BrandViz.AIFree Report
Definitive GuideUpdated Jan 26, 2026•8 min read

What is AEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is the practice of getting your brand mentioned in AI-generated answers - the direct responses users receive from ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google AI.

AEO Definition

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of optimizing your brand to appear in AI-generated answers. When someone asks an AI "What's the best email marketing tool?", AEO determines whether your brand gets mentioned, recommended, or ignored.

Also known as

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and LLMO (LLM Optimization). All three describe the same practice. Learn more →

The Problem AEO Solves

When someone asks an AI assistant for recommendations, the AI doesn't show a list of links - it gives a direct answer, often naming specific brands. If you're not in that answer, you've lost the customer before they ever heard of you.

"What's the best CRM for startups?"
Without AEO

AI recommends 3 competitors. Your brand isn't mentioned.

With AEO

AI recommends your brand first, explaining why it's ideal for startups.

"Slack vs Microsoft Teams for remote work"
Without AEO

AI compares only Slack and Teams. You're not in the conversation.

With AEO

AI mentions your tool as a strong alternative worth considering.

"How do I manage project dependencies?"
Without AEO

AI explains the concept but doesn't mention any tools.

With AEO

AI explains the concept and recommends your tool for solving it.

Key Insight
Traditional marketing assumes users will search, browse, and compare. Answer engines skip all that - they provide direct recommendations. AEO ensures you're the brand being recommended. The key is knowing which sources answer engines cite for your category, then optimizing those sources.

Why AEO Matters Now

The shift from "search and browse" to "ask and receive" is accelerating. Users are increasingly treating AI assistants as trusted advisors for purchase decisions.

1 in 4
prefer AI over Google
89%
of B2B buyers use AI
50%
start journey in AI

For B2B companies especially, this shift is critical. When a procurement manager asks Claude "What's the best vendor management software for mid-size companies?", the AI's recommendation carries significant weight. AEO ensures you're part of that conversation.

The first step is understanding your current visibility. Platforms like BrandViz.AI test hundreds of buying-intent queries to show you exactly where you stand across all major answer engines.

The Major Answer Engines

"Answer engines" are AI systems that provide direct answers instead of links. Four platforms dominate, representing over 80% of AI assistant usage:

ChatGPT

OpenAI

Conversational AI with optional web browsing. Largest user base.

Training data + real-time web (when enabled)

Claude

Anthropic

Known for nuanced, thoughtful responses. Strong in B2B contexts.

Training data (no real-time web in base model)

Gemini

Google

Deep Google Search integration. Benefits from SEO signals.

Training data + Google Search

Perplexity

Perplexity AI

Search-first with source citations. Always uses real-time data.

Real-time web search (always)

Why track all four? Each answer engine can give different recommendations for the same query. BrandViz.AI monitors your visibility across all four platforms to identify which engines mention you, which don't, and why.

AEO vs SEO: Understanding the Difference

AspectTraditional SEOAEO
GoalRank in top 10 linksGet named in the answer
User ActionClick through to your siteMay never click - AI answered
Key SignalsBacklinks, keywordsCitations, sentiment, authority
Success MetricPosition 1-10Mentioned? Recommended?
PlatformGoogle, BingChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
Important
SEO and AEO are complementary. Strong SEO helps AEO (especially for Google's Gemini), but you can rank #1 on Google and never appear in ChatGPT's answers. A complete strategy needs both.

How to Improve Your AEO

AEO success comes from being present, accurate, and favorable in the sources that answer engines trust:

1

Optimize Review Platforms

G2, Capterra, TrustRadius - these are heavily weighted by answer engines. Ensure your profiles are complete, accurate, and regularly updated with recent reviews.

2

Build Entity Recognition

Wikipedia, Wikidata, and structured data help answer engines understand what your brand is. Clear entity data = more accurate recommendations.

3

Create Authoritative Content

Comprehensive documentation, helpful guides, and expert content gets cited by answer engines. Be the authoritative source in your category.

4

Earn Mentions in Trusted Sources

Industry publications, comparison articles, and authentic Reddit/community discussions all influence answer engine recommendations.

5

Track and Iterate

Monitor your visibility across answer engines regularly. Tools like BrandViz.AI track which queries mention you, which don't, and what sources are being cited.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does AEO stand for?

AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization. It refers to the practice of optimizing your brand to appear in AI-generated answers - the direct responses users get when they ask ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, or Google AI a question. AEO is also known as GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and LLMO (LLM Optimization).

What is an "answer engine"?

An answer engine is an AI system that provides direct answers to user questions instead of a list of links. ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Gemini are all answer engines. Unlike traditional search engines that show 10 blue links, answer engines synthesize information and respond conversationally, often naming specific brands and making recommendations.

How is AEO different from SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on ranking in Google's list of links. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on being mentioned in AI-generated answers. With SEO, success means appearing on page 1. With AEO, success means being the brand that AI directly recommends when someone asks "What's the best tool for X?"

Is AEO the same as GEO and LLMO?

Yes. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and LLMO (LLM Optimization) all describe the same practice. AEO emphasizes the outcome (appearing in answers), GEO emphasizes the technology (generative AI), and LLMO emphasizes the underlying models (Large Language Models). The strategies are identical.

Which answer engines should I optimize for?

The four major answer engines are ChatGPT (OpenAI), Claude (Anthropic), Gemini (Google), and Perplexity. Together they represent over 80% of AI assistant usage. Google AI Overviews also functions as an answer engine within traditional search results. A comprehensive AEO strategy addresses all of these.

How do answer engines decide which brands to recommend?

Answer engines synthesize information from multiple sources: review platforms (G2, Capterra), documentation, Reddit discussions, news articles, Wikipedia, and authoritative publications. They weight factors like source authority, mention frequency, sentiment, recency, and how well your brand matches the specific query context.

Why does AEO matter for B2B companies?

B2B buyers increasingly use AI assistants for product research. Research shows 50% of B2B buyers start their buying journey in AI chatbots, and 89% have adopted generative AI for work. When someone asks "What CRM should I use for my startup?", the AI makes direct recommendations. Missing from that answer means missing potential customers.

Can I control what answer engines say about my brand?

You cannot directly edit AI responses, but you can influence them through AEO. This involves optimizing the sources that answer engines learn from: ensuring accurate review profiles, creating authoritative content, earning mentions in trusted publications, and maintaining consistent brand information across all channels.

How do I measure AEO success?

AEO success is measured by: whether your brand appears in AI answers for relevant queries, your share of voice compared to competitors, how favorably you're described (sentiment), which sources are cited about you, and how your visibility changes over time. Tools like BrandViz.AI track these metrics across ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity.

How long does AEO take to show results?

AEO timelines vary. Quick wins like updating review profiles can show impact within days for answer engines with real-time web access (Perplexity, ChatGPT with browsing). Changes affecting training data take longer (months). Building brand authority through PR and content is a long-term investment that compounds over time.