How to Win in AI Search

Reply Engine Optimization (AEO) is likely one of the most vital subjects in search proper now.

It’s about ensuring your model exhibits up inside AI-generated solutions — not simply on conventional SERPs.

As massive language fashions (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity reshape discovery, AEO ensures your content material will get talked about and cited the place consumers are asking questions.

However right here’s the larger fact: AEO is only one piece of a bigger shift.

We’re coming into the period of Search In all places.

Discovery now not occurs in a single Google outcomes web page.

It’s taking place throughout AI chat, overviews, boards, video, and social.

And new information exhibits simply how briskly this shift is accelerating.

New research from Semrush predicts that LLM visitors will overtake conventional Google search by the top of 2027.

And our personal information means that’s more likely to be true.

In simply the previous three months, we’ve seen an 800% year-over-year improve in referrals from LLMs.

We’re seeing tens of thousands and thousands of extra impressions in Google Search Console as AI Overviews reshape how Google shows solutions.

In case your model isn’t adapting, you danger disappearing from the channels your viewers is already utilizing.

On this information, I’ll clarify:

• What AEO is and the way it differs from search engine optimization
• Why your current search engine optimization basis nonetheless issues (and what to evolve)
• Sensible steps to optimize for reply engines and drive measurable outcomes

What Is AEO and Why Does It Matter?

Reply Engine Optimization (AEO) is the apply of structuring and publishing content material in order that AI programs — like Google AI Overviews, AI Mode, ChatGPT, and Perplexity — pull your model instantly into their solutions.

However AEO goes past tweaking a number of pages. It’s about making your model a part of the dialog when individuals ask questions.

That requires three issues:

• Publishing content material in the best locations the place AI instruments actively crawl and cite
• Incomes model mentions throughout the net (even with out a hyperlink)
• Making certain technical accessibility so AI crawlers can truly parse your content material

These engines don’t rank “10 blue hyperlinks.” They generate solutions.

Generally they cite sources. Generally they don’t. Both manner, the purpose is to provide the searcher all the things they want with out leaving the interface.

That adjustments your job. With AEO, you’re not solely optimizing for a click on — you’re optimizing to form the reply itself.

Why AEO Issues Now

Conventional search remains to be a visitors driver. That gained’t change in a single day.

However discovery is transferring quick:

• Success used to imply rating #1.
• Quickly there could also be no “#1 spot” in any respect.
• The win situation is turning into the beneficial answer — the model AI platforms belief sufficient to incorporate.

The information tells the story:

ChatGPT reached 100 million customers sooner than any app in historical past. And as of February 2025, it now has greater than 400 million weekly customers.

Google’s AI Overviews now seem on billions of searches each month — at the very least 13% of all SERPs.

And so they seem for greater than half of the key phrases we observe at Backlinko:

Reply engines are influencing YOUR viewers too. So it is smart to begin optimizing for them now.

How AEO and search engine optimization Work Collectively

Let’s clear up the most important query:

“Isn’t this simply search engine optimization with a brand new title?”

In some ways, sure. However there’s a motive everyone seems to be speaking about AEO proper now.

In case you’ve been confused by all of the acronyms — AEO, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), AIO (AI Optimization) — right here’s the purpose:

All of them replicate the identical shift. Search is now not solely about rankings. It’s about visibility in AI-powered solutions.

Phrases like AEO, GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and AIO (AI Optimization) have exploded in curiosity — as a result of they replicate an actual shift.

And with all of the acronyms flying round, it may be powerful to know who to hearken to.

We’re not saying AEO replaces search engine optimization.

However it does assist reframe your technique for the way discovery works now — throughout AI instruments, social platforms, and new surfaces past conventional search.

From Conventional search engine optimization to Search In all places

Meaning there’s excellent news:

In case you’ve invested in good search engine optimization, you’re already lots of the way in which there.

