How Can Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) Improve Visibility in AI-Driven Search Results?
AI search engines like Google Gemini and ChatGPT now deliver direct answers, not links. Rich snippets and structured data help AI accurately understand and surface your content — at HAKE Digital we help businesses implement them strategically to maintain visibility in an AI-driven search landscape. Take a deeper dive into Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) below.
AI Search is Not Traditional SEO — It’s Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)
Search is changing fast. The way people discover information today looks very different from even a year ago.
Generative search engines like ChatGPT, Google’s AI Overviews and Perplexity no longer return a simple list of links. Instead, they generate direct answers, pulling from sources they understand and trust.
That shift changes the rules. If your content is not clear, structured and credible, it will not be referenced. It will not be summarised. And it will not be surfaced.
This is where AI SEO, also known as Generative Engine Optimisation, comes in.
What is AI SEO or Generative Engine Optimisation?
AI SEO is the process of preparing your content so generative search systems can:
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Understand what you do and who you help
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Trust your expertise and authority
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Reuse your content accurately in generated answers
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Connect your content across related topics, not just keyword
Traditional SEO focused on ranking pages. Generative search focuses on selecting sources.
If your business relies on content to educate, build trust or convert demand, becoming a selected source is now the real goal.
Why traditional SEO is no longer enough
Ranking well for individual keywords still matters, but it is no longer the whole picture.
Generative engines evaluate content differently. They look for clarity of expertise, consistency of language, supporting context and real-world credibility. They care less about optimisation tricks and more about whether your content genuinely answers questions.
If your site is fragmented, vague or inconsistent, AI systems struggle to use it. And if they cannot use it, they will not cite it.
Our approach to AI SEO
Most advice around AI SEO is heavy on theory and light on execution. At HAKE digital, we take the complexity out of it and focus on implementation.
Our approach is practical, structured and designed to scale with your business.
1. Clarity before content
Everything starts with clarity. Before touching optimisation, we get brutally clear on:
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Your core expertise
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The problems you genuinely solve
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The language your audience actually uses
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The questions AI systems need to answer about your business
If this foundation is weak, no amount of optimisation will work. AI systems cannot trust what they do not understand.
2. Content built for understanding, not just traffic
We reshape existing content and plan new content so it:
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Answers real questions clearly and completely
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Uses consistent terminology across your site
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Demonstrates first-hand experience, not generic opinion
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Connects related topics in a way humans and machines understand
This is about being useful, not verbose.
3. Structure that AI can work with
Generative engines rely heavily on structure and context. We optimise for:
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Clear headings and logical flow
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Entity-based content rather than keyword stuffing
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Internal linking that reinforces topical authority
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Supporting pages that strengthen core themes
Your content should tell a coherent story across your entire site, not exist as isolated pages.
4. Trust signals baked in
AI systems prioritise sources they trust. We help you surface the signals that matter, including:
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Clear author expertise and credentials
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Case studies and real-world outcomes
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Well-defined services and propositions
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Consistent messaging across your website, CRM and content
This is where our HubSpot and RevOps background gives clients a real edge.
5. Measurement that actually makes sense
AI visibility does not show up neatly in rankings alone. We focus on metrics that indicate real impact, such as:
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Search intent coverage by topic
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Content performance at a thematic level
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Assisted conversions and influence
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Engagement signals that reflect trust
We measure what matters, not vanity metrics.
Who AI SEO is for
AI SEO is particularly valuable if you:
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Sell expertise, services or complex solutions
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Rely on content to educate and convert buyers
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Want to stay visible as search behaviour changes
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Are tired of vague SEO promises with no roadmap
If your website is designed to build trust, AI SEO is no longer optional.
How we typically deliver AI SEO
We do not lock clients into endless retainers by default. We move fast and focus on outcomes.
A typical engagement includes:
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A content and site audit through an AI search lens
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Priority topic and question mapping
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Clear page and content optimisation guidelines
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Hands-on optimisation of key pages
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A repeatable framework your team can use going forward
This is how we deliver results in weeks, not months.
Ready to make your content work harder?
If you want your content to be found, trusted and surfaced in an AI-driven search landscape, the first step is understanding where you stand today.
Book a discovery call and we will show you exactly where the opportunities are and what will actually move the needle.
Ready to make your content work harder?
If you want your content to be found, trusted and surfaced in an AI-driven search landscape, the first step is understanding where you stand today.
Book a discovery call and we will show you exactly where the opportunities are and what will actually move the needle.
