Why it matters
More and more, people aren’t typing keywords into Google — they’re asking full questions to ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, and Siri. They want a direct answer, not ten links to sort through. For businesses that want to grow, showing up in those answers is quickly becoming as important as showing up in search.
This is the space where SEO is heading next. And the good news is that everything it takes to get there also makes your website better in every other way.
01
Show up where your buyers are searching
People are already asking AI tools to find the best accountant in their city, the top service provider in their industry, the answer to a very specific technical question. Those tools pull from sources they trust — and being one of those sources is increasingly how new business finds you.
- Be present when buyers ask AI tools for recommendations in your category
- Appear in voice search results across Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant
- Surface in AI overviews that sit above traditional search results
- Get cited by tools like Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Claude when your topic comes up
- Build visibility in channels that are growing faster than traditional search
02
Build the kind of authority AI tools want to cite
AI search engines aren’t just crawling for keywords — they’re looking for credibility. They want to know who’s behind the content, whether the source is trustworthy, and whether the information is consistent and accurate across the web.
- Establish clear credentials and expertise on your site — who you are, what you know, why it matters
- Ensure your business information is consistent everywhere it appears online
- Earn press mentions, third-party citations, and external references that signal authority
- Structure your site so search engines and AI tools can easily understand and categorize your content
- Build a content library that genuinely answers the questions your buyers are already asking
03
Answer the questions your buyers are actually asking
The biggest shift from traditional SEO to AEO is this: it’s less about keywords and more about how real people talk. Someone searching the old way types “Denver marketing agency.” Someone using AI asks “who are the best marketing agencies in Denver for B2B companies?” That difference matters — a lot.
- Write FAQs and content in plain, conversational language — the way people actually ask questions
- Go deep on specific topics where your expertise is real and demonstrable
- Cover the questions your sales team hears most, the ones your industry tends to avoid answering directly
- For niche or technical businesses especially, specific content can create significant visibility in a short time
- Treat your content as the beginning of a relationship, not just a ranking tactic
04
Think of this as a long game worth starting now
The honest reality: AI search is still evolving, measurement tools are catching up, and no one can guarantee exactly when or how results will materialize. What’s clear is that the businesses putting in the work now will be ahead of the ones who wait until the metrics are cleaner.
- Expect meaningful traction in three to six months, faster with an established site or YouTube presence
- Everything done here also improves traditional search rankings — nothing is wasted
- Newer or more niche businesses may find it easier to stand out here than in crowded Google results
- Results build over time as authority compounds and content grows
- The foundation being built today is the same one that will support visibility for years
Curious whether this makes sense for your business? The right starting point depends on your industry, your current site, and what your buyers are actually searching for — and that conversation is worth having before any work begins.
Ready to Start
Showing Up?
Most of our clients come to us knowing they need to do more with their marketing — but not always sure what that looks like. That’s exactly what the first conversation is for.
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