Answer Engine Optimisation emerges as key digital strategy

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), also referred to as Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), is emerging as a critical commercial strategy alongside traditional Search Engine Optimisation (SEO). While traditional SEO focuses on improving rankings and driving clicks to a website, AEO aims to ensure a brand is cited, recommended, or included directly within AI-generated answers from tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Gemini.

Measuring the Return on Investment (ROI) for AEO presents unique challenges compared to traditional SEO. Because AEO often influences a user during the discovery and consideration phases without an immediate click, the commercial impact may appear through indirect signals such as increased branded search, direct traffic, or higher conversion rates later in the customer journey. For B2B firms, AEO is becoming a vital component of lead generation, as AI tools can shape buying decisions and provider shortlists before a user ever visits a company website.