AEO instead of SEO: how to create content to get into Google's GPT results

SEO is not the same anymore

That’s what various experts say, and they’re right. Do you remember the days when it was enough to write an article with +- properly selected keys, add a couple of links, and you were in the top? There is still a chance for this, but at the same time, a new world has emerged where artificial intelligence decides what to show the user first.

Today we are dealing not only with Google Search but also with AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Copilot, Perplexity. This means that we deal not only with SEO but also with AEO – Answer Engine Optimization.

This is a new approach to how to create content so that it gets in response, not just in the SERPs.

AEO vs SEO – what’s the difference?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is about how to get a click from a search: you need to add keywords, meta descriptions, links, relevant positions and hope that a person will click on your article.

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about becoming a source of answers. AEO optimizes content so that it can become a part of the answer that the user will receive not through a classic search, but directly in AI results.

On Google, it is AI Overviews, a block with a generative answer and sources. In Bing, it is Copilot that combines search and generative text. In ChatGPT (versions with Internet access), it is answers with links generated in real time.

And the main thing here is that according to the latest research, up to 65% of searches in 2025 will be completed without a single click. Users read a short answer from AI and move on.

How AI decides whom to quote

AEO depends on how easy the content is to read for AI.

AI models work according to the retrieval-augmented generation scheme: they search in real time, combine with what they already know, and give an answer. But they choose what to cite for a reason.

Here’s what influences this:

• Structure – AI loves lists, subheadings, and clear formatting.
• Simplicity – 2-3 sentences with a specific answer work better than long paragraphs.
  
• Recency – new content has a better chance of being cited.
  
• Authority – GPT is more likely to cite blogs with well-structured and understandable content.

What if the click disappears?

Once upon a time, we fought for CTR. Today, we fight for it and for a place in the AI response.

AI doesn’t show links right away. Most often, it is just text and a link icon on the right side. This means that you can be in the top 3, but still not get a click.

That is, it is important not only to rise in the SERPs, but also to be the one quoted by AI.

How to create content that gets into GPT results

The tips below are based not only on common sense, but also on specific research. Lauren Welles Medley, who is the Director of Channels and SEO at a US company, analyzed 3000 cases of content citations in AI Overviews with her team to find out what type of content is most effective.

The main conclusions:

• 32% of all quotes are structured lists.
• Short paragraphs with a clear answer are AI’s favorites.
• The year in the title (for example, “in 2025”) increases the chance of being cited.
• AI most often “sees” content in the first 2-3 days after publication.
• The most cited sources in the US market include Reddit, YouTube, Quora, Wikipedia, LinkedIn.

These tips make sense not only as a theory, but also as a working strategy.

What exactly should be done:

Start with the answer

In the introduction, give a clear, concise answer to the request. Then follow with explanations and examples. This increases the chances of getting into a featured article or AI Overviews.

Optimize the structure

• H2-H3 subheadings
• bullet points
• short paragraphs up to 3-4 lines
  

Add schema markup

• FAQ Page
• How To
• Article
• Product

This will help AI to better “read” the content of the page.

Write in the language of the answers

AI chooses not just good text, but text that “sounds like an answer”. Instead of marketing slogans, it’s a clear fact + an example.

Update outdated materials

According to Amsive research, the peak of citations is in the first days. Then algorithms prefer fresher sources, so existing articles need to be updated with relevant information once in a while.

AEO ≠ the death of SEO

Don’t think that SEO is dead. But ignoring the new reality will also be “fuckup.”

AEO is just another layer of optimization. It works together with SEO and even with GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), which is focused on ensuring that AI doesn’t just quote, but builds a response based on your content.

How to combine it:

Checklist: how to make AI-ready content

Before you hit publish, check it out:

• Is there a clear answer to the main question in the introduction?
• Is the text structured (subheadings, lists, short paragraphs)?
• Is the schema added?
• Is the date/year in the title or subheadings up to date?
• Is it not oversaturated with water or templates?
• Are there any quotes, examples, figures?
• Can this text really be quoted as a ready-made answer?

Then okay

AEO is not a replacement for SEO, but an extension of it. If your content is perfect for SGE and AI, you have a chance to be noticed and quoted, even without a click.

Yes, the fight for traffic continues. But now it starts not in the Google search results list, but in AI responses.

That’s why it’s time to adapt your pages to the new reality: where AI doesn’t just read, but decides who deserves to be the best answer.