The search landscape is evolving. The way people discover information online is undergoing a seismic shift. For over two decades, Search Engine Optimisation has been the foundation of digital marketing. Brands focused on ranking higher by optimising for keywords, building backlinks, refining metadata and improving site structure to drive visibility and traffic through search engines like Google. This approach shaped the digital landscape and remains relevant in many ways.
However, the way people search is changing at an unprecedented pace.
The traditional process of typing a query, scrolling through a list of links, and manually selecting a result is being replaced by more intuitive experiences. AI-powered tools such as Google’s Search Generative Experience, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Alexa and Siri are redefining search behaviour. Users are moving from searching to asking, expecting fast, accurate and personalised answers delivered instantly and in context. This shift marks the beginning of a new era in digital discoverability. As search engines evolve into answer engines, the focus is no longer just on visibility but on credibility and clarity. This is where Answer Engine Optimisation becomes essential.
What is Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)?
Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is the practice of crafting and structuring content to be easily understood and extracted by AI-powered search tools like Google’s Search Generative Experience, ChatGPT, and voice assistants. Unlike traditional SEO, which focuses on ranking in search results, AEO is about making your content clear, credible, and direct enough to be used as the answer to a user’s query. It’s an evolution in content strategy that prioritises structure, relevance, and clarity, helping a brand show up not just on the results page, but inside the response itself.
According to Semrush Trends data from July 2024, ChatGPT and Google’s Gemini dominate the global AI search market, collectively accounting for 78% of all traffic to AI-powered search platforms. Following them, Perplexity and Microsoft Bing rank as the third and fourth most-used tools, together capturing an additional 16% of total traffic.
The search landscape is evolving rapidly, with generative AI tools changing how users find and consume information. From GenZ's preferring platforms like TikTok and ChatGPT, to a growing percentage of global searches influenced by AI-generated results, these stats highlight the growing importance of adapting to AI-first discovery habits.
Even in Australia, where Google commands over 90% of all search traffic, its dominance is being challenged. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini are reshaping user habits like offering instant, conversational answers instead of traditional search results. These emerging platforms are attacking the search problem differently, signaling a clear shift in how Australians engage with information online.
Strategies to Optimise for AI Search
1. Start by Auditing Your Brand in AI Search
Before you optimise for AI, you need to understand how your brand currently appears in AI-generated answers. Tools like HubSpot’s AI Search Grader (AISG) give you a snapshot of your visibility like how often your brand is mentioned, the sentiment behind those mentions and how you stack up against competitors.
Because AI answers are dynamic and context-driven, your presence might vary day to day. Running regular audits helps you stay ahead of shifting trends, search behaviour, and algorithm changes so your content remains relevant and visible in the spaces that matter.
2. Optimise for User Intent and Create Truly Helpful Content
AI search engines are designed to give users exactly what they’re looking for without making them dig through endless links. That means content needs to be clear, direct and genuinely helpful.
Focus on answering real questions with clarity. Prioritise usefulness over keyword stuffing and write in a way that reflects how people naturally speak or search. Long-tail keywords and conversational phrases tend to align well with how AI interprets intent.
Structure matters too. Use FAQs, headers, and bullet points to make your content easier for AI models to parse and surface. Consider building comprehensive resource pages that cover multiple related questions in one place giving AI engines more context to work with and users more value in fewer clicks.
3. Identify Who’s Winning in AI Search and Why
To stay competitive in AI-driven search, it’s important to know which brands are being surfaced and what makes their content stand out.
Start by analysing AI-generated citations across tools like Google’s AI Overviews and platforms like Perplexity. Look at which competitors are being mentioned, what kind of content earns those mentions, and how it's structured.
Explore features like Google’s “People Also Ask” and follow-up question prompts in Gemini or Perplexity to understand related queries and identify content gaps you can fill. You’ll also gain insight into how AI presents answers including preferred formats, tone, and structure. Track changes in your competitors’ visibility over time. The more you understand how and why others are appearing in AI search results, the better positioned you’ll be to refine your own AEO strategy.
4. Prioritise Authority and Accuracy
AI search engines reward content that is credible, well-structured and up to date. Including expert insights, statistics and citations increases your chances of being referenced in AI-generated responses. Regularly updating content and maintaining a clear, logical structure also helps with AI interpretation. Research shows that content with citations and data is up to 40% more visible in AI search results (GEO: Generative Engine Optimisation, 2023). In short, authoritative content earns attention from both users and machines.
5. Strengthen Your Online Presence Across Key Channels
AI search engines pull data from multiple sources, not just websites but also forums, reviews and community platforms. Engage in relevant online discussions, especially on platforms like Reddit, which are now integrated with tools like Perplexity, OpenAI and Google. Focus on adding value through helpful answers to build credibility and positive brand sentiment.
Also, monitor and manage your online reviews. Platforms like Yelp, now integrated into AI search models, influence how your brand is represented. Encourage positive reviews, address negative ones and use feedback to show your brand is active and responsive. A strong, consistent presence across channels helps AI trust and feature your brand more often.
AI is not just refining the search experience, it is redefining it entirely. With tools like AI Overviews transforming how users consume search results, brands must pivot their strategies to ensure they remain not just seen, but cited. Embracing Answer Engine Optimisation means optimising for machines as much as for humans creating content that is structured, authoritative and truly helpful in a world where AI is now answering the questions.
