The new frontier of SEO: Optimizing for AI-generated answers

For over 20 years, SEO has been the go-to strategy for getting noticed online. The game was simple (at least in theory): rank high on Google, get the clicks, convert. But now, with the rise of AI assistants like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Perplexity, everything is shifting.

We’re not just optimizing for search engines anymore; we’re optimizing for answer engines. I'm keeping a close eye on this seismic shift, because how people find and trust information is fundamentally changing. If your brand wants to stay relevant, it needs to show up in the answer itself.

Welcome to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) — the next evolution of SEO.

The shift: From search results to AI summaries

When someone types a question into Google, they’re shown a list of links. But when someone asks ChatGPT or another AI assistant, they get a direct response, often with a short list of sources (if any). That subtle difference has massive implications.

The AI isn’t just showing options; it’s acting like a curator, summarizing and synthesizing what it sees as the most relevant, trustworthy information. This means your brand needs to move beyond trying to rank; it needs to be referenced by the machines doing the answering.

How it works: What AI models are pulling from

AI-generated answers are built from a combination of:

• Public web content (like blog posts, articles, and FAQs)

• Structured data (like Wikidata entries)

• Cited sources from authoritative domains

• Real-time search plugins (in systems like Perplexity or ChatGPT with browsing)

Some AIs generate answers based purely on training data. Others, like Perplexity or Bing Copilot, actively cite live sources. Either way, the AI's goal is to surface what it deems to be trusted and representative information.

So the question becomes: how do you get your brand into that trusted layer?

Who's already doing it

Big media brands, SaaS companies, and even digitally native consumer brands are already positioning themselves for AEO. They’re creating content that’s clear, factual, and well-structured. They’re getting referenced in trusted publications. And they’re thinking about AI visibility the same way we used to think about page one of Google.

At Cala, we work with forward-thinking clients who understand that the next wave of content strategy isn’t just about driving traffic; it’s about building presence inside the tools people now trust to find answers.

How to position your brand for AI answers

This is where AEO becomes a practical, actionable strategy. Here's how we recommend brands start adapting:

1. Create factual, well-structured content

AI tools favour content that’s easy to parse and hard to misinterpret. That means writing with clarity, backing up claims with credible sources, and organizing your content so it can be summarized without losing meaning.

Think less fluff, more substance. Clear formatting, useful headers, and content that directly addresses specific questions tend to perform better — not just in search, but in AI summarization.

2. Earn citations from authoritative sources

Here’s where traditional PR and digital content strategy meet AI optimization. Getting your brand mentioned or cited in respected publications, industry blogs, and knowledge hubs (like Wikipedia or Reddit) increases your chances of being referenced by AI models.

It’s less about chasing backlinks now, (I've always hated chasing backlinks as a strategy, for this very reason) and more about being seen as credible. When trusted domains talk about your brand, AI engines notice. The more you're present in those top-tier ecosystems, the more likely your perspective is to surface in AI-generated answers.

3. Use structured data on your website

Adding schema markup to your content helps both search engines and AI understand what your pages are about. It’s especially important for products, services, how-to content, and FAQs.

Think of it as labeling your content in a way that machines can instantly interpret. If you're already investing in SEO, this is a natural next step, but now it has even bigger implications.

4. Participate where AI learns

AI systems are heavily influenced by the platforms they scrape or train on. That includes forums like Reddit, Stack Overflow, Quora, and other community-driven knowledge hubs.

By sharing expertise in these spaces — authentically and helpfully — you increase the chances that your insights will be picked up, cited, or even quoted verbatim in AI outputs. It's a modern form of thought leadership, one conversation at a time.

Why this matters for your band

The biggest shift is this: people aren’t just searching for your brand anymore. They’re asking questions that AI answers on your behalf (or not).

If you’re not represented in that answer, you're invisible at the moment that matters most.

Brands that win in this new landscape are the ones that understand how trust, authority, and presence are evolving. We're helping clients audit their content, reshape their messaging, and build the kind of digital footprint that AI respects and reflects. Because when the answer is the product, being part of the answer is the new form of brand dominance.

Looking ahead: The AEO playbook is still being written

The truth is, we're still in the early days of this transition. Tools to track AEO performance are still emerging. Best practices are evolving rapidly. But the trajectory is clear: this isn’t a fad, it’s the next foundational shift in digital visibility.

And just like early adopters of SEO gained a massive advantage, the brands that move first on AEO will lead in relevance, trust, and reach.