Answer engine optimisation (AEO) is the practice of structuring web content so AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews can extract, quote and cite it when users ask questions. It is the discipline that replaces "rank on Google" with "get named inside the answer". For B2B SaaS, AEO is increasingly where buyer consideration happens - which is why understanding what AEO is, and how it differs from SEO, matters.
What is AEO, in one sentence?
AEO is the practice of optimising web pages so AI assistants quote them as the answer to a user's question. Where SEO targets a position on a search results page, AEO targets a citation inside an AI-generated answer.
How does AEO work?
AEO works by giving AI assistants what they need to confidently quote you. That means three things: a clean technical foundation so AI crawlers can reach you, on-page structure that makes individual answers extractable, and off-site signals that tell AI tools your brand is the right name to mention. The four techniques that move the needle most are:
- Question-led headings. H2s that match how buyers ask questions.
- Direct one-paragraph answers. A clean, quotable definition or summary right under each H2.
- Named entities and schema. Explicit company, product, person and category names, reinforced with FAQ and Article schema.
- Third-party presence. Reviews on G2 and Capterra, mentions in trade outlets, and presence in the listicles AI tools quote.
Is AEO the same as GEO?
For practical purposes, yes. Answer engine optimisation (AEO) and generative engine optimisation (GEO) describe the same work. AEO emphasises the question-and-answer angle; GEO emphasises the generative model angle. The naming mess is covered in full in GEO, AEO, LLMO, AI SEO: why so many names? - but if you remember one thing, it is that the underlying techniques are identical.
How is AEO different from SEO?
SEO is about ranking in a list. AEO is about being named in an answer. The full breakdown is in AEO vs SEO, but the short version is that AEO rewards declarative writing, named entities, schema and third-party authority more heavily than classical SEO does, while still depending on the same crawlability fundamentals.
Why does AEO matter for B2B SaaS?
B2B SaaS buyers increasingly ask AI tools for shortlists, comparisons and "best for X" recommendations. If your product is not named inside those answers, you are invisible at the moment of consideration - even when you rank on the first page of Google. AEO is how you make sure the AI mentions you. The deeper case is in AEO for B2B marketing.
How do you start with AEO?
Start with three moves: run a baseline audit to see what AI says about you today, fix the highest-leverage on-page templates (FAQ, comparison, homepage), and shore up the third-party listings AI tools trust for your category. The first week in GEO guide gives the day-by-day version.
What tools do you need for AEO?
None to start. To scale, the most-used AEO tools in 2026 are Profound, Peec AI, Otterly, Scrunch AI and AthenaHQ. The full shortlist is in best AEO tools for B2B marketing.