What SEO and AEO mean for a small business
Search engine optimization (SEO) is the work that helps your site appear when people search on Google and other search engines. Answer engine optimization (AEO) is the newer side of the same work: helping AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Google’s AI features and others find, understand and cite your business when people ask them for recommendations. The foundations overlap almost completely, so we treat them as one service.
Answer engine optimization (AEO)
Making a website easy for AI assistants and answer engines to find, understand and cite, so a business appears in the answers people get, not only in lists of links.
What the work includes
- Technical health. The site loads quickly, works on phones, can be crawled and indexed, and does not block the search engines and AI crawlers you want to be found by.
- Structure. Clear pages for each service and place you serve, linked so that people and search engines can follow them.
- Content that answers questions. Pages and articles that answer what customers actually ask, written in plain language and kept up to date.
- Local presence. Your Google Business Profile completed and accurate, and your business details consistent wherever they appear.
- Reviews. A simple, honest routine for asking customers for reviews.
- Measurement. Search Console and analytics under your account, and a short report in plain language on what changed and what we are doing next.
What we will not do
No one can guarantee a first place on Google, and Google itself says so. We do not promise rankings, we do not buy links, and we do not publish content designed only for search engines. If someone offers you guaranteed rankings, read our guide on how to choose an SEO agency before you sign.
How long it takes
SEO is slow by nature. Small fixes can show up within weeks, but meaningful change usually takes months, and depends on your market and your starting point. The article on how long SEO takes explains what to expect and why.
Start with the guides
If you want to understand the work first, or do some of it yourself, start with our guide to small business SEO. The articles on local SEO and SEO vs AEO go deeper into the parts that matter most for local businesses.
What you own
Your Search Console, analytics and Google Business Profile stay in your name, with us added as users. Everything we create for your site, from pages to articles, belongs to you.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between SEO and AEO?
SEO focuses on appearing in search results. AEO focuses on being understood and cited by AI assistants. Most of the work is shared: a fast, well-structured site with clear, accurate answers helps with both.
Can you guarantee a top ranking?
No. Nobody can, and Google warns against anyone who claims to. We can tell you what we will do, how we will measure it and what results are realistic for your situation.
Do I need a new website before starting SEO?
Not necessarily. Many sites can be improved as they are. If the site has problems that hold back everything else, we will say so and explain the options.
Do you work on Google Business Profile?
Yes. For most local businesses it is one of the most important parts of the work, and it stays in your name.
Want to be easier to find?
Send us your website address and the searches you would like to appear for. We will review the site and reply with what we would do first.