AEO builds on the muse of nice search engine optimization:

• Creating high-quality content material on your particular viewers
• Making it simple for search engines like google to entry and perceive
• Incomes credible mentions throughout the net

These similar components assist AI engines determine which manufacturers to reference.

However right here’s the distinction:

AI engines don’t work precisely like Google.

Meaning a few of your ways (and what you observe) must evolve.

So let’s stroll by how to do this.

7-Step AEO Motion Plan

We’re nonetheless within the early days of understanding precisely how AI engines pull and prioritize content material.

However one factor is evident:

It’s good to adapt or reprioritize some conventional search engine optimization ways for Reply Engine Optimization.

The primary three steps beneath cowl overarching greatest practices for AEO.

Steps 4-7 cowl optimizing content material for reply engines particularly (and tips on how to observe your outcomes).

Step 1. Nail the Fundamentals of search engine optimization

As I mentioned earlier, good AEO can also be usually good search engine optimization. However not all the things you do as a part of your wider search engine optimization technique is as vital for reply engine optimization.

I gained’t undergo all the basics of search engine optimization right here. We try this in our guide to the SEO basics.

Let’s concentrate on what actually issues for reply engines.

Make Your Website Straightforward to Learn (for Bots)

• Crawlable and indexable: If AI instruments can’t entry your pages, you gained’t present up in solutions
• Quick and mobile-friendly: Gradual, clunky websites harm UX — and your probabilities of getting cited
• Safe (HTTPS): That is now desk stakes, and it builds belief with customers and AI programs
• Server-side rendering: Some AI crawlers nonetheless wrestle with JavaScript, so use server-side rendering versus client-side rendering the place you may

Present You’re Price Trusting (E-E-A-T)

AI desires reliable sources. Meaning exhibiting E-E-A-T:

• Expertise: Share actual outcomes, private use, or firsthand information
• Experience: Persist with subjects you actually know — and go deep
• Authority: Get quoted, visitor submit, or contribute to well-known websites
• Belief: Use actual writer bios, cite sources, and embody critiques or testimonials

Step 2. Construct Mentions and Co-Citations

AI programs don’t simply take a look at backlinks to know your authority. They take note of each point out of your model throughout the net, even when these mentions don’t embody a clickable hyperlink.

Backlinks are nonetheless vital. However this adjustments how it’s best to take into consideration constructing your wider on-line presence.

Audit Your Present Mentions

Begin by auditing the place you’re at present talked about. Seek for your model title, product names, and key staff members throughout Google, social media, and {industry} boards.

Be aware of what individuals are saying and the place these conversations are taking place.

You’ll most likely discover mentions you didn’t know existed. Some will probably be optimistic, others impartial, and some would possibly want your consideration.

Additionally run your model title and associated phrases by the AI instruments themselves.

• Does Google’s AI Mode cite your model as a supply for related phrases?
• Does ChatGPT know who your staff members are?
• What sort of sentiment do the solutions have whenever you simply plainly ask the instruments about your model?

For a extra in-depth sentiment evaluation, use Semrush’s AI SEO Toolkit.

It’ll allow you to observe your LLM visibility (a by-product of fine AEO) in high instruments in comparison with your rivals:

The device compares your model to your rivals by way of AI visibility, market share, and sentiment:

And it’ll present you the place your model strengths are and the place you may enhance:

Hold Constructing High quality Backlinks

Simply because mentions are extra vital than earlier than with AEO, it doesn’t imply it’s best to abandon conventional hyperlink constructing. Backlinks nonetheless matter for search engine optimization, and so they typically result in the type of authoritative mentions that AI programs worth.

However increase your focus past simply getting hyperlinks.

Purpose to Construct Co-Citations and Co-Occurences

There are a number of totally different definitions on the market of co-citation and co-occurence.

I’ll be trustworthy: the definitions don’t matter as a lot because the implications. I’ve seen one supply outline co-citations as the precise factor one other supply calls co-occurence. So for this part, I’m simply going to speak about what these are and why they matter, with out getting slowed down in definitions.

