Answer
Engine
Optimisation.
Search
Engine
Optimisation.
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SEO is not a quick fix.
At BLOOM, we ensure both on-page and off-page SEO adhere to best practices. SEO isn't a quick fix; Google updates its algorithm regularly, so we recommend ongoing attention over time. Results typically emerge after about three months.
The goal of AEO
Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is the process of structuring your website and digital presence so AI platforms can find, understand, trust, and cite your business as a direct answer to the questions your buyers are asking.
Traditional SEO helps customers find your website on Google. AEO helps AI systems - like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Perplexity, and Microsoft Copilot - recommend your business by name when someone asks a question relevant to what you do.
When AI recommends a business, it typically names one to three options. If your brand isn't one of them, you simply don't exist in that customer's search journey.
AEO is also known as Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), AI Search Optimisation, or Large Language Model (LLM) Optimisation. Whatever you call it, the goal is the same: become the answer.
Why AEO matters in 2026
25% of all searches
Are expected to flow through AI platforms in 2026. If your brand isn't optimised in AI, you're invisible to a quarter of your potential customers.
1-3 recommendations
Is all AI typically gives. Unlike Goggle's 10 blue links, AI answers are "winner-takes-most." Unlike SEO, being second isn't close to being first in AI search.
EARLY MOVERS WIN
Businesses that invest in AEO now will have the same advantage early as SEO adopters had in Google's first decade. That window is open - but not for long.
The BLOOM skill stack
BLOOM Transitions is a New Zealand HubSpot Gold Partner agency - and one of a handful of agencies in New Zealand and Australia combining AEO expertise with deep HubSpot implementation experience.
That matters because the content AI engines cite most is content that's well-structured, regularly updated, and built on authoritative platforms. HubSpot gives you the infrastructure. AEO gives you the strategy to make AI engines notice, trust, and cite it.
We don't just optimise your website. We optimise your entire digital footprint - your HubSpot content hub, your schema markup, your citation profile, and your brand presence across the sources AI engines trust most.
Our AEO services
01.
AEO audit
BLOOM's AEO audit is the first step to understanding where you stand in the AI search landscape - and what's stopping you from being cited.
We review how AI engines currently describe your business, identify brand disambiguation issues, analyse your citation profile, audit your schema markup, and benchmark you against your top competitors.
You'll receive a clear, prioritised action plan - not a 50-page report full of jargon.
02.
Structured content strategy
AI engines cite content that directly answers the questions buyers are asking.
We identify those questions, map them to your services, and create the content structure - FAQ pages, pillar content, and service page rewrites - that gives AI clear, citable answer units to pull from.
Content that's built for AEO also performs better in traditional search. It's not either/or.
03.
Schema markup implementation
Schema markup is structured data code that tells AI engines and search engines exactly who you are, what you do, and where you operate - in unambiguous, machine-readable terms.
We implement Organisation, FAQPage, Service, and LocalBusiness schema, giving AI engines the clear signals they need to cite your brand with confidence.
For HubSpot websites, we handle implementation directly. For other platforms, we provide a code and implementation guide.
04.
Citation building
AI engines don't just look at your website. They look at what other authoritative sources say about you - directories, review platforms, industry listings, peer mentions, and media coverage.
We identify the sources AI is already citing in your category and work to get BLOOM - and our clients - mentioned and linked from those sources. This is the off-site work that builds the authority signals AI engines trust.
05.
AI visibility tracking
You can't improve what you can't measure. We track your brand's visibility across AI platforms - monitoring how often you're cited, what prompts surface your brand, how your sentiment scores are trending, and how you're performing against key competitors.
We use HubSpot's AI search grader alongside SEMrush's AI visibility tools to give you clear, honest data at every stage.
06.
Ongoing AEO management
AEO isn't set-and-forget. AI models are retrained regularly, and the citation landscape shifts as new content is published. We provide ongoing AEO management to keep your brand visible as the AI search environment evolves - adjusting content, updating schema, building new citations, and tracking results monthly.
Our approach to AEO
01.
Audit & baseline
Before we change anything, we establish exactly where you stand. We audit your AI visibility, your citation profile, your schema markup, and your brand entity clarity. This becomes your baseline — the starting point we measure all progress against.
02.
Strategy
We build a prioritised AEO strategy tailored to your business, your category, and your competitors. This covers which prompts to target, which content to create or restructure, which citation sources to pursue, and which schema types to implement first.
03.
Implementation
If we have access, then we'll do the work. Bonus points for those already using or considering HubSpot. Content restructuring, schema implementation, citation outreach, page optimisation. We'll work directly in your platform wherever possible - no lengthy handoff documents.
03.
Measure & refine
BAEO results take time - typically 8-12 weeks before measurable movement. We track progress monthly, share clear data, and adjust the strategy based on what the AI engines are responding to.
Frequently asked questions about AEO
AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimisation. It is also known as Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), AI Search Optimisation, or Large Language Model (LLM) Optimisation. All refer to the same goal: making your brand visible and citable in AI-generated answers.
AEO targets the major AI answer platforms including ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Google AI Overviews, Microsoft Copilot, and Perplexity. These are the tools your customers are increasingly using to research suppliers, services, and solutions before making contact.
No. SEO and AEO work best together. Strong SEO makes AEO more effective, and well-structured AEO content tends to improve traditional search rankings. The businesses seeing the best results are investing in both.
Ask ChatGPT or Gemini about your business or your category. If you don't appear in the answer, or if the AI describes you inaccurately, you have an AEO gap. That's exactly the situation we found ourselves in - and it's fixable.
Yes. BLOOM Transitions is a New Zealand HubSpot Gold Partner agency offering AEO strategy, schema markup implementation, structured content, and AI visibility tracking for small and mid-sized businesses across New Zealand and Australia. We're one of the only NZ agencies combining AEO expertise with deep HubSpot implementation experience. Contact us to get started.
Ready to become the answer?
Start with an AEO audit. We'll show you exactly where you stand in the AI search landscape and what it will take to move the needle - no jargon, no fluff.
Unlock the full potential of your online presence
With BLOOM as your partner in navigating the dynamic world of SEO. Our innovative approach meticulously analyses and enhances your SEO performance, ensuring your website climbs the rankings and maintains its position at the forefront of search results.