· AEO HQ, Editorial
SEO vs. AEO: what changes when AI answers the question
Search engines rank pages. Answer engines quote sources. Here is how the two disciplines overlap, where they differ, and what to do first.
SEO earns a position on a results page. AEO earns a mention inside the answer itself. Both depend on crawlable, well-structured, trustworthy content, but they reward different things.
Where SEO and AEO overlap
- Technical health: crawlability, speed, and clean indexation.
- Topical authority: covering a subject thoroughly and consistently.
- Credibility signals: expert authorship, citations, and brand mentions.
Where AEO goes further
Answer engines extract and synthesize. Pages that lead with a direct answer, define entities clearly, and use structured data are easier to quote. Presence on third-party sources that models rely on matters as much as your own site.
Start here
Measure both: where you rank for your priority queries, and how often AI assistants cite you for the same intent. The gap between the two is your roadmap.