The video presents six key AEO trends from HubSpot's 2026 State of AEO report, explaining how brands can get recommended by AI engines. It covers the differences between SEO and AEO, content types that AI cites most, page structure optimization, off-site presence in communities like Reddit, and how to layer AEO on top of existing SEO efforts. The presenter also demonstrates building a custom AEO strategist using AI tools.
A short editorial from the SEONIB team on why this content matters.
The video effectively distinguishes AEO from SEO, emphasizing that AI recommends rather than ranks, and provides practical steps to become citeable.
What stands out is the emphasis on off-site community presence and page structure over domain authority—a fresh angle not common in typical SEO advice. SEONIB's AI-driven approach can automate the continuous auditing and strategy updates that the video recommends.
Marketers struggling with AI visibility should use the AEO grader, build a custom strategist, and prioritize comparison content and Reddit engagement immediately.
Optimizing content to be cited and recommended by AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini.
A mention or reference to a brand or page by an AI engine in its response.
A two-to-three sentence summary at the top of a page that AI scans for citation.
Brand mentions in trusted communities (e.g., Reddit, LinkedIn) that AI uses as citation signals.
The trustworthiness of an individual page, which impacts AI citation likelihood more than domain authority.
Content that directly compares brands or products, highly cited by AI.
The percentage of AI mentions a brand receives relative to competitors.
A metric evaluating how well a page is structured for AI citation.
What is AEO and how is it different from SEO?
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on getting your brand recommended by AI engines, while SEO focuses on ranking in search results. AEO requires direct answers, structured content, and off-site citations.
Why do many brands fail at AEO even if they have good SEO?
Because AEO demands content structure (TL;DR, FAQs, direct answers) and off-site community presence that SEO alone doesn't provide.
What content types get cited most by AI engines?
Comparison content, product pages, and listicles are top-cited; blog posts are less effective.
How should I structure a page for AI citation?
Include a direct answer in the first sentence, a TL;DR summary at top, an FAQ section, and visible last updated date.
Why is Reddit important for AEO?
AI engines cite Reddit heavily (nearly 300k citations) because it provides authentic, unfiltered opinions and expertise.
How can small teams compete with larger brands in AEO?
Focus on individual page authority and structure—a single well-optimized page can out-cite a large brand's messy site.
What is the first step to start AEO optimization?
Run an AEO grader to measure your brand's share of voice, presence quality, and weakest engine to establish a baseline.
How do I measure AEO success?
Track share of voice, presence quality score, and weakest engine monthly using an AEO grader; include in reports.
Can existing SEO work help with AEO?
Yes, high-ranking Google pages have domain authority that AI trusts; layer AEO structure on top for best results.
What is a custom AEO strategist and how do I build one?
It's an AI chat tool fed with your brand scores and the HubSpot report to generate prioritized action plans. Upload screenshots and report to your chat, prompt as strategist.
SEONIB automatically generates AEO-optimized pages, embeds schema, and submits them to IndexNow — so your content gets discovered faster by Google and AI answer engines.