The primary vital manner to consider co-citations/co-occurences is solely the point out of 1 factor alongside one other.

Within the case of AEO, we’re often speaking about your model or web site being talked about alongside a distinct web site or subject/idea on one other web site.

For instance, in case your model is Monday.com, you’ll choose up co-citations involving:

• Your rivals (ClickUp, Asana and many others.)
• Key phrases or classes related to your online business (like “venture administration software program”)
• Particular ideas or questions associated to what you do (e.g., “kanban boards” and “tips on how to automate workflows”)

In Monday’s case, there are lots of of pages on the market that point out it alongside ClickUp and Asana within the context of “venture administration instruments”:

This implies to Google and different AI instruments that Monday and ClickUp are each associated to the time period “venture administration instruments” and are each common suppliers of this sort of software program.

The opposite widespread manner to consider co-citations is mentions of your model throughout totally different, typically unrelated web sites. For instance, Monday being talked about on Forbes and Zapier can be a co-citation involving them.

To sum it up:

• If two (or extra) manufacturers/web sites are sometimes talked about alongside one another, AI instruments will assume they’re associated (i.e., they’re rivals)
• If a model is usually talked about within the context of a selected subject, idea, or {industry}, AI instruments will assume the model is expounded to these issues (i.e., what you supply)
• If plenty of totally different web sites point out a selected model, the AI instruments will assume that model is value speaking about (i.e., most likely reliable)

Clearly, there’s much more to it, however this can be a pretty primary overview of what’s occurring.

Learn how to Put This into Motion

To construct citations, co-citations, and co-occurences:

• Search for alternatives to get talked about alongside your rivals. When publications write comparability articles or {industry} roundups, you need your title in that listing. These co-citations assist AI programs perceive the place you slot in your market.
• Take part in {industry} surveys and analysis research. When analysts publish experiences about your sector, being included provides you credibility (and any backlinks are a bonus).
• Become involved in related on-line communities. Reply questions on Reddit, contribute to LinkedIn discussions, and be part of industry-specific boards. These interactions create mentions in locations the place AI programs typically search for genuine, community-driven insights.

The purpose is to change into a acknowledged voice in your area. The extra typically your model seems in related contexts throughout the net, the extra doubtless AI programs are to incorporate you of their responses.

Step 3. Go Multi-Platform

Going past Google is one thing high SEOs have been telling us to do for a very long time. However AI has made this an absolute should.

Platforms like Reddit, YouTube, and different user-generated content material websites seem often in AI outputs.

So, a robust model presence on these platforms may enable you to present up extra typically.

The advantages listed below are (at the very least) three-fold:

1. Being lively on a number of platforms permits you to attain your viewers the place they’re. This helps you increase engagement, model consciousness, and, after all, drive extra conversions.
2. AI instruments don’t simply take a look at Google search outcomes. They pull from boards, social media, YouTube, and many different locations past conventional SERPs.
3. Being lively on a number of platforms means you’re much less uncovered to at least one specific algorithm or viewers. Diversification is simply good apply for a enterprise.

Brian Dean did a wonderful job of this when he was operating Backlinko. That’s why you’ll see his movies seem in Google SERPs for ultra-competitive key phrases like “tips on how to do search engine optimization”:

We’re taking our personal recommendation right here. In reality, it’s an enormous a part of why we launched the Backlinko YouTube channel:

Right here’s some quick-fire steerage for placing this into apply:

