A shift is underway in digital marketing—Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is gaining momentum as AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini increasingly become users’ primary gateways to information.
In place of traditional SEO tactics focused on keywords and rankings, AEO prioritizes crafting content that AI can surface verbatim as answers. Companies—including analytics startups and major platforms like HubSpot—are adapting to this AI-first era.
Highlights
- AEO focuses on being the answer in AI chatbots, not just ranking in Google.
- Major players like HubSpot are already adapting to AEO.
- Startups are raising millions to help brands optimize for AI visibility.
- Up to 40% of searches may now be resolved without clicks, thanks to AI summaries.
AEO: What’s Changing—and Why It’s Urgent
Traditionally, SEO emphasized improving rankings through keyword optimization, backlinks, and site performance. AEO, in contrast, aims to have content delivered directly as answers within AI-generated outputs.
As AI chat interfaces proliferate, the payoff lies in being cited, not just clicked—a paradigm shift that marketers are rushing to grasp.
As the Wall Street Journal reported, “40% or more of user searches are now resolved without clicking a link, as AI systems deliver complete summaries directly” (According to WSJ).
Startups and Giants Embrace the AEO Race
Startups are rapidly emerging to support AEO strategies:
- Athena, launched by a former Google engineer, has secured over $2 million in seed funding and already serves more than 100 clients.
- Profound, backed by $20 million, offers analytics to help brands boost their visibility in AI results.
- Scrunch AI, with $4 million in funding, aids brands in optimizing their web pages to appear in AI outputs—customers report improved conversions following implementation (According to WSJ).
Meanwhile, major players like HubSpot are incorporating AEO features into their marketing platforms.
As HubSpot noted in a recent report, “AI-powered discovery is no longer experimental—it’s the default for many users, and marketers must adapt their strategies accordingly” (According to Search Engine Journal).
What Brands Are Doing Differently: Key AEO Tactics
To succeed with AEO, marketers are adapting their content strategies by:
- Answer-centric formatting: Leading with concise responses to anticipated FAQs closely aligns with how AI constructs replies.
- Structured layouts: Tables, bullet lists, and schema markup (FAQ, How-To) make content more digestible for AI parsing.
- E-E-A-T signals: Demonstrating experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness increases AI citation likelihood.
- Conversational tone: Content that reads like natural dialog resonates with AI models trained on human-like language.
- SEO+AEO hybrid strategy: While traditional SEO fundamentals still apply, layering AEO-specific tactics ensures broader visibility (According to Reuters).
AEO in Action: Real-World Impacts
For early adopters, AEO can level the playing field. Firms with structured, clarity-first content have been cited in AI-generated summaries—sometimes even outranking traditional SERP leaders.
Bain & Company highlighted this shift, noting that “AI summaries are reshaping user behavior at scale,” forcing brands to rethink their visibility strategies (According to Financial Times).
This explains why investors are flocking to startups like Profound and Scrunch AI.
The AEO Imperative: What It Means for Marketers
As AI interfaces become the new norm for information access, brands must focus less on clicks and more on being quoted by bots. Attention metrics are shifting—mentions and snippet visibility will matter more than organic traffic alone.
Olga Andrienko, VP of Brand Marketing at Semrush, summarized the challenge: “AEO isn’t replacing SEO, but it’s quickly becoming a necessary layer for visibility in AI-driven search.” (According to Search Engine Journal)
Those who integrate structured answers, expert validation, and AI-ready formatting stand to be heard—literally—by future users.
Looking Ahead
Answer Engine Optimization is more than just a buzzword—it’s a transformation in how digital visibility works. With AI chatbots leading conversations instead of search results, being the answer matters more than ever.
Early movers—from dynamic startups to established platforms—are already pivoting. Now it’s up to brands to adapt or risk being overlooked by both human readers and AI engines alike.
Tripti Yadav writes about digital growth strategies, combining SEO, design, and marketing insights.
