AEO means making your content easy for AI assistants to find and quote. Google's May 2026 guide says that optimising for its generative AI search is still SEO. So AEO builds on good SEO: pages that are indexed, helpful, clearly written and trustworthy, with accurate business facts across the web.
What is AEO?
AEO stands for answer engine optimisation. It is also called GEO, for generative engine optimisation. It is about being chosen as a source when someone asks ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google's AI Overviews or a similar tool for an answer or recommendation.
What does Google say about it?
In a guide published on 15 May 2026, Google said that from the point of view of Google Search, optimising for generative AI search is still SEO. It also said that special files, rewriting content only for AI, or extra schema types are not needed for its AI features. For a page to appear, it must be indexed and eligible to show a snippet.
| Classic SEO | AEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank pages in search results | Be quoted or recommended in AI answers |
| Shared basics | Crawlable, helpful, trustworthy pages | The same, plus clear direct answers |
| Extra work | Links, local signals, speed | Consistent business facts, quotable content, checking what AI tools say |
What should you actually do?
- Make sure your important pages are indexed and not blocked from search bots.
- Put a clear, direct answer in the first one or two sentences under each question-style heading.
- Use real HTML tables for comparisons, prices and timelines.
- Keep your business name, services, address and description consistent on your site, Google profile and listings.
- Show real dates and update pages when facts change.
- Publish something others can cite, such as original data or a clear how-to.
- Every month, ask the same set of questions in the main AI tools and note what they say about you.
What about llms.txt?
An llms.txt file is a plain text file that lists key pages for AI tools. It takes minutes to add, but the evidence is weak. A large study by SE Ranking in late 2025 found no link between having one and AI citations, and Google says it is not needed for its AI features. Add it if you like, but do not pay extra for it.
Be wary of anyone selling AEO as a secret trick. The honest version is good SEO plus clear, quotable pages.
Source: Google Search Central, 'Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search'.
Need help with this?
Our AI search (AEO) service covers exactly this, with a monthly report so you can see the work.