• Folks go to YouTube to discover ways to do issues, analysis merchandise, and discover options to their issues. This makes product critiques, device comparisons, and in-depth tutorials nice candidates for YouTube content material.
• Podcast content material and transcripts are starting to floor in AI outcomes (particularly in Gemini). Constructing a presence right here is a good alternative to seize some AI visibility.
• TikTok and Instagram Reels attain youthful audiences who more and more use these apps for search. Brief-form movies that reply widespread questions in your {industry} can drive discovery, and AI instruments may also cite these of their responses to person questions.
• AI instruments LOVE to quote Reddit as a supply of user-generated solutions (particularly Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode). To develop your presence on the platform, discover subreddits the place your audience hangs out and share genuinely useful recommendation when individuals ask questions associated to your experience. Don’t promote your online business instantly — concentrate on being helpful first.
• LinkedIn works equally to Reddit for B2B subjects. Publish considerate posts and have interaction in related discussions to assist set up your voice in skilled circles. These interactions can then get picked up by AI programs in search of professional views.

Step 4. Discover Out What AI Platforms Are Citing for Your Area of interest

What’s a strong option to perceive each what to create and what subjects to focus on?

To easily study what AI instruments are more likely to embody of their responses to questions which are related to your online business.

Begin by instantly testing whether or not/how your content material seems in AI instruments proper now. Go to ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity and ask questions that your content material ought to reply.

Within the instance beneath, Backlinko is talked about (nice), however there’s additionally a YouTube video entrance and middle. And boards are showing too. These are locations we’d wish to think about creating content material or participating with conversations.

As you do that on your model, take note of the sources they cite:

• Are they generally mentioning your rivals?
• What platforms do they have a tendency to quote? (Reddit, YouTube and many others.)
• What’s the sentiment of mentions of each your model and your rivals?

As you do that, strive totally different variations of the identical query.

For instance, you may ask “What’s the most effective electronic mail advertising software program?”

Then strive “Which electronic mail advertising device ought to I exploit for my small enterprise?”

Discover how the solutions change and which sources get talked about constantly.

Within the instance above, the primary immediate talked about MailerLite, which was absent within the listing for small companies. However the second immediate pushed Mailchimp to the highest and talked about three new choices (Fixed Contact, Brevo, and ActiveCampaign).

In case you have been MailerLite and making an attempt to succeed in small companies, you’d wish to perceive why you’re not being cited for that individual immediate.

You’ll be able to automate this course of with instruments like Profound or Peec AI. These platforms run prompts at scale, serving to you perceive how and the place your model seems. However they are often dear.

That’s why I like to recommend you spend a while operating these prompts manually at first.

By the way in which:

This isn’t simply vital for “massive manufacturers” or these promoting merchandise. You’ll be able to (and will) do that for those who run a weblog, native enterprise web site, or perhaps a private portfolio.

For instance, consultants and freelancers will discover these instruments typically cite marketplaces like Upwork and Dribbble. In case you don’t have a profile on there, you’ll doubtless wrestle to get a lot AI visibility.

And for those who’re a neighborhood enterprise proprietor, you’ll typically discover particular service and site pages seem in AI responses:

That is helpful for understanding the varieties of content material you ought to be specializing in for AEO. Now it’s time to determine what subjects to concentrate on in your content material.

Step 5. Reply Your Viewers’s Questions

The way in which individuals search with AI instruments is basically totally different from how we use conventional Google search. This adjustments how it’s best to plan your content material.

Conventional search engine optimization taught you to focus on particular key phrases. You’d create a web page optimized for “wholesome meal prep concepts” and attempt to rank for that phrase.

However what occurs when individuals are as a substitute trying to find “what to cook dinner for dinner after I’m making an attempt to drop pounds”?

The reply would possibly contain wholesome meal prep as an answer, however it’s a totally totally different immediate (not a search) that will get to that reply (not a SERP).

While you run these queries by Google’s AI Mode, you see two completely totally different units of sources and content material sorts.

For the “wholesome meal prep concepts” question (which is a superbly legitimate and searchable time period), the main focus is listicles, single recipes, and YouTube movies. And the format is classes (bowls, wraps, and sandwiches and many others.) with particular recipes:

However for “what to cook dinner for dinner after I’m making an attempt to drop pounds,” the sources are primarily lists, discussion board outcomes, or articles particularly round weight reduction.

