As we’ve talked about before, the search landscape is expanding. Instead of just typing keywords into a search engine and clicking through results, more people are getting direct answers from AI tools like ChatGPT, social media or voice assistants. Experts call this shift “Answer Engine Optimisation” (AEO), which is all about making sure your content is crafted for answer-giving engines.
What’s the difference from SEO as we know it? LEP Digital’s SEO approach has always been about creating helpful content so that the businesses we work with rank high in organic search listings for the keywords that matter most, get more clicks, and build links to increase domain authority. With AEO, it takes that approach one step further: it’s about writing helpful and unique content that gives a clear, direct answer quickly—one that an AI or voice assistant can pick up and serve, often without the user needing to click through. Your brand becomes the answer and the authority.
However, Google remains the most trusted search tool
While we know people will discover your brand from a variety of sources, including social media platforms and AI chat, Google remains the most dominant and trusted search tool, driving 13.7 billion searches a day, compared to 1 billion in ChatGPT.
What can you do to ensure your brand appears more often?
If you’re creating content such as blogs, FAQs, or how-to guides, start framing it the way people ask questions, not the way we’ve traditionally optimised for search. Use natural language, short, clear answers at the top of pages, and structured data (like schema) to help AI parse your information, and make sure your brand’s credibility comes through. By starting with the question and providing valuable information, your business will be better positioned to be referenced by these AI-driven answer engines.
