ROI from AEO vs. ROI from SEO: They’re Not the Same
That statement may seem hyperbolic at first glance, but Google announced in May that they’re “making the biggest upgrade to the Search box in 25 years,” the “intelligent” Search box. It expands as you type your query and provides AI-powered query suggestions to get the process started.
Google also plans to add new agentic capabilities to search. During their Google Marketing Live event earlier this month, they previewed “information agents” that work in the background 24/7. You’ll get “intelligent, synthesized updates, with the ability to take action.” It’s too much to go into here, but think apartment hunting agents, new merch drop agents, etc.
Couple these updates with LinkedIn reporting a 60% decrease in non-branded search traffic since the rollout of AI search overviews and Gartner predicting brands’ organic search traffic will decrease by 50% or more by the year 2028 as consumers embrace generative AI-powered search, and it’s not hard to see where search marketing is going.
All is not lost. We just have to change the way we think about informational searches. We’re moving from a “click economy” to an “answer economy,” and using traditional SEO metrics to measure your AEO (answer engine optimization) efforts will undercount the results you’re actually getting.
SEO vs. AEO: The Librarian vs. The Consultant
First, let’s take a look at how SEO and AEO differ from a user’s perspective:
- Traditional SEO (The Librarian model): The user wants a list of sources that accurately address their query. Google acts as the old-school research librarian, handing over 10 blue links that the user can browse to learn the information they’re looking for. They click your site (once they’re confident your brand is the answer), they hit the contact page and schedule an appointment. You own the final destination.
- AEO (The Consultant model): The user no longer wants a research project. They want an answer. The AI assistant acts as a consultant, compiling data into a single paragraph. Your brand might be cited in a small footnote, but the user still gains access to your expertise without ever visiting your website.
Insight: In SEO, you are the destination. In AEO, you are the data source.
The Measurement Paradigm Shift: From Clicks to Citations
You want to see ROI — clicks turn into pageviews and events that eventually turn into conversions and new client bookings. The problem is that traditional SEO relies on last-click attribution. If a prospect asks their AI assistant of choice, “Who is the best [practitioner in your industry] in OKC?” and the AI describes your business perfectly based on your content, there is no click to track in your analytics data.
If the trusty SEO metrics of the past remain your primary goalposts, the numbers won’t look great and won’t accurately reflect the value you’re actually getting from AI assistants.
We need to measure AEO differently:
- Share of Model: Instead of just tracking rankings, we track how often your business is cited in LLM responses (ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, etc.) and how many of your website pages they reference compared to your competitors.
- Brand sentiment in AI: When a prospect asks for recommendations, does AI mention you? Does it capture your vibe accurately?
- Assisted conversions: We look for spikes in Direct and Branded Search traffic. If AEO is working for you, people see you in the AI, then use a traditional Google search later to find you by name.
Insight: AEO is higher up the funnel than SEO. It replaces initial research and discovery. What are the important metrics there? Brand authority and awareness.
SEO and AEO Work In Tandem
Don’t abandon SEO altogether. You need a technical SEO foundation to remain crawlable and ensure your site stays fast, functional and discoverable. Add AEO best practices to your strategy alongside it:
- Structure for Scraping: Use clear, authoritative “What is” and “How to” sections. AI models LOVE structured data.
- Leverage High-Authority Ecosystems: Referrals from ChatGPT to authoritative sites grew 25x year over year. Being mentioned on trusted local platforms, such as Reddit or LinkedIn, should supplement your traditional link building.
- Your Secret Weapon – Deep Insights: As LinkedIn’s guide to AI discovery points out, you have to focus on unique, expert insights. AI can hallucinate basic definitions, but it can’t fake specific client outcomes and proprietary expertise that your subject matter experts provide.
Staying Ahead of the Answer Engines
Once upon a time, marketing was defined by quantity. More content, more keywords, more clicks. This next era is defined by authority. If you want to approach your stakeholders with solid answers about where your brand’s online visibility stands and the true business value you’re getting from it, you have to shift your focus to metrics that more accurately measure these new strategies.
It’s a lot to process, especially on top of all the other marketing things you’re keeping track of. That’s why we’re here. Heeler makes it a point to stay in the loop on important technical shifts that busy marketing professionals often struggle to keep up with. We do deep research, so when the goalposts move again, you’re already ahead.
Ready to lead the pack in AI search? Book a free Heeler discovery call.