On this case, the format of the reply is essentially broad suggestions for cooking healthily after which some common cooking kinds or meal sorts, reasonably than particular recipes:

As extra customers notice they’ll use conversational language to make their searches, longer queries will change into extra widespread. This makes this sort of intent evaluation important.

These longer, extra particular queries characterize large alternatives. Most corporations aren’t creating content material that solutions these detailed questions.

The extra particular the query, the extra doubtless you’re to point out up when AI programs search for authoritative solutions. You wish to personal the long-tail queries that relate on to your product or experience.

However:

You clearly can’t moderately count on to create content material for each single long-tail question on the market. So how do you method this in an environment friendly manner?

Learn how to Select the Inquiries to Reply

Begin by listening to the precise questions your prospects ask.

Test your buyer help tickets, gross sales calls, and person suggestions. These actual questions from actual individuals typically make the most effective content material subjects — as a result of they’re the identical sorts of questions individuals will ask these AI instruments.

Don’t have any prospects? No drawback.

Use neighborhood platforms to search out these conversational queries. Reddit, Quora, and {industry} boards are goldmines for locating how individuals truly discuss issues in your area.

Step 6. Construction Your Content material for Reply Engines

AI programs course of info in a different way than people do. They break content material into chunks and analyze how these items relate to one another.

Consider it like featured snippets however extra granular, and for rather more than simply direct questions.

This implies the way in which you construction your content material instantly impacts whether or not AI programs can perceive and cite it successfully.

One Thought per Paragraph

Hold your paragraphs quick and targeted on one primary concept.

While you stuff a number of ideas right into a single paragraph, you make it more durable for AI programs to extract the particular info they want.

Additionally keep away from burying vital info in the midst of lengthy sentences or paragraphs. Entrance-load your key factors in order that they’re simple to search out and extract.

And guess what?

It additionally makes it simpler on your human readers to know too. So it’s a win-win.

Use Clear Headings

Use clear headings and subheadings to arrange your content material logically.

Consider these as signposts that assist each readers and LLMs navigate your info. And ensure your content material instantly beneath the headings logically ties to the heading itself.

For instance, take a look at the headings on this part. Then learn the primary sentence beneath every one.

Discover how they’re all clearly linked?

It is a widespread approach when making an attempt to rank for featured snippets. You’d have an H2 with some content material that instantly solutions the query…

…and this may rank for the featured snippet for that question:

That is nonetheless a legitimate technique for conventional search. However for AEO, you could have this mindset all through your content material.

Don’t make each H2 be a query (this can rapidly find yourself wanting over-optimized). However do make sure that the content material that follows your (logical) headings is clearly linked to the heading itself.

Break Up Complicated Subjects into Digestible Sections

In case you’re explaining a posh or multi-step course of, use numbered steps and clear transitions between every half.

This makes it simpler for AI programs to tug out particular person steps when somebody asks for particular directions. And it’ll make it a lot simpler on your readers to comply with.

Additionally write clear, concise summaries for complicated subjects. AI programs typically search for these sorts of digestible explanations when they should rapidly convey info to customers.

Embrace Quotes and Clear Statements

Embrace direct quotes and clear statements that AI programs can simply extract.

Why is that this value your time?

As a result of pages with quotes or statistics have been proven to have 30-40% higher visibility in AI solutions.

So as a substitute of claiming “Electronic mail advertising might be an efficient channel for your online business,” write “Electronic mail advertising generates a median ROI of $42 for each greenback spent.”

Use Schema Markup

Schema markup provides you one other option to construction info for machines. This code helps programs perceive what sort of content material you’re presenting.

For instance, FAQ schema tells algorithms that you just’re answering widespread questions. HowTo schema identifies step-by-step directions.

You don’t should be a developer so as to add schema markup. Many content material administration programs (like WordPress) have plugins that deal with this robotically.

