What is AEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing content so it's likely to be surfaced as a direct answer — by AI chatbots, voice assistants, and answer-first search experiences — rather than just ranked as a link.

An answer engine tries to resolve a question in a single response, often pulling from a small number of sources it considers trustworthy and well-structured. Getting included means your content needs to directly and clearly answer the exact question being asked — not just rank for a related keyword.

AEO and GEO overlap heavily and are often used interchangeably. If there's a distinction, AEO tends to focus on structuring content to directly answer specific questions, while GEO covers the broader discipline of shaping how generative AI models represent your brand across many conversations.

MentioningYou tracks the specific questions your buyers ask — comparisons, alternatives, best-of lists — and shows you whether you're the one being used as the answer.