Technical SEO, Core Web Vitals, and search optimisation
AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) is the practice of structuring web content so AI-powered search systems can parse, cite, and surface it as a direct answer. Here is how it differs from traditional SEO and why it matters.
AEO and SEO overlap but are not the same discipline. AEO optimises for AI-generated answers and citations, while SEO optimises for blue-link rankings. This article maps the exact differences, shared techniques, and how to build a unified strategy.
AI answer engines cite content that is structured in specific ways: definition-first paragraphs, explicit Q&A pairs, numbered lists, comparison tables, and factual density. This framework shows exactly how to write and structure content for maximum AEO visibility.
Technical SEO in 2026 means optimising for both traditional search and AI answer engines. Core Web Vitals, JSON-LD structured data, rendering strategies, and crawlability.
Google AI Overviews appear for 30% of all queries. This guide covers exactly how to get your content cited: formatting patterns, citation signals, and the technical requirements Google's AI system uses to select sources.
Perplexity AI generates cited answers from web sources. Unlike Google, Perplexity always shows citations and allows users to click through. Here is how to optimise your content to be selected as a Perplexity source.
ChatGPT Search and Bing Chat cite web sources when responding to queries. This guide covers how these systems retrieve and cite content, and what you can do to increase your visibility.
Structured data is the single most important technical factor for AEO. This guide shows exactly which JSON-LD schemas to implement, with copy-paste examples for FAQPage, Article, HowTo, and DefinedTerm.
AI-powered search now handles over 15% of all search queries. Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and ChatGPT Search are changing how users find information. Here is the data and what it means for your content strategy.