How to Win in the New Search Landscape

by Morgan Alverson | Sep 24, 2025

We’ve shared a lot of posts around AEO, Answer Engine Optimization. It’s the new way buyers are searching. And it’s absolutely something you need to pay attention to, as we talked about here.

There isn’t one magic formula for AEO. But there are smarter ways to stack your efforts so you don’t spin your wheels or get overwhelmed.

Start with these 5 things:

1. Foundation first. Make sure your site is crawlable, fast, and technically clean. Start with the Google Core Web Vitals to assess your site, measuring loading, interactivity, and visual stability.
2. Layer in clarity. Add structured Q&A content (think FAQs), schema markup, and service pages written like answers, not brochures. Shift from “keywords people search” to “questions buyers ask.”
3. Expand your presence. AI engines don’t just pull from your site. They pull from review platforms, industry publications, LinkedIn, and YouTube, so you need to make sure your brand is showing up in multiple places.
4. Build authority. Publish content that deserves to be cited: original insights, POV pieces, case-backed stats. Keep it fresh, LLMs prioritize content that’s recent, relevant, and credible.
5. Measure and adjust. Go to your favorite LLM and ask it questions like your buyers would. Track how your company shows up and then monitor AI-source referrals, engagement and conversion metrics in GA4 and other analytics.

Think of it like weight training. Don’t load up every plate at once. Start with form, then add weight.

If you enjoyed this post, this content is part of a digital white paper on AI and the Search Landscape. You can view the full white paper here.