Make It Scannable

Use formatting like daring textual content to spotlight vital info or conclusions and make it simpler for readers to skim your content material. This helps each human readers and AI programs establish a very powerful info rapidly.

This has all the time been an enormous focus of content material on Backlinko. We use plenty of pictures to convey our most vital factors and add readability by visualizations:

And we use clear headings to make our articles simple to comply with:

The purpose is to make your content material as accessible as doable to each people and machines. Effectively-structured content material performs higher throughout all varieties of search and discovery.

And in case your content material is gratifying to have interaction with, it’s most likely going to do a greater job of changing customers into prospects as effectively.

Step 7. Monitor Your Visibility in LLMs

How typically are instruments like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini mentioning your model?

In case you’re not monitoring this but — you ought to be.

Monitoring your visibility in AI-generated responses helps you perceive what’s working and the place you could focus your efforts.

However the place do you begin? And what must you observe?

Guide Testing as a Beginning Level

Begin with guide testing. That is the best option to see the way you’re performing proper now.

Ask the identical questions throughout totally different AI platforms, like ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Google (each AI Mode and AI Overviews). Take screenshots of the responses and be aware which sources get cited.

Do that usually, and also you’ll begin to see patterns wherein varieties of content material get talked about and the way your visibility adjustments over time.

Truthfully although: you’re going to wrestle to get lots of significant information doing this manually. And it’s not scalable. Plus, a lot of what an AI device outputs to a person is determined by the earlier context, like:

• Previous conversations
• Earlier prompts inside the similar dialog
• Mission or chat settings

This makes it difficult to get actually correct information by your self. That is actually extra of a “really feel” take a look at that, within the absence of devoted instruments, can present a really tough concept of how reply engines understand your model.

Use LLM Monitoring Instruments

For extra complete monitoring, devoted instruments can automate this course of.

Platforms like Semrush Enterprise AIO enable you to observe your model’s visibility throughout AI platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Google’s AI Overviews.

It exhibits you precisely the place you stand towards rivals and offers you actionable steps to enhance.

Aggressive Rankings is my favourite function. As an alternative of guessing why rivals would possibly rank higher in AI responses, you get precise information exhibiting point out frequency and context.

Another choice is Ziptie.dev. It’s not probably the most polished device but, however they’re doing a little actually fascinating work — particularly round surfacing unlinked mentions throughout AI outputs.

If you have already got Semrush, then the Natural Analysis report inside the search engine optimization Toolkit does present some monitoring for Google AI Overviews particularly.

You’ll be able to observe which key phrases you (or your rivals) rank for which have an AI Overview on the SERP. In case you don’t at present seem within the overview, that’s a key phrase value focusing on.

Monitoring the key phrases you do rank for in these AIOs over time may help you gauge the efficiency of your AEO technique.

Why Discuss to Your Boss (or Shoppers) About AEO?

You’ve seen the steps. Now you want a narrative.

AEO isn’t only a tactical shift — it’s a option to clarify what’s altering in search with out resorting to hype.

AEO helps you body these adjustments clearly:

• Conventional search engine optimization nonetheless works
• Your previous investments are nonetheless paying off
• However the bar is increased now
• Visibility means greater than rankings
• Your model must be talked about, cited, and trusted throughout each channel

AEO provides you the framework to elucidate what’s altering and tips on how to keep forward of it.

You Have to Begin Now to Keep Seen

This area is evolving quick. New capabilities are rolling out month-to-month.

The secret is to begin monitoring now as a way to benchmark the place you’re and spot new alternatives as AI search matures.

Develop your presence by including a AEO method on high of your search engine optimization efforts:

• Proceed optimizing for sturdy rankings and authority (AI nonetheless leans on this)
• However now, prioritize content material and alerts that AI engines usually tend to reference instantly

Wish to study extra about the place the world of search is heading? Take a look at our video with Backlinko’s founder Brian Dean. We dive into how search habits are altering and how one can construct a resilient, multi-channel model.