Businesses scramble to get noticed by AI search
The Rise of AEO: How Businesses are Navigating the "Seismic Shift" from Search to AI
For decades, the digital storefront was built on the foundation of the search engine. But as artificial intelligence begins to dominate how information is consumed, that foundation is shifting. From B2B giants like HubSpot to independent retailers like MKM Building Supplies, companies are scrambling to adapt to a world where users no longer "Google" for links, but ask AI for answers.
The stakes are high. HubSpot recently reported a staggering loss of 140 million website visits in a single year—a decline directly attributed to the evolution of AI-driven search.
From SEO to AEO: Defining the New Frontier
As traditional Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) loses its grip, a new discipline has emerged: Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO), also known as Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).
While SEO focuses on ranking in a list of links, AEO aims to ensure a brand is the primary source cited by AI models like ChatGPT or Google’s AI Overviews. The challenge is steep: HubSpot’s CMO, Kipp Bodnar, notes that click-through rates for searches with AI overviews are 60% to 70% lower than traditional results.
"I don't know how you are a competitive business in the future without having a strong competency in this," says Bodnar.
How AI is Changing Consumer Behaviour
The transition isn't just about technology; it’s about how humans communicate. Traditional search queries are typically brief (4–6 words), but AI queries are conversational and highly specific, often reaching 40–60 words.
| Feature | Traditional Search (SEO) | AI Search (AEO) |
|---|---|---|
| Query Length | Short (4–6 words) | Long/Conversational (40–60 words) |
| Goal | Drive clicks to a website | Provide an immediate answer |
| Content Style | Keyword-heavy articles | Clear, "chunked" data and summaries |
| User Intent | Finding a destination | Solving a complex problem |
Strategies for Survival: The AEO Playbook
To stay visible, businesses are completely restructuring their digital presence. Here are the three core strategies being deployed:
- Content "Chunking" and Direct Answers: Instead of long-form, narrative articles, companies are breaking information into small, digestible "chunks." MKM Building Supplies has redesigned its pages to include summaries at the top of pages, bulleted lists to break up complex data, and FAQ sections that mirror the natural language of AI queries.
- Building Authority Clusters: Spice Kitchen, a spice gift set retailer, is moving away from purely transactional shop pages. They are building a "content cluster" regarding the history of the spice trade. By creating a dedicated subsection that looks more like a training course than a store, they aim to prove to AI bots that they are a "credible authority" on the topic.
- Winning the Research Phase: The focus has shifted from the "moment of purchase" to the "moment of research." Lumos Digital recommends publishing definitive buying guides. For example, a guide for "best long-distance running shoes" should declare a clear winner. AI models prefer conclusive answers and are more likely to cite sources that provide them.
The Silver Lining: Higher Conversion Rates
While total traffic may be down, the quality of that traffic appears to be rising. Andy Pickup of MKM Building Supplies has observed that visitors arriving via AI tools are significantly more likely to make a purchase.
"My theory is that customers have got the information they need from the LLM answer," Pickup explains. "Which gives them the confidence to make a purchase."
As AI continues to act as a digital concierge, the businesses that survive won't be those with the most links, but those that provide the most "extractable" and authoritative intelligence. In the age of AI, being a "shop" is no longer enough; you must become the answer.