Knowledge

What is an AEO?

AEO, or Answer Engine Optimisation, involves preparing content in such a way that an AI model can extract a ready-made answer from it and cite it as a source. It relates to the form and structure of the text, rather than the number of mentions a brand has online.

Last updated: 7 September 2026 · reading time: approximately 6 minutes

Definition

Why have a separate term?

When generating a response, the model does not summarise the entire page. It searches for a passage that can be presented as a ready-made answer, and usually takes it in its entirety. AEO focuses on ensuring that such a passage exists in your text in the first place.

That is why two pages on the same topic can come across quite differently. One begins with three paragraphs on how important the topic is. The other answers the question and sets out the conditions in the very first sentence. The model will choose the latter.

AEO does not replace work on mentions outside your own domain. It is responsible for ensuring that your content is quotable, not for whether the model is even aware of you. The latter is handled by a broader GEO.

AEO in a nutshell

Write in such a way that the model can take a ready-made snippet from your page and provide it as a response.

FormThe answer at the start, not after three introductory paragraphs

The point isNumbers, terms and names rather than generalities

StructureHeadings and data that the model uses to navigate

Full name: Answer Engine Optimisation. It is sometimes described as the technical and editorial aspect of GEO.

Mechanism

What does each model take from your website?

The same content, written in two different ways, produces a completely different effect. Below are two versions of the same topic.

The model has nothing to take

How much does [the service] cost?

These days, more and more companies are thinking about costs. It is worth bearing in mind that every project is different, and the price depends on many factors…

We therefore encourage you to get in touch for a personalised quote…

Three paragraphs, nothing concrete. There isn’t a single passage that could be quoted as an answer.

The model takes the first paragraph

How much does [the service] cost?

The cost usually ranges from X to Y, and is determined by three factors: the scope, the deadline and the number of revisions.

Below, we break each of them down into their constituent parts and give some examples…

Excerpt ready for quotation

The answer is in the first sentence; the conditions are stated explicitly, with the rest providing further detail.

The difference lies not in the length or the number of keywords, but in where the answer is found. The model rarely reads to the end, and almost always takes the beginning.

Practical experience

Six rules that make a difference

All of them can be applied without having to rewrite the page from scratch.

The answer at the beginningFormThe first sentence answers the question in the headline. The explanation follows below, not the other way round.

A headline in the form of a questionForm„How much does it cost?” rather than „Price list”. The models tailor the headings to the queries, and people ask questions in full sentences.

A noun instead of an adjectiveContentTimeframes, deadlines, conditions, figures. „Comprehensive service” isn’t suitable for a quote, but „from X to Y working days” is.

One topic, one pageStructureA subpage that answers a single question is easier to quote than a general article covering everything.

Company detailsTechnologyTags that explain what the page is about, what you sell and where you operate. This way, the model doesn’t have to work it out from the text alone.

Access for botsTechnologyIf the model bots are blocked from accessing the site, the rest of the work is pointless. It’s worth checking what’s blocking the server.

We also apply these principles to the materials we produce in Study, and the website’s status in this regard is checked by an audit in the module Visibility.

Scope

AEO is part of GEO

These terms are sometimes used interchangeably, yet they describe different things. This is most clearly illustrated in the diagram: one is part of the other.

GEO

Does the model mention the brand at all? It covers content on its own domain, signals from outside it, and the possibility of being cited.

AEO

Is it possible to extract a ready-made answer from your text? Form, specificity, structure.

Opinions and reviews Rankings and directories Industry publications Speeches

These four things fall within the scope of GEO but outside that of AEO. None of them depends on how you write your own page.

The practical conclusion is that AEO alone brings a brand to the threshold of visibility and stops there. The content is ready to be quoted, but the model still has no reason to choose you in particular. We describe the third concept – classic SEO – in the article What is SEO?, and we list all three in comparison.

To be honest

What an AEO will not do

Four things you should know before you rewrite the whole page.

A well-written website is not enoughAEO is responsible for the possibility of being quoted, not for the reason why the model would choose you in particular.

This isn’t writing to suit an algorithmIt’s not about cramming in phrases or writing for machines. Getting straight to the point and being specific helps people too.

No single file is enoughThe information describing the company and the llms.txt file are helpful, but they are no substitute for content that contains something worth quoting.

The effect can be seen in the next measurementThe model must visit the page again to see the change. This does not happen on the day of publication.

FAQ

Questions about AEO

The questions that come up most often when working on content.

What is an AEO?

How does an AEO differ from a GEO?

GEO covers all work relating to the brand’s presence in search results, including signals from outside its own domain. AEO is its narrower, editorial and technical component. What is GEO?.

Is AEO the same as SEO writing?

No. SEO focuses on a website’s position in search results, whilst AEO focuses on whether the model can extract a snippet of the answer from it. We compare the two in this article SEO, GEO and AEO.

Where should you start with your own website?

Start by moving the answer to the beginning. Take the three most important subpages and check whether the first paragraph contains the answer to the question in the heading. It usually doesn’t.

Do I need to rewrite the whole page?

No. You simply need to start with the subpages that answer customers’ actual questions: services, prices, deadlines and terms and conditions.

Is llms.txt necessary?

It is not essential and does not achieve anything on its own. It helps models identify relevant content, but without content that is worth quoting, it does not alter the result. We explain the concept in dictionary.

How can you check whether the AEO has worked?

Following the next measurement: the citation rate is rising – that is, the proportion of responses in which the model references your domain. We describe the method of calculation in methodology.

Check whether the models are citing your website

You start with 250 AeloCoins, without a card. That’s enough to start a measurement and test the modules. Once you’ve used them up, you switch to a paid plan. Measurements work straight away, and a full report on your brand is included from the Starter plan onwards. The citation metric is already visible in the measurement.

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What is an AEO?

Why have a separate term?

What does each model take from your website?

Six rules that make a difference

AEO is part of GEO

What an AEO will not do

Questions about AEO

Check whether the models are citing your website

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