Q: Let’s start with the basics, what is AEO and why does it have so many names?
A: AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization. It’s the practice of trying to understand and influence what happens when you ask a question into a large language model (LLM) like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, etc. The astounding user growth for these models has created a growing consensus that this is the future of search and will impact every brand, in every industry. At Method, we call it AEO. It’s the cleanest evolution from SEO. SEO was about optimizing for Search Engines. AEO is about optimizing for Answer Engines.
Why does it have so many names? The answer there is a human one, there are too many marketing and communications people in the field and on some level we all fancy ourselves great at naming new products and industries. That’s how we end up with a litany of naming options like GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization), GSO (Generative Search Optimization) and AI SEO.
Ultimately, the market will land on a name as the practice matures, and we’ll use whatever naming works best for our clients. For now, fundamentally all the names mean the same thing.
Q: Why does AEO matter for a communications or PR professional?
A: At the risk of hyperbole, we’re in the middle of a generational shift in how people find and learn information. PR and communications leaders are in the information-sharing business, so this change will upend a lot of what we do in our jobs and daily lives.
The rules for maximizing LLM search are still being mapped out, but what’s already clear is that AEO lives at the intersection of strong narratives and smart earned media strategy. It leverages an ever-expanding array of social and new-media channels to amplify and share your story. This is the work communications and PR teams have always done. AEO simply gives that work new authority and new ways to measure its impact.
Regardless of where SEO traditionally lived within an enterprise, usually with marketing or e-commerce teams, communications teams now have a seat at the table when it comes to AEO. It’s an exciting opportunity, but it can also be daunting because it’s moving fast and requires unprecedented levels of integration to implement effectively.
Q: What is Method’s AEO offering for clients and how does Method add value?
A: Short answer: For the Method AEO team, it’s about being a strategic partner for our clients wherever they are in their AEO journey. For some clients, this is very early days. They just need help cutting through all the noise that’s out there currently around AI search. We can have candid conversations that help them understand AEO fundamentals, track what matters (and what doesn’t) for their specific role and generally show up smarter in their day-to-day.
For others, AEO is a pressing business imperative that necessitates the ability to scale fast. We can offer end-to-end support or a combination of specific AEO services, including:
- Partnering with our Research team and suite of AEO tools to audit the space and see what questions customers are asking, and where they show up against the competition.
- Mapping the gap between your brand narrative and the Synthetic Narrative LLMs are producing about your brand
- Building foundational Narrative Architecture with our Editorial and Thought Leadership team to drive trust and authority for LLM impact.
- Developing earned media strategies to land stories in traditional and new media outlets driving LLM citations.
- Managing social and community engagement, mapping influencers who show up in LLM search and developing strategies for platforms like Reddit.
- Constantly measuring what’s working, then adapting and improving.
- Creating and optimizing owned content for LLM crawls, like bulleted lists of services in blog posts specifically designed for AI visibility!
Q: You’re newer to Method, what brought you here, and what do you think makes Method’s AEO offering unique?
A: Earned media strategy and thought leadership are the cornerstones of AEO, and Method does that better than anyone in the industry. Plus, we have incredible capabilities in research, content, marketing, and social. It’s a privilege to build something here with such talented people and enhance what teams were already doing to drive LLM impact.
What separates us from others is that we’re not trying to repackage SEO services. No disrespect to SEO, it’s still an essential part of the marketing mix and an important foundation for AEO. You need good SEO to have good AEO. But what I’m really excited about is looking at AI search through a lens of brand reputation and narrative development. It’s those foundational elements, which have always been core to great communications efforts, that will have the most lasting impact on LLM visibility regardless of subtle changes in the algorithms.
The other piece I’m really excited about is integration. It’s something everyone talks about but is really hard to actually implement. We’ve created a model called the Parachute which is specifically focused on making the different functions needed for AEO work better together, for our clients and our own teams. I think that’s unique in the market.
Q: If I’m a communications leader reading this and I haven’t done anything about AEO for my organization yet, where is the best place to start?
I’d break it down into a few steps:
- Don’t Worry About Being Behind. Wherever you are in your AEO journey, that’s OK. Again this concept is so new we haven’t even all landed on a name yet. So it’s fine if you’re just getting started, this is about making short-term progress but more importantly future-proofing your organization to compete long term.
- Recognize that AEO is a race to hit a moving target. Winning isn’t just about speed, it’s about being informed, agile, and integrated. Start with an audit of the queries your audiences are asking and what sources are driving responses. Use that to expand media lists and update content in ways that help AEO and support your broader comms goals.
- Evaluate integration across teams. Look at how communications, marketing, and web functions work together, both in-house and with outside agencies. Are those groups collaborating? If not, find ways to break down barriers. This is especially critical for messaging, proprietary data, and thought leadership, the building blocks of trust and authority for LLM visibility.
Q: Final lightning round of personal questions
Book, movie, or podcast recommendation?
The Rest is History podcast. I laugh out loud at least once an episode and it’s a masterclass in creative storytelling.
If I came to your hometown, where’s the one place I need to eat?
Guads Tacos in Davis, California.
What’s a hidden talent or unexpected fact about you?
I can juggle. Not knives or torches or anything dramatic, but give me three vaguely round objects, and I’ve got it.