Should You Skip SEO and Go Straight to AEO for AI Search?

Send us Fan Mail📬 You like this podcast? You’ll love the newsletter.Join the weekly 3-2-1 on AI search + marketing: subscribeShould you skip SEO and go straight to AEO for AI search? No, but understanding AEO early helps you learn SEO the right way for how search actually works today.In this first episode of Found in AI, Cassie tackles a question pulled directly from r/marketing:“I just started learning SEO. Should I even bother, or skip straight to AEO?”The episode breaks down what Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) actually is, why it matters in 2025, and how it complements—rather than replaces—traditional SEO. Using a simple, low-risk experiment, Cassie shows how small structural changes can make content easier for AI systems to understand, reuse, and cite.In this episode, you’ll learn:What AEO is and how it differs from traditional SEOHow AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Copilot decide what to citeWhy learning SEO fundamentals still matters in an AI-first worldThree simple steps to make your content AI-ready this weekA micro-experiment adding an FAQ block to a blog postHow to track whether your content appears in AI answersIf you're listening to this and thinking I need someone to lead this for me, that's what I do.I'm an AI search visibility consultant and a fractional content strategist for startups and enterprise brands. If that sounds like the kind of help you're looking for, email me at [email protected]. Or request your 7-Day AI Search Visibility Audit: https://cassieclarkmarketing.com/ai-search-visibility-audit/Let’s connect:LinkedIn → Cassie Clark | AI Search Visibility ConsultantWebsite → https://cassieclarkmarketing.com