In the 25 years I’ve been building websites I’ve seen a lot of changes in how people search online. But Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is different. It’s causing a major shift in how we use the Internet to find services. If you’re not adapting, your website could be overlooked.

Before I get to the stuff about AEO, it’s important to understand SEO is not dead. In fact, traditional SEO serves as a foundation for AEO. If your website is missing clear keywords and structure, an AI bot (like ChatGPT or Gemini) isn't very likely to recommend you. AI needs a solid website to find and crawl before it can ever "understand" that you’re the best pet sitter in town. 

If you want to be the company AI recommends when someone asks, "Who is the most reliable pet sitter near me?", here are 10 ways to make it happen.

1. Provide Direct Answers

AI models look for clear, concise information. If someone is looking for a cat sitter, we know they want to know who provides the service, where, and at what price. Give them the quick answer, with more detail to follow. 

For example, for a page about your cat sitting services, your first paragraph might read like this:

Our in-home cat sitting services in Noblesville, IN start at $25 per visit and are designed to keep your cat comfortable in their own home. Each visit includes feeding, litter box care, fresh water, and attention tailored to your cat’s personality.

2. Speak Like a Human

Skip the fancy marketing lingo. AI has a good idea of how we really talk and that's what it's looking for. Use language your actual clients use and write how you would talk to them. Instead of "premium pet care services," try "We take care of your pets like they are our own." It is simpler for AI and for humans.

3. Create Dedicated Service Pages

Don't add all your services onto one long page. If you offer dog walking, cat sitting, and pet boarding, give each one its own page. This allows AI to match a specific user query (like "I need a cat sitter in Fishers") directly to a page that is 100% about that topic. It's also much easier for people to focus on the specific service they're looking for.

4. Prioritize E-E-A-T

Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness. AI looks for signals that you know your stuff. Share your certifications, years in business, memberships, and awards.

5. Keep Your Business Info Consistent

AI cross-checks your info across the web. If your address is "123 Main Street" on your website but "123 Main St." on Facebook, it can confuse our bot-friends. Keep your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP) identical everywhere to build trust with AI and search engines.

6. Add an FAQ Section to Every Key Page

Voice search and AI both love the question-and-answer format. Include a short FAQ section on each of your service pages; 4-6 is ideal and make the answers one or two sentences. Use real questions you hear from a pet parent about that service. General FAQs can go on a separate FAQ page.

7. Mention Your "Where" Naturally

AI needs to know exactly where you operate so it can recommend you to locals. Mention your city, neighborhood, and service areas throughout your copy. Don’t hide them in the footer or on a service area page. Saying that you are "located near downtown Noblesville" or "serving families near Hamilton Town Center" helps AI verify your location.

8. Use Proper Header Tags

Headings (H1, H2, and H3) are like a roadmap for AI. A clear header like "Professional Dog Walking in Noblesville" is much better than something vague like "Our Services."

9. Get Mentioned on Third-Party Sites

Obviously, AI wants to know what you have to say, but what others say about you helps build trust. Getting featured on a local news blog or a "Top 10 Pet Sitters" list is gold for AEO. When AI sees this it notices and thinks (assuming AI actually does think!) “Hmmm…this business must be worth looking into”.

10.   Add Schema Markup to Key Pages

Schema markup works as a sort of translator for your website. It's code that people can't see but tells AI exactly what your business is and what you do. For example, you can use LocalBusiness schema to tell AI your exact hours, prices, and service types. It makes it much easier for AI to know what you do and where.

Many of us search the Internet differently than we used to. Instead of scrolling through a list of links Google spits out, we want quick, clear answers. That’s what AI tools do. They pull information from multiple websites and highlight the ones that best match what we’re looking for. By focusing on AEO, you increase the chance that your business is included in those AI-generated answers.

Sources:

• From search to answer engines: How to optimize for the next era of discovery. 

• Google Search Central: Local Business Structured Data Guide. 

• What is Google E-E-A-T? Guidelines and SEO Benefits. 

• Yoast’s Guide on FAQ Structured Data. 

• Moz’s Essential Local SEO Strategy Guide

Therese Kopiwoda is a former pet sitter and owner of Social Media Hound, specializing in WordPress web design and AEO services for pet professionals. Her background in the pet care industry gives her a practical understanding of the challenges pet sitters face online. She shares her home and her heart with Isaac, her standard poodle.