Learn how HubSpot's AEO tool enhances visibility in AI searches and learn to optimize your brand for the evolving landscape of search behavior.
If you’ve noticed more people searching with tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity instead of traditional Google searches, you’re not imagining it. Search behavior is changing fast — and that’s where AEO comes in.
AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization. Instead of optimizing your website just for search engines, AEO focuses on helping your brand show up in AI-generated answers.
In other words:
Instead of asking Google and clicking links, people are increasingly asking AI tools direct questions and getting recommendations instantly.
And if your business isn’t part of those answers? Your competitors probably are.
HubSpot AEO helps businesses understand how visible they are across AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity.
The tool includes:
HubSpot describes it as a way to “see exactly how your business shows up in AI answers.”
One of the most interesting parts is the visibility score, which measures how often your brand appears in AI-generated responses and how those mentions are framed.
HubSpot currently offers a few different ways to explore AEO:
If you just want a snapshot of how your brand is performing in AI search, start with HubSpot’s free grader tool:
The grader looks at things like:
It’s a really easy way to benchmark where you stand right now.
HubSpot Users on Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise automatically get HubSpot AEO with their subscription.
For users not on Marketing Hub Professional or Enterprise, don't worry - HubSpot has thought of you, too!
HubSpot also launched a full standalone AEO product that includes ongoing tracking, recommendations, and deeper reporting.
According to HubSpot, the tool starts at $50/month and includes:
If you already use HubSpot, the integration with your CRM and content tools can help make recommendations even more specific.
Getting started with HubSpot AEO is actually pretty straightforward. The setup wizard walks you through the basics so HubSpot can understand your brand, competitors, products, and audience — then start measuring how you appear in AI-generated answers.
Inside HubSpot, navigate to:
Marketing > AEO
From there, you’ll enter:
This gives HubSpot the foundation it needs to begin analyzing your AI visibility.
Next, HubSpot will ask you to define any alternate versions of your brand name.
This can include:
You’ll also select whether your company is:
This helps HubSpot better understand how and where your brand may appear in AI-generated responses.
HubSpot will automatically suggest a list of competitors based on your industry and brand positioning.
The nice part is that this list is fully editable:
This comparison data helps HubSpot benchmark your AI visibility against other brands in your space.
Next, HubSpot will suggest:
You can:
This step is important because it influences the prompts and AI searches HubSpot will monitor later.
HubSpot will then generate suggested prompts based on your:
These prompts represent the kinds of searches people may ask AI tools like ChatGPT or Gemini.
Examples might include:
You can fully edit these prompts now or later inside the platform.
HubSpot also allows you to generate prompts across all products and audiences to expand your tracking coverage.
Once setup is complete, HubSpot begins running those prompts against AI platforms to evaluate:
This is where the real AEO insights start coming to life.
Once you’re fully set up, you’ll gain access to several key areas inside the platform.
The Dashboard gives you a high-level overview of:
This is usually the best starting point for monitoring trends over time.
The Prompts tab lets you:
This section is especially useful for identifying gaps in your content strategy.
The Citations tab focuses on:
This helps you understand which websites and content sources are influencing AI-generated answers.
The Recommendations tab organizes actionable next steps for your team.
Recommendations include:
This is where HubSpot starts turning AI visibility insights into an actual content roadmap.
Not exactly.
Traditional SEO still matters. But the way people discover brands online is expanding beyond search results pages.
Many marketers are starting to think about:
The good news? A lot of strong SEO fundamentals still help with AEO too:
Industry conversations around AEO are also emphasizing the importance of authoritative content, clear answers, and real expertise.
We also covered the bigger shift from traditional search to AI-driven discovery in this post:
From SEO to AEO: What’s Changing in Search (and What Still Matters)
AEO is still new, but it’s quickly becoming part of the modern marketing conversation — especially for teams already investing heavily in content and inbound marketing.
If you’re already using HubSpot, now’s a great time to start exploring how your brand appears in AI-generated answers and where new opportunities exist.
At the very least, try the grader and see where you stand:
Check Your Visibility with HubSpot’s AEO Grader