Answer Engine Optimization: Google Isn't the Only Search Engine That Matters Anymore

Something changed in how people find information and most content creators haven't adjusted yet. A growing percentage of search queries never reach Google at all. They go to ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini. The user asks a question, the AI answers it with citations, and one of those citations gets a backlink and traffic. The other 40 competing articles get nothing. This is Answer Engine Optimization. AEO. It's not replacing traditional SEO. It's a layer on top of it that determines whether AI systems cite your content or ignore it entirely.