Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)

AI search is already here and it’s only going to get bigger in NZ as the latest updates are rolled out from the States. ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, even Google’s AI Mode, they’re all answering your customers’ questions without showing your site. If your brand doesn’t appear in those answers, you’re invisible.

The reward? AEO traffic converts better than traditional SEO, because the people clicking through from AI results are already sold on the solution. They’re not just browsing, they’re ready to act.

SEO is about ranking in Google’s and Bing’s search results. AEO is about being part of the answer itself. SEO feeds humans, AEO feeds the machines, so humans hear about you from AI before they even hit a search results page. We are already seeing many B2B buyers use AI AEO to do their research on prospective suppliers over the use of more traditional tools like Google. So if your website is not ready or well understood by AI, there is a risk your leads will start to dry up.

We use frameworks like VECTOR to create content AI can’t resist: clear, self-contained answers, semantically rich pages, and plenty of mentions in the places LLMs train on. Translation: we make you unforgettable to the robots.

Success in AEO is measured by the quality of AI-driven content visibility rather than direct clicks. For example, a SaaS business can track how often its content is referenced by AI search engines like ChatGPT, generating high-intent leads. One of our tools, SEMRush now tracks AI-driven content visibility and impressions, and when combined with our other tools, it provides lead indicators on platform presence and potential high-value traffic.

To work well with AI search, content should be written in small, self-contained sections that answer one specific question at a time. Each section should clearly state the key facts, include relevant details (like product names, ingredients, or industry terms), and avoid vague statements. For example, a New Zealand pet food manufacturer could create a page answering the question: “What are the benefits of grain-free dog food for large breeds?” The content could include specific entities like the dog food brand, key ingredients (e.g., chicken, sweet potato), and nutritional benefits. This makes it easier for AI to identify exactly what the content is about and provide precise answers when someone searches for this topic.