With AI chatbots and voice assistants now being the primary way people search, marketers need to adapt their content to stay visible. media update's Venelize de Lange explores Answer Engine Optimisation and how marketers can use it in a time where AI decides which answers audiences see.
Search is changing —and fast. With AI chatbots and voice assistants now delivering direct, conversational answers, marketers face a new challenge: Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO).
Instead of simply ranking on search engines, brands must now position themselves as the answer itself, a shift that's already transforming how people discover products, services and information.
At its core, AEO refers to the practice of designing content so AI-powered systems (like chatbots, voice assistants and generative platforms) can easily extract, interpret and present it as authoritative.
Unlike traditional SEO (which focuses on keywords and rankings), AEO emphasises concise question-and-answer style content, natural language, structured data and machine readability.
For South African marketers, this change is particularly significant: multilingual users, voice queries and mobile-first behaviour mean that content must be ready for conventional queries as much as typed ones.
So, what should marketers do now?
To start optimising, first identify the questions your audience asks most frequently — "How do I choose X” or “What is the difference between Y and Z?” — and provide direct, easy-to-understand answers right at the start of the content.
Once the main point is clear, add supporting details, examples or context to help both users and AI tools fully understand the topic.
Next, format your content for extraction: use bullet lists, short paragraphs, clear headings and mark up FAQ, How-to, or Article schema so AI systems recognise your structure.
Finally, build your authority by ensuring facts, sources and context are accurate and up-to-date, because AI engines are increasingly citing trusted sources, not just the highest-ranking pages.
Ultimately, AEO doesn't replace SEO — it complements it. But, it does reframe strategy. As AI assistants reshape how people search, marketers who adapt early can gain a powerful edge, researching audiences not just through search results, but through the very answers they rely on.
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Want to learn more about optimising your marketing and overall reach? Read What Is SEO, AEO and GEO?
*Image courtesy of Canva
**Information sourced from HubSpot and Keyweo