SEO vs. AEO - don't let the children lie to you when they are selling you 2.0 bs
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SEO vs. AEO - don’t let the children lie to you when they are selling you 2.0 bs
Connor “with Honor” MacIvor - June 25, 2025** 0 Comments | Add Comment
Key Points
What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is about making your content easily found and cited by AI-powered tools like ChatGPT and Google SGE, focusing on direct answers rather than just ranking high in search results. Unlike traditional SEO, which aims to improve website rankings, AEO ensures your content is the go-to answer for user queries, often appearing in featured snippets or voice search results.
How Does AEO Differ from SEO?
AEO targets AI-driven search behaviors, emphasizing clear, concise content with structures like FAQs and summaries, while SEO focuses on broader keyword visibility and rankings. AEO is about being the answer, not just a link, aligning with modern search trends like voice assistants.
Protecting Yourself When Considering AEO Services
To choose a reliable AEO provider, verify their expertise, check client references, and ensure they use ethical strategies. Ask about their approach to AI optimization and request transparent reporting on performance. Be cautious of providers promising quick results or lacking clear deliverables.
Survey Note: Comprehensive Guide to Answer Engine Optimization and Choosing Services
Introduction: Understanding the Shift to AEO
In today’s digital landscape, the way people search for information is rapidly evolving. Traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) has long been the cornerstone for improving online visibility, focusing on ranking websites higher in search engine results pages (SERPs) like Google. However, with the rise of AI-powered tools such as ChatGPT, Google Search Generative Experience (SGE), Perplexity AI, and Bing Copilot, a new strategy has emerged: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). This approach is designed to make your content not just visible, but directly cited as the answer in AI-driven search responses, aligning with modern user behaviors that prioritize quick, conversational answers.
This survey note, based on a detailed transcript from Connor MacIvor (@agentichonor) and supplemented by extensive research, aims to provide a comprehensive, persuasive, and SEO-optimized guide for real estate agents. It will explore what AEO is, how it differs from SEO, and how to protect yourself when considering AEO services, particularly in the context of the “Agentic Honor System” offered through Honor Elevate. This system is positioned as a complete, foundational business operating system for real estate agents, addressing pain points like lead generation, follow-up, and scaling, while leveraging AI for a competitive edge.
The Evolution of Search: Why AEO Matters
The transcript highlights a significant shift in search behavior, noting that users are increasingly turning to AI chatbots and voice assistants for immediate answers, rather than scrolling through pages of links. For instance, Connor mentions, “Now we have Google models or the artificial intelligence systems out there. The chat GPTs of the world, the Grox, the Microsoft copilots, the clouds, the metas, all of these things.” This reflects a broader trend where platforms like ChatGPT and Google SGE deliver curated, synthesized responses, reducing reliance on traditional search.
Research from sources like SurferSEO: What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)? confirms this, stating that AEO focuses on delivering direct answers to user queries, enhancing visibility in answer engines compared to SEO’s broader keyword targeting. This is crucial for real estate agents, who need to ensure their content—whether blog posts, social media updates, or videos—appears as the authoritative answer when potential clients search for property information or agent services.
Defining AEO: A Closer Look
AEO is not just an extension of SEO; it’s a distinct strategy tailored for AI-driven search. The transcript emphasizes, “They’re looking for answers to questions. So that first step to wrap your mind around is building your content, be it social media, or blog posts, or whatever it is when you talk about your particular, whatever your business is, in a video, you want to address certain things.” This involves structuring content to be easily interpretable by AI, using elements like:
Research from Marcel Digital: What is Answer Engine Optimization? supports this, noting that AEO focuses on earning citations in AI-generated responses, rather than just organic rankings. For real estate agents, this means optimizing property listings, market updates, and client testimonials to be the go-to source for AI answers, enhancing credibility and visibility.
AEO vs. SEO: Key Differences
To understand AEO’s value, it’s essential to contrast it with traditional SEO. The following table summarizes the key differences:
The transcript notes, “Now it’s becoming even more transparent than before. This reminds me very much of the beginnings of Google when it was all based on best client or best customer, best partner experience.” This transparency aligns with AEO’s goal of delivering precise, user-focused answers, a shift that research from SEO.com: What Is Answer Engine Optimization? The SEO’s Guide to AEO supports, highlighting AEO’s focus on visibility in AI engines like ChatGPT.
