For B2B teams, most of the value in search sits in specific, high-intent questions: how something is priced, whether it integrates, how it compares. Answer engines, from featured snippets to AI Overviews, increasingly answer those directly. Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of being that answer. Here's how it differs from classic SEO.
| SEO | AEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank on the results page | Be the extracted answer |
| Unit of success | Position | The answer box / snippet |
| Primary lever | Keywords, links, authority | Structure, schema, direct answers |
| Content shape | Comprehensive pages | Question-and-answer blocks |
| Measured by | Rankings, organic traffic | Snippet capture, zero-click share |
What B2B teams should do differently
- Map the real questions in your funnel (pricing, integrations, comparisons, security) and answer each explicitly.
- Format for extraction: question headings, one-sentence answers, then supporting detail.
- Add FAQPage and Product schema so answer engines can lift correct facts.
- Keep specs, pricing and capability claims current, stale answers get skipped or misquoted.
