Phil Duggan, Marketing Director at B7, explains what it means, why it matters and how one of the North East's leading content creators can help you stand out from the crowd.
When fast-learner Phil Duggan developed, designed and sold a prototype two-page website for £250, he briefly caught a glimpse of a thrilling future. “I’d been fiddling around with websites and code for a while by then but this felt like I’d finally made it,” recalls B7’s Marketing Director.
“Back then – and we’re talking about the mid noughties here – businesses didn’t always understand websites or fully recognise how an effective website could position them in the future. It reminds me, to an extent, of where we are with Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) right now.
“I’m older – and a little wiser – these days and as a team we can work closely with a client to explain exactly what a strong AEO strategy can do for their business and where the real benefit lies.”
B7 might have built its reputation on producing polished video content, creating compelling visuals and crafting key messaging tailor-made for audiences who consume their stories online but there’s more to Phil and the team than lights, camera and some seriously slick action.
The innovative Tyneside-based agency views video as the catalyst for catch-all content that permeates traditional media just as much as it quenches the thirst for a socials quick-fix. B7 recognises the value of longer form written content, the impact of credible thought-leadership and the power of established domain authority – and they’re not alone.
“That’s what AEO is all about,” agrees Phil. “That’s how AI engines measure the quality of online content and that content’s relevance to any given search. AEO hasn’t replaced SEO just yet – SEO is still important when it comes to the traditional search platforms like Google and Bing. But there are new ways to search online. Increasingly people are asking ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini for answers. Businesses need to understand how their clients will find them and, more than ever, AEO is how.”
Just as he identified the power and potential of websites two decades ago, Phil and the B7 team remain ahead of the curve when it comes to the future of online searches. Education is one of the agency’s key roles as clients get to grips with another technology shift and AEO is top of the agenda.
“It used to be the case where things that went viral would be considered useful and relevant, whereas now it’s not so much that case,” adds Phil. “With the advance of AEO it’s more about depth and more about expertise.
“Obviously any AI engine can sift through content and go ‘well that’s clearly wrong’. If you publish a longer form article for the sake of it – and it has no substance – then the AI engines won’t cite it. Similarly, if an article has 20,000 likes or 20,000 shares then the engines will consider that based on its reach alone. But, even then, its relevance to the search will be based on the substance of the content and what the engines know to be true.
“There are other things that will make AI engines sit up and take notice: things like domain authority. If B7 has featured in the New York Times or The Daily Telegraph then the domain authority – the credibility, if you like – associated with those titles will be deemed relevant in terms of AEO.
“AEO takes LinkedIn posts into consideration and will look at review sites like TrustPilot. It’s more of an holistic look at what’s out there.”
According to Phil, businesses need to get on board with AEO before their competitors steal a march. “Here’s an example,” he adds. “If somebody’s search asks ‘I need an accountant who doesn’t wear suits and ties and it’s more of a partnership that feels very tech orientated’ then AI engines won’t search for key words on a website – the old way of doing it.
“They’ll look for articles associated with strong domain authorities that might explain, for instance, that Blu Sky in North Shields is a modern, tech-led accountancy practice where the team doesn’t wear shirts and ties. That’s great.
“The AI engine has found that information from several LinkedIn posts, a few Reddit comments, a couple of press releases published on BusinessLive or BDaily and an online article pulled from Northern Insight Magazine.
“So, for businesses, it’s really important to understand the full landscape when it comes to creating credible content – where you need to be seen and where you need to be trusted.”
How can B7 bridge that gap? “We understand content and we work with the storytellers and publications who can bring that content to the attention of AI engines,” adds Phil. “I think, for the most part, understanding what your business goals are and matching your content to those goals is the key. We can tell you which platforms will work best for you and discover whether you have the resource to do it yourself or whether you need B7’s support. If that’s the case, we’re here for you.”
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