Answer engine optimization (AEO)

also known as: AEO

Optimizing content to be selected as the answer by answer engines, systems that respond with one composed answer instead of a list of links: Perplexity, Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT with search. AEO overlaps heavily with generative engine optimization; AEO emphasizes being the extracted, cited answer, while GEO names the broader practice across generative surfaces. In use, the two terms are often interchangeable.

In AI Search API

Measuring AEO means checking whether a page is actually named in the answer, not just ranked below it. The Envelope returns the answer exactly as the surface rendered it (answer.markdown), so you read the sources it cites straight from the text and watch them change. That is the difference between "the engine saw you" and "the engine used you."

Envelope, the answer AEO is measured on

"answer": {
  "markdown": "The best option is Acme, per their guide [acme.com]…",
  "text": "…"
}

Related terms

See it in the product

Every definition here is enforced in the Envelope contract. Run a capture and read the fields yourself.

Start with 500 free credits All terms