Tag: AI

What Is AEO?

What Is AEO

Posted on | by Thom Leaman
The Big Idea

AEO for Charleston Businesses
Why AEO Is the Next Frontier — And How Charleston Firms Can Use It to Capture MOF & BOF Intent

AI Overview Example

What is AEO — and Why Is it the Next Frontier?
Search is shifting to AI answers.
AEO helps your content get cited and surfaced in ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Bing Copilot — where decisions now happen.
AEO vs SEO: What’s Different?

  • AEO defined: Structuring your content so AI engines can cite, summarize, and surface it directly in answers — not just rank it in search results.
  • Why it matters: Users get answers without clicking. If you aren’t in those summaries, you’re invisible.
  • How it connects: SEO is still essential (quality, architecture, authority). AEO builds with FAQs, schema, comparisons, and trust signals.
SEO makes you findable. AEO makes you usable.

Charleston business meeting

Why MOF & BOF Content Needs AEO
MOF
(Middle-of-Funnel)		 BOF
(Bottom-of-Funnel)
Prospects compare options, proof-point questions — want clarity on ROI, features, use cases. Making final decisions: pricing, case studies, demos, objections. AI answers ≫ credibility → conversions.
A Charleston-Friendly AEO Framework
1
Map Intent & Audit — Gather real questions (People Also Ask, ChatGPT, sales calls). Audit MOF/BOF assets – do you provide direct, structured answers?
Metric: % content aligned with top prospect questions.

2
Create Structured Content — Publish FAQs, comparisons, pricing, case studies. Use clear headings, bullets, tables + add schema.
Metric: Frequency of citations in AI answers/snippets.

3
Distribute & Amplify — Repurpose into Q&A snippets, LinkedIn posts, chatbot formats. Push via CRM & email.
Metric: Referral traffic/mentions from AI-sourced content.

4
Optimize & Iterate — Track assets driving demos/deals; A/B test FAQ/video; monitor AI overview results.
Metric: Conversion rate from optimized MOF/BOF content.

Common AEO Mistakes to Avoid
  • Writing “chatty” unstructured copy
  • Ignoring BOF assets like pricing/objections
  • Over-optimizing for AI, losing human readability
  • Not measuring leads or sales impact
Quick fixes:
– Add FAQs and comparison tables to key pages.
– Implement FAQ/HowTo/Article schema.
– Make outcomes obvious: demos booked, deals closed.
Charleston Example: Systems Integration
Company: Charleston Systems Integration (automation provider)
Intent mapping: ROI, regulatory, training details.
Content:

  • ROI FAQ with Charleston case studies
  • Comparison guide: “Automation vs Semi-Automation”
  • Pricing + service tiers page

Distribution: LinkedIn, local forums, newsletters
Optimization: A/B testimonial video vs text, track demo requests
Result: Not just in search—shows in AI-generated answers where decisions are made.

What This Means for Charleston Marketers
  • Skills: Structured writing + schema literacy
  • Budget: More to repurposing & amplification, less to pure link-building
  • Metrics: Visibility & authority over raw clicks
Competitive edge: Charleston early adopters gain trust and top-of-mind awareness faster by being cited in AI answers.
Final Word
AEO isn’t optional. Winners map real questions, structure content for humans & AI, and measure conversions—not just traffic. Start now; tomorrow’s answers might not be yours.
Talk to a strategist

AEO FAQs
Is AEO replacing SEO?
No. AEO builds on SEO. You still need quality content and clean architecture; AEO adds structure so AI can cite your answers.
Where should we start?
Start at MOF/BOF. Add FAQs, comparisons, and pricing clarity to pages that drive demos and deals.
Which schema is most useful?
FAQPage, HowTo, Product/Offer, and Article — depending on page type.
How do we measure success?
Track citations/mentions in AI answers and the conversion lift from optimized pages.