AEO is a rising trend in digital marketing that aims to optimize content for answer boxes and voice search, providing concise and direct answers to user queries. While it is gaining attention, the impact of AEO on SEO is still a matter of debate in the marketing community.
Recently, the term “AEO” has gained traction, and we have seen many ads on social media about the new trend that “SEO” is no longer the standard for search engine optimization, and it’s better to switch to “AEO.” In this brief article, we will attempt to answer several questions related to this topic, with the most important question being: Has SEO (Search Engine Optimization) lost its value?
Let’s start by clarifying the difference between SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization). The key difference lies in the goal and the approach used to improve content visibility on the internet. Here is a detailed explanation of each concept.
First: SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
– What is SEO?
SEO is the process of optimizing a website or content to appear higher in search engine results (such as Google) and other search engines, even though they may not be as powerful as Google. For example, Bing is another search engine, and almost all search engines work in a similar way. When a user searches for specific keywords to find a product, service, location, or information, the goal of SEO is to increase organic traffic to the site.
– Key Elements of SEO.
- Keywords: Choosing the right keywords that the target audience is searching for and that are related to the industry or service you offer.
- Content Optimization: Ensuring the content is valuable and relevant to the search query, enriched with targeted keywords.
- Technical Website Structure: Improving website speed, mobile responsiveness, and internal link organization—things that are related to website programming.
- Backlinks: Acquiring links from other trustworthy websites that point to your site. We will discuss this in detail later.
– SEO Objective.
The main goal of SEO is to attract as many visitors as possible by ranking the website in the top search results.
Second: AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
– What is AEO?
AEO is the process of optimizing content to directly and accurately answer user queries, especially to appear in features like the “Featured Snippet” provided by search engines like Google. AEO is also useful for voice assistants like Google Assistant, Alexa, and Siri.
– Key Elements of AEO.
- Answering Frequently Asked Questions: Creating content that directly answers users’ queries.
- Structured Data: Using Schema Markup to help search engines understand content.
- Content Quality: Delivering direct and accurate content, formatted for easy reading.
- Voice Search Optimization: Making the content suitable for voice search queries, which are often phrased as questions.
– AEO Objective.
The goal of AEO is to appear at the top of search results as a direct answer, increasing the likelihood of clicks or interactions with the site.
The Key Difference Between SEO & AEO
- Scope.
– SEO focuses on improving a website’s ranking in general search results.
– AEO focuses on improving the website’s chances of providing direct answers to questions, especially through featured snippets or voice search.
- User Focus.
– SEO deals with user behavior when searching for specific keywords.
– AEO focuses on the specific questions users ask and how to answer them directly.
- Techniques Used.
– SEO includes broader strategies, such as keyword research and technical website improvements.
– AEO focuses more on optimizing content to fit featured snippets and voice search.
How Do They Work Together?
Although SEO and AEO may seem different, they complement each other. By implementing SEO improvements and creating content specifically to answer questions, you benefit from both:
– SEO drives traffic to the website.
– AEO makes content stand out in search results, increasing engagement.
Let’s revisit the point we mentioned earlier in the article about “backlinks”.
What are “Backlinks”?
A backlink is a “link” from another website that points to your website. In simple terms, when another site links to yours, it is called a backlink.
For example:
If you have a website about cooking, and another site about recipes links to your site in its article, that is a backlink. When someone else searches for cooking recipes on a search engine, this backlink may help improve your site’s ranking in search results.
Why Should We Care About “Backlinks”?
– Improving Website Ranking in Search Engines.
Search engines like “Google” treat inbound links from other sites as a “vote of confidence.” If a reputable and trustworthy website links to yours, search engines will consider your site credible, thus improving its ranking in search results.
– Increasing Visibility.
If you have a backlink from a well-known and trusted site, it can boost your website’s visibility. For instance, if you get a link from a major news outlet or a government website, it enhances your website’s reputation in the eyes of search engines.
Types of Backlinks
- Natural Backlinks.
These links come “naturally” or “organically” from other websites. This happens when a website owner links to your site because they find your content valuable and relevant to their own content.
- Paid Backlinks.
Sometimes, website owners opt to purchase backlinks from other sites. However, these links can be considered “unnatural” if used improperly. Paid backlinks are essentially links bought from other sites to improve your site’s ranking in search engines. However, “Google” has a strict policy regarding paid backlinks, and using them incorrectly could result in penalties.
These links are within your own website, where one page links to another within the same site. While external backlinks focus on other websites, internal links help organize the structure of your site and distribute its authority.
- Low-Quality Backlinks.
If backlinks come from unreliable or low-quality sites, they can negatively affect your site’s ranking. Therefore, it is important to ensure that backlinks come from reputable sites.
Conclusion
– If you are targeting a higher ranking in general search results: Focus on “SEO”.
– If you want to be seen as a trusted source for answers (especially in voice search): Focus on “AEO”.
– Backlinks are links from other websites pointing to your site and are one of the most important factors for improving your ranking in search engines. You can obtain them through collaborations with other sites or by creating high-quality content that others will want to share.
Thank you for reading, and I hope this article helps you apply these concepts in your future projects.
Eng. Mohamed Yousef