Generative AI is changing how people discover brands, products, and information. Because it disrupts the buyer journey, it requires new metrics, specifically GEO KPIs, that accurately reflect performance within these AI engines.
Answer engine optimization (AEO) is a marketing strategy designed to help brands appear more consistently and accurately within AI-driven answer engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Copilot.
Research shows that 32% of buyers discover new B2B vendors using generative AI chatbots. This is why an answer engine optimization (AEO) strategy for B2B businesses is essential. AI-driven answer engines help buyers discover, evaluate, and shortlist vendors. The same research found that buyers start with an average of 7.6 potential vendors and narrow this to 3.5 before making their final decision.
GEO has found its place in the search landscape, and it’s reasonable to think that the future of generative engine optimization is guaranteed. According to Datos’s State of Search report, Q4-2025 saw some interesting changes. For the first time, AI tools had a consistent 1.31% to 1.34% of visits in the U.S. In previous quarters and reports, traffic to AI tools was growing. This stability in traffic suggests that AI search tools may have found their place in the wider search landscape. ![Free AEO Grader: See Your Brand's Visibility in Answer Engines [Free Tool]](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/53/d4233c10-60b6-46d7-9852-c71dde8507b6.png)
While many are still skeptical, the global creator economy is expected to reach $1.18 trillion USD by 2032. And for minority creators and entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups, this moment is especially significant.
While many are still skeptical, the global creator economy is expected to reach $1.18 trillion USD by 2032. And for minority creators and entrepreneurs from underrepresented groups, this moment is especially significant.
Today, more and more buyers are beginning their journey with an AI-search. They may ask ChatGPT to compare products or use an AI-powered platform like Perplexity. Or, they’re just Googling an offering and reading the AI Overview, all without clicking a link.
HubSpot realized that our buyers were moving from search engines to answer engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity — but we had no reliable way to measure AI visibility and understand whether our AEO plays were working.
Today, more and more buyers are beginning their journey with an AI-search. They may ask ChatGPT to compare products or use an AI-powered platform like Perplexity. Or, they’re just Googling an offering and reading the AI Overview, all without clicking a link.
HubSpot realized that our buyers were moving from search engines to answer engines like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity — but we had no reliable way to measure AI visibility and understand whether our AEO plays were working.
If you’re asking yourself, “How can I measure AEO success?”, AEO rank trackers should be your next investment. They gauge your brand visibility in AI-generated answers, considering metrics like citations, mentions, share of voice, and sentiment.
By now, you know that everyone’s buzzing over answer engine optimization (AEO). So, just what is AEO in marketing? It’s a new way of ensuring your brand shows up in the places your prospects are using more and more: AI tools like Gemini, Perplexity, and ChatGPT. These AEO insights will catch you up on the most crucial information to get started now.
