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SEO · AEO · GEO1 min read

AEO explained for small business owners.

Answer Engine Optimisation in plain English. What it is, why it matters now, and the three moves that work.

Haojun See
Haojun See

Founder & Director, On The Ground

Updated 6 June 2026

Overview

AEO is Answer Engine Optimisation: making AI engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity cite your pages when someone asks a question. For SMBs, this is the next decade of marketing.

Why it matters now

AI engines are increasingly answering questions before users click to a website. If your business isn't in the answer, you're invisible — no matter how well you rank on Google.

The three moves

• Add structured data (JSON-LD) to every meaningful page. • Put the direct answer in the first 50 words of each page. • Be specific. Numbers, names, prices, dates beat generic claims.

What you'll see in 60-90 days

Most sites that do AEO seriously start showing up in Perplexity within 4-8 weeks. ChatGPT search and Google AI Overviews are slower; expect 8-12 weeks.

Want to Apply This to Your Business?

We're a Singapore AI development and automation agency. Let's discuss how we can help solve your specific challenges.