The New SEO is AEO: How to Win in the Age of AI Overviews

What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of optimizing content so that AI-powered search engines—such as Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity—can clearly understand, trust, and directly cite it when answering user questions.

Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking web pages, AEO focuses on becoming the source that AI systems use to generate answers.

Why AI Overviews Are Reducing Organic Traffic

As a digital marketing agency owner, I’ve been on the front lines of major Google updates for over a decade. Yet nothing compares to the shift happening now.

Across multiple client accounts, we’re seeing organic traffic declines of 20–30% for brands that haven’t adapted. The main reason is simple: AI Overviews.

When users search today, Google often displays a conversational, AI-generated summary before the traditional blue links. In many cases, users get their answer without clicking through to a website at all.

The Data Behind the Shift to AI-Driven Search

Industry benchmarks show a clear trend:

• Roughly 25% of all Google searches now trigger an AI Overview

• AI-generated answers are still early-stage, but they are the fastest-growing visibility layer in search

• Referral traffic may be lower for now, but citation visibility is replacing rankings as the primary battleground

What this means:

If your site is not used as a source for AI answers, you may already be invisible for a large and growing portion of searches.

SEO vs AEO: What’s the Difference?

SEO still matters—but on its own, it is no longer enough.

How to Optimize Content for AI Overviews (AEO Strategy)

1. Audit Your Core Queries for AI Answers

Your keyword list only tells half the story.

Action Step

• Search your top 10–20 queries in Google, ChatGPT, and Perplexity

• Check whether AI answers appear

• Identify:

  • Which sites are cited

  • The format used (paragraph, list, table)

  
  

You’re no longer competing only with websites—you’re competing to become the AI’s trusted source.

2. Create Modular, Citable Content

AI systems extract facts, definitions, and structured explanations. Long narrative posts are harder to cite.

Best Practices

• Use clear, question-based H2 and H3 headings

• Answer each question directly in the first sentence

• Break content into self-contained sections

• Use bullet points, numbered steps, and tables

Each section should stand alone as a potential AI citation.

3. Use Schema and Structured Data Consistently

Schema markup tells search engines exactly what your content represents.

High-impact schema types for AEO

• FAQPage

• HowTo

• Article (author, date, topic clarity)

• Product & Offer (if applicable)

Structured data increases the likelihood that AI systems can validate and reuse your content confidently.