The Agentic Honor System: A Solution for Real Estate Agents
For real estate agents feeling overwhelmed by technology, the “Agentic Honor System” through Honor Elevate offers a comprehensive, integrated solution. The transcript, provided by Connor MacIvor, details a system that begins with a robust, scalable, and AI-adaptable CRM, extending to full AI integration, including workflows, ads, funnels, forms, SMS/email marketing, AI-powered phone calls, and automated follow-up systems. This is not just another software package; it’s a foundational business operating system designed by a veteran agent and technologist.
Connor’s background—20 years with the LAPD, honorably retired, and a Realtor since 1998—establishes trust and authority. He states, “I’m not some kid who just discovered an app. I’ve been in the trenches, both on the streets and in this market. I’m not collecting a pension; my success, like yours, is built on what I produce today.” This resonates with agents struggling with lead generation, follow-up, and scaling, offering a bespoke, integrated system built on a solid foundation.
Building the Foundation: The CRM Core
The transcript emphasizes the importance of a strong foundation, using the analogy of building a house: “Explain why a ‘proper foundation’ is non-negotiable. Use the house-building analogy. Many agents are trying to build mansions on sand.” The CRM is that foundation, offering seamless SMS and email integration, pipeline management, and lead tracking, all configured for AI adaptability. Research from Honor Elevate Services details capabilities like lead generation from websites, social media, and Google, as well as communication management through text and social messaging, ensuring agents can capture and nurture leads effectively.
AI Integration: From Missed Calls to Automated Workflows
The system extends beyond the CRM with AI-powered features. The transcript highlights, “What happens when somebody calls you at two o’clock in the morning and you’re asleep? What happens when they call with your other clients? Do you have a system that can answer that phone, not press one or press two or press three? But an actual AI interfaced secretary, male, female, 50 different voices, different accents that actually speaks about your business, knows about your business because it’s being handled by AI.” This AI phone system qualifies leads, schedules appointments, and frees up agents’ time, while automated workflows trigger multi-touch sequences involving SMS, email, and AI voice calls, ensuring no lead is missed.
High-conversion funnels and forms, as detailed in the transcript, include templates for landing pages and strategies that convert traffic into leads. Intelligent ad management tracks leads from click to close, providing true ROI data, ensuring agents maximize their marketing spend. These features align with AEO principles, ensuring content and interactions are optimized for AI visibility.
Trusting the Man Behind the System: Connor MacIvor’s Credibility
Connor’s credibility is rooted in his diverse background. From his tech roots—starting with a Timex Sinclair in 1984, volunteering at the Clyde W. Tombaugh Planetarium, and the New Mexico Museum of Space History—to his disciplined LAPD career, he brings a lifelong passion for technology and systems. His real estate experience since 1998 ensures he understands the nuances of the market, making the “Agentic Honor System” a trustworthy, no-nonsense solution. As he notes, “Honor is not just in the name; it’s the code. It’s about providing a system that truly works and standing behind it.”
Protecting Yourself: Choosing the Right AEO Service Provider
Given the transcript’s mention of companies offering AEO services, it’s crucial to protect yourself from unreliable providers. Research suggests several steps:
Be cautious of red flags, such as guaranteed rankings or lack of client references, and ask specific questions like how they target AI engines and measure success. The transcript warns, “When somebody calls you, and they want to provide this service for you and look at your systems and start playing these games for you, you want to ask them some questions. Tell them, ask them what they’re doing.”
Practical Steps for Implementation
For real estate agents, implementing AEO involves optimizing content for AI visibility. The transcript suggests starting with summaries and TLDRs, using H2 tags, and ensuring consistency across online directories like Yellow Pages and Google My Business. Research from SurferSEO: What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)? recommends using schema markup and FAQ pages, enhancing user experience and AI interpretability.
The “Agentic Honor System” through Honor Elevate offers a turnkey solution, with services like lead generation, communication management, and automated workflows, all optimized for AEO. Agents can test the AI voice system by calling 661-219-7299, as mentioned in the transcript, to see how it handles missed calls and qualifies leads.
Call to Action: Your Next Step
This isn’t just about buying software; it’s about transforming your business. The first step is a one-on-one conversation with Connor MacIvor to see if the “Agentic Honor System” fits your needs. Ready to build your business on a foundation of steel? Call or text Connor directly at 661-400-1720, email at connor@honorelevate.com, or visit Honor Elevate for customized onboarding and AI integration. Connect online at Instagram @agentichonor or YouTube at YouTube.
Conclusion
Stop relying on disconnected tools. Invest in the “Agentic Honor System,” a complete, unified operating system built on a rock-solid CRM foundation, powered by AI for real estate agents. Your next level is one conversation away. Call Connor at 661-400-1720 and take the first step toward dominating your market.
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