Answer engine optimisation (AEO) services: a buyer's guide

AEO services help search engines and AI answers understand your business. Good AEO work is search work done well: pages that can be found and read, clear answers to the questions your customers ask, and accurate business details. Google says its AI features need no special files or markup, so ask any provider what they will change.

This guide is for UK small business owners who have been offered AEO, or are wondering whether to buy it. It explains what the work should include, what you do not need to pay for, the questions to ask a provider and the checks you can make yourself first.

AEO is search work aimed at direct answers

Answer engine optimisation is a name some providers use for work that helps your business show up where people get a direct answer instead of a list of links. That includes AI Overviews and AI Mode in Google Search, and AI assistants that answer questions and link to their sources. Some providers sell similar work as generative engine optimisation (GEO).

This work overlaps with search engine optimisation (SEO), the work of helping your pages appear in ordinary search results. Google says the best practices for SEO remain relevant for its AI features, and that there are no additional requirements to appear in AI Overviews or AI Mode^[1]. To be shown as a supporting link, a page must be indexed and eligible to appear in Google Search with a snippet^[1].

Google's own advice on hiring an SEO now names AEO and GEO services directly. It suggests you ask whether a provider's advice on AI experiences matches Google's official guidance^[2]. It is a good first question to ask any provider.

Good AEO work looks like ordinary search work done well

A useful AEO service should be able to show you work on your own website and business details. Google lists these as worthwhile for its AI features^[1]:

• making sure search engines can crawl your pages, including through your hosting
• linking your pages to each other so each one is easy to find
• a good experience for visitors, with important content available as text
• structured data that matches the visible text on the page
• keeping your Business Profile information up to date

On top of that foundation, the content has to help a real person. Google asks site owners to focus on unique, non-commodity content that visitors will find helpful and satisfying^[3]. For a small business, that means service pages that say plainly what you do, where and for whom, and answers to the questions customers really ask before they book.

Your business details matter as well. Google says businesses with complete and accurate information are more likely to show up in local search results^[5]. Your opening hours, areas covered and contact details should match on your website and your Business Profile.

Some AEO extras are not needed

Google says you do not need to create new machine readable files, AI text files or markup to appear in its AI features, and there is no special structured data to add^[1]. This guidance covers Google Search, so if a package charges for extra AI files or markup, ask which service needs them.

Be careful with any plan to publish large numbers of near-identical pages. Google describes people-first content as content created mainly for people, not to manipulate search rankings^[4]. Before you agree to a page for every town or every wording of a question, check that each page gives customers useful, distinct information.

Treat tools with the same care. Google says it does not evaluate or endorse third-party SEO tools, and that these tools have no access to its internal ranking data^[2]. A report from a tool is a starting point for a conversation, not proof of a problem.

10 questions to ask an AEO provider

Several of these come from Google's guidance on hiring an SEO^[2]. The rest are our own suggestions for a small business. Ask them before you sign anything.

1. Which pages on my website will you change, and why?
2. Which customer questions will those pages answer?
3. Does your advice match Google's official guidance on AI features, and can you show me where?
4. Will you share every change you make, with the reason behind it?
5. Which searches and AI answers will you check, from which location and how often?
6. How will you report AI mentions, rankings and new enquiries separately?
7. What results do you expect, and by when?
8. Can I speak to past clients about the work?
9. What access do you need to my website and accounts?
10. What happens if the work does not help after the agreed review date?

On access, Google's advice for an audit is to grant read access to Search Console only, not write access^[2]. Good answers name specific pages and searches. Vague answers about algorithms or secret methods are a reason to keep looking.

Warning signs mean you should walk away

Google's hiring advice lists clear warning signs^[2]. Walk away from a provider who:

• promises your changes will put you in first place in search results
• claims a special relationship with Google or offers a priority submit service
• will not explain clearly what they plan to do
• emails you out of the blue to say your site is missing from search engines
• says you must link to their own website

The same applies to a promised place in AI answers. Google says that even a page meeting every requirement may not be crawled, indexed or shown^[1]. It also says that deceptive or misleading content created on your behalf could see your site removed from its index, and that you are responsible for the companies you hire^[2].

A short check you can run before you pay anyone

These five checks give you a baseline to compare any proposal against.

1. Search for your main service and your town. Note which businesses appear and whether an AI Overview shows.
2. Ask an AI assistant the question a new customer would ask. Write down what it says about your business, and whether it is right.
3. Open your Business Profile and check your hours, address, phone number and services.
4. Open your main service page on a phone. Check it answers the questions customers ask you most.
5. Try your own enquiry form and make sure the message arrives.

Our AI answer audit guide walks through the second step in more detail. If you want to make the fixes yourself, start with our guide on how to help your business appear in AI answers.

Enquiries matter more than mentions

Appearances in Google's AI features are included in your Search Console traffic, in the Performance report under the web search type^[1]. Google also suggests looking beyond clicks to signs of value such as sales, sign-ups and people looking up information about your business^[3].

In our view, a small business should judge AEO work mainly on enquiries and bookings. An AI mention is encouraging, but it does not pay the bills. Agree before you start how each measure will be reported, and when you will review the work together.

How Buzzozo can help

Our AI search visibility service works on clear service pages, useful answers, accurate business details and technical search foundations. We measure where your business appears, while search providers decide what to show. We cannot promise a position or an AI citation.

It is one of four services on our AI for your business page. You can tell us what customers ask, or start your free 14-day trial if you need a new website first.

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