Where Search Engine Optimisation has been a priority for digital marketers since, well, since the inception of search engines, Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is the new emerging trend that changes how we format content.
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What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the creation of written content so that search engines will prioritise it above other similar content. SEO is done through using keywords and keyphrases, but also through correctly utilising H1, H2, and H3 headers, including good quality links in your content, using good image descriptions and alt text, and also through the length of the piece and its title and meta description. All of this is the front end SEO that can put your piece of content ahead of competitors, but the back-end to your website is also considered when a search engine ranks your content. Search engines will consider how long a page takes to load, the cumulative layout shift of content, how mobile friendly the content is, and if there are any broken images or links within the content. There is also the domain authority of your website that is taken into consideration by search engines so that they can tell if other websites trust what you’re saying, sort of like a trusted recommendation.
What is AEO?
So, what is Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)? Well, luckily the back-end of your website is considered in the same way as SEO, so there is no need to reformat your website in order to better suit AEO over SEO. However, AEO differs from SEO in that the content you create should be focused towards answering questions. The content should bring value to users and be deemed as a trusted response to popular questions. So where the headers for SEO will highlight what your content covers, the headers for AEO will often be a question that you then go on to answer, but the question will be what you assume users are looking to get answers to.
How do you create AEO content?
With creating AEO content, you have to put yourself in the position of the user. You already have the answer to their question, but you need to think how they would ask that question. There is an element of reverse engineering a question for AEO content. The content then needs to be broken down into further questions to fully dive deep into the mind of the user. Sometimes it’s not just enough to ask how to make a victoria sponge cake, sometimes you’ll want to ask how to make a vegan, gluten-free victoria sponge cake in an air fryer for 24 people. The solution to creating this style of content is utilising the headers in order to provide further context for those that will want it.
How can you adapt your SEO content to AEO content?
As we have covered, SEO is geared towards search terms and AEO is designed to answer questions. The good thing is that a lot of SEO content is already AEO content or can be easily adapted to AEO content. For example, the search term “Vet near me” will bring up a lot of results that use your location to show you pages that highlight that they are a Veterinary practice within your location. The search term “Where is my nearest Vet?” will work in a similar way and the content displayed will order the content from nearest first, provided the Veterinary practice has provided their precise location. With an AEO focus, the search engine will then also deliver you listicles and directories with titles like “Find your nearest Vet”, “Vets near you”, and “Vets in your area”. These pages have been prioritised by search engines as good answers to the initial question. So a simple reformat of your page title can deliver the necessary results of AEO.
When it comes to deeper questions, maybe a query on how smart metres save money, this is where clever content needs to be created. Your content will want to answer this question whilst also delivering the solution to the user. A simple way to do this would be to include an answer to that in the product description, or by creating a small FAQ around the product. This way, the content is priorities to answer the question and if the user chooses to click through to learn more then they are also delivering the solution to their problem.
SEO content has become highly competitive for organisations and marketers and AEO is very likely to be the same. With AEO still being a relatively new way of categorising content, it is important to adapt quickly in order to get your pages trusted and be a ‘go-to’ website for answers.
We have worked extensively with SEO since OggaDoon was created, and every bit of content that we produce has been optimised to be noticed by search engines. Keeping on top of the regular changes to how SEO is scored means that we have also been best positioned to deliver results to our clients. This update and introduction of AEO is no different, after all it is sort of our job to deliver results. AEO brings a new delicate approach to content creation, in a way that the art of content is becoming more personal and requires further thought into the final user. If you need help with improving your SEO, adapting your content to AEO, or even need a full digital refresh, then get in touch to learn how we can help.
