will reduce some informational clicks (the same way featured snippets did). The opportunity isn't to fight that — it's to be the source AI quotes, so the people who do click through are higher-intent than ever.