SEO (search engine optimization) helps your pages rank in search results so buyers click through. AEO (answer engine optimization) helps your company get mentioned and cited inside AI-generated answers. AEO builds on SEO: AI engines still depend on pages they can crawl and trust, then add signals from other sources about you.
For B2B companies, both now shape how technical buyers and procurement teams build a shortlist. If you want help with the AI side, see our AI search optimization for B2B companies service.
SEO vs. AEO at a glance
| SEO | AEO / GEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank pages so buyers click through to your site | Get your company mentioned, cited, and described accurately inside AI answers |
| Where results appear | Search engine results pages | AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot |
| What gets measured | Rankings, organic traffic, conversions | Mentions, citations, accuracy of descriptions, AI referral traffic |
| Main signals | Crawlability, relevance, links, page experience | The same, plus third-party mentions, clear answers, and consistent facts across sources |
| Content format | Pages built around keywords and search intent | Direct answers, comparisons, and structured facts that can be quoted on their own |
What stays the same
- DATAGoogle says its AI features, including AI Overviews and AI Mode, use the same foundational SEO practices as regular search, and that there are no extra technical requirements to appear in them. Source: Google Search Central, "AI features and your website," 2025.
- THEORYCrawlability still comes first. A page an engine cannot reach cannot be quoted.
- THEORYAuthority still matters. Engines lean on sources that others already reference.
- THEORYRelevance still matters. The page has to match the question the buyer asked.
- THEORYHelpful, specific content still wins over thin pages written around a keyword.
What is different
- THEORYAnswers combine sources. One response may draw on your site, a review platform, and a trade publication at once, so you compete for a place in the answer, not a position on a list.
- THEORYThird-party mentions carry more weight. What other sites say about you can shape the answer as much as your own pages.
- THEORYPrompts are conversational. Buyers ask longer, more specific questions ("best warehouse robotics vendor for a 200,000 sq ft facility") than they type into a search box.
- THEORYThe result is a citation or a mention. Success is being named and described accurately, and sometimes linked, rather than ranking first.
What B2B teams should do first
- THEORYWrite down the 20 to 30 questions your buyers ask before they talk to sales, in their words.
- THEORYRun those questions through the main AI engines and record who gets mentioned, who gets cited, and how your company is described.
- THEORYFix technical basics first: make sure key pages can be crawled and indexed, and that your robots.txt does not block the AI crawlers you want to reach.
- THEORYPut a short, direct answer at the top of each important page, then add the detail below it.
- THEORYAdd comparison tables, specifications, and pricing ranges where buyers look for them.
- THEORYMake your company facts (what you do, who you serve, where you operate) match across your site, LinkedIn, directories, and review sites.
- THEORYEarn mentions on the third-party sites AI engines already cite for your category, such as industry publications and review platforms.
- THEORYRe-run your prompt set every month and track changes alongside organic traffic and leads.
Frequently asked questions
Is AEO replacing SEO?
THEORYNo. AI answers still draw on pages that search engines can crawl, index, and trust. AEO adds a layer on top of SEO: making your content easy to quote and making sure other sources describe you accurately.
Is GEO the same as AEO?
THEORYIn practice, mostly. GEO (generative engine optimization) usually refers to AI-generated answers in tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. AEO is the broader term for any engine that returns an answer instead of a list of links. The work behind both is largely the same.
Do I need separate teams for SEO and AEO?
THEORYUsually not. The same people who handle technical SEO and content can cover AEO. What changes is the scope: digital PR, review sites, and third-party mentions become part of the search plan.
How do I measure AEO?
THEORYTrack a fixed set of buyer prompts across the AI engines that matter to you, and record whether you are mentioned, cited, and described accurately. Pair that with referral traffic from AI tools in your analytics and with the answers to "how did you hear about us" on your forms.
Which AI engines matter for B2B?
THEORYStart with Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot. Then check which ones your own buyers use by asking in sales calls and on your forms.