For years, businesses have focused on appearing on Google.
Now, potential customers are also using ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity to research companies, compare services and decide which brands they can trust.
This change has created a new area of digital marketing called Answer Engine Optimization, or AEO.
What Is AEO?
AEO is the process of making your business information easier for AI platforms to understand and use in their answers.
In simple words:
SEO helps your website rank in search engines.
AEO helps AI mention, cite and recommend your business.
This matters because AI tools often answer questions directly. A customer may compare several companies without visiting every website.
When your business information is unclear or incomplete, AI may recommend a competitor instead.
What Is HubSpot’s AEO Tool?
HubSpot’s AEO tool helps businesses monitor how their brands appear across ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity.
During setup, users add:
Brand Variations
The company name, product names and other common versions of the brand.
Competitors
Competitor names, domains and brand variations for comparison.
Ideal Customer Profile
Target locations, company sizes, industries, job titles and customer types.
Products and Services
Details about the products, services and packages the business wants AI platforms to understand.
What Can the Tool Track?
The dashboard shows how often the brand appears in AI-generated answers and how its visibility compares with competitors.
It can also track:
• Share of voice
• Positive, neutral or negative sentiment
• Websites and pages cited by AI
• Competitor content receiving more visibility
• Content gaps and improvement opportunities
HubSpot also provides recommendations on what to publish or update.
These recommendations connect with HubSpot Content Agent, allowing marketers to create AI-focused content without leaving the platform.
What Is the HubSpot AEO Grader?
HubSpot also offers a free AEO Grader that scores a brand out of 100.
The score covers:
• Sentiment
• Presence quality
• Brand recognition
• Share of voice
• Market competition
This gives businesses a quick view of how well AI platforms currently understand their brand.
How Can Businesses Improve AEO?
Businesses should make sure their website clearly explains:
• Who they are
• What they offer
• Who they help
• Where they operate
• What makes them different
• How customers can contact them
Service pages, product information, FAQs, customer-focused blogs and trusted external mentions can all help AI understand a business more accurately.
AEO is not only about publishing more content. It is about publishing clear, useful and trustworthy information.
Google visibility still matters, but customers are increasingly using AI to make decisions.
The important question is:
When someone asks AI for a company like yours, will it recommend your business or your competitor?
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