Person searching on phone with laptop on desk and search field overlayed in middle.

How AI​ is Changing Search

Search is evolving with artificial intelligence (AI) assistants, chatbots, and voice search. Users now prefer fast, direct answers, leading to the rise of zero-click searches and AI summaries. Learn how to optimize your content with Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) for AI-powered search.

Author: Justin Furr

Search Engines are Becoming Answer Engines

You have likely already noticed, but search engines are changing how we search. Instead of just searching keywords to bring up a list of links to click on, search is evolving with AI assistants, chatbots, and voice search to provide immediate responses and quick information. Users are getting direct answers with AI summaries or featured snippets at the top without clicking any links or visiting your site. 

Over 60% of searches are already zero clicks! Researchers have found that AI summaries have lowered clicks by 35%, and traditional searches are expected to drop 25% by next year. While this change might be great for customers to quickly get the answers they want, businesses and organizations must adapt and update their sites and content for this change in traffic.

SEO vs. AEO

AI is revolutionizing SEO with tools that can now analyze data, understand search intent, context, and the quality of the content. Instead of just keywords, AI allows for complex questions like you would talk to another human. New strategies AEO are needed to optimize your content for the future of search.

SEO (search engine optimization) utilizes keywords to optimize your website to improve its search rankings and traffic. This traditional text-based search has been around for decades and delivers a list of websites with relevant answers based on website content. The goal of SEO is to ensure that your website appears at the top of this list.

Example of search engine results on Google with links and without AI summaries.
Traditional search example with link results only.

AEO (answer engine optimization) utilizes AI tools to provide the best possible answer to a user's question with short, quick responses often shown as an AI overview or featured snippet. AEO builds on the principles of SEO, now focusing on user intent first and keywords second. You should prioritize helpful content that solves real problems and directly answers intent. Think about content in question and answer format that voice search and chatbots will use for these answer engines.

Example of search engine results on Google with an AI summary.
AI-powered search example with an AI overview/summary.

Strategies for AEO

AI tools pull answers directly from websites. Optimizing your content for AEO ensures North Carolina residents will get the accurate, up-to-date information they need and can increase the chances of being featured, leading to visibility without clicks.

  • Build Authority - Content for AEO builds authority by earning trust through concise and valuable information. It is often cited by other websites or platforms.
  • Focus on Natural Language - AI systems are advancing in recognizing human-centric content. By focusing on structured answers, authoritative sources, and conversational queries, you can stay competitive in generative search.
  • Optimize and Structure Content - Optimize your content for search intent and context, not just keywords. It's essential to understand your audience and their needs. For AI tools, structure it in a Q&A format (FAQ sections), ensure factual accuracy and relevance, and use schema markup to help AI understand the context.
    • Guide your readers! Clear headings help guide readers through the material, while visuals keep them engaged.
    • Make it easier to digest! Bullet points, tables, and short paragraphs (50-60 words) allow for concise delivery of information.
      • Answer questions directly in the first 100 words.
    • FAQs are back - Structure content in a Q&A format, such as FAQ sections or How-Tos, to target question-based queries.
    • Attention to content governance - Regularly update your content to ensure it remains relevant and accurate for users.
    • Treat AI tools as assistants - Optimize your content to help AI crawlers understand the context.

To integrate SEO and AEO, start with solid SEO fundamentals and then layer in AEO tactics. Focus on structured content to ensure content answers questions our North Carolina residents need directly and succinctly. Google Analytics search data can help identify the types of content site visitors are looking for on your website. Layer in AEO tactics using structured data/schema markup. Answer specific questions clearly, and optimize for search intent and context, not just keywords. This will ultimately help you reach a wider audience and achieve higher rankings, enhance user experience, and ensure that your content keeps up with the future of AI-driven search.

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