How Are Brands Getting AI To Recommend Them?

This guest article first appeared HERE

30-Second Brief:

• The Shift: Customers are skipping Google's list of blue links and getting instant answers from AI.
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• The Goal: You win by becoming the source that AI quotes directly. This is AEO (Answer Engine Optimization).
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• The Action: The fastest way to start: Build a simple FAQ page. It acts as a cheat sheet for AI to learn your expertise. Just one of the AEO plays in the playbook...

I just bought the new iPhone 17, and technically ghosted Verizon in the process.

There I was, face-to-face with one of those soul-crushing comparison tables - four models, seventeen specs I don't understand, and the sinking feeling that I was about to spend twenty minutes of my life I'd never get back.

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So I did what any reasonable person would do: I bailed.

Opened ChatGPT and asked, "I'm a mom of 5 who takes a ton of pictures - which iPhone 17 has the camera that won't make me look like an amateur?"

One sentence later, I had my answer.

No blue links.
No rabbit holes.

Just the answer.

And that's a perfect example of the entire game... changing.

For two decades, we all played the same game: Search Engine Optimization (SEO).

The entire goal was to get on the first page of Google.

But as my iPhone experience (and the data!) shows, people are starting to skip the blue links entirely. They want the answer, and will do anything to avoid dodging around pop-up ads to complete a reading assignment.

The old game was about convincing a search engine you were relevant. The new game is about feeding your expertise directly into the AI's brain.

This is where you'll start hearing about AEO and GEO.

Forget the jargon for a second.

Here’s what it means:

• Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): This is about making it dead simple for AI tools to find and understand the most important information on your website. It's about formatting your expertise so a machine can grab it and present it as a fact.
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• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): This is the endgame. It's when your expertise is so clear and authoritative that the AI doesn't just use your information - it quotes you by name. You become a cited source, the digital equivalent of a trusted authority.

The goal is no longer just winning the click. It's about becoming the answer.

While there's a number of different tactics in the AEO playbook, one of the fastest ways to start playing this new game is by building a simple FAQ section on your website that is written for both humans and machines.

AI platforms are feeding on these FAQs.

Your 15-Minute Plan to Build an AI Cheat Sheet:

1. List the Obvious Questions: Grab a notepad. What are the 5-10 questions you get tired of answering on sales calls? What are the most common questions customers ask right before they sign a contract? Write them down, word for word. No need to get clever.
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2. Answer Them Like a Human: For each question, write a short, straight-to-the-point answer. No need to invent copy on the fly. Pull the answers directly from your core brand messaging.
   • The way you're used to writing: "Our firm leverages a proprietary methodology to deliver synergistic, cross-platform solutions that drive stakeholder value."
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   • The AEO way: "We help construction companies finish projects on time by automating their supply chain paperwork."
3. Make it Scannable: Create a new page on your site. Make each question a bolded heading. Put the simple answer right underneath. Done. This clean, predictable structure is a buffet for AI crawlers.

Need help brainstorming questions? Try this prompt:

• "Act as a skeptical prospect for a company that [describe what you sell]. You are thinking of buying, but have some reservations. What are the top 10 questions you'd ask before you felt comfortable moving forward?"

That FAQ page might feel like a small step, but it's a strategic one on the AEO checklist.