AEO isn't the same as SEO

What we talked about.

In this episode of the Sunny Ray Show, host Sunny Ray talks with Brian Wasatski, founder of Sky SEO Digital, a Miami based agency built over 18 years in digital marketing. Brian explains why he believes answer engine optimization, or AEO, is a distinct discipline from traditional SEO, even though the two overlap in areas like content quality, authority, and user experience. He traces his path from a 2008 entry level SEO job at an e-commerce sports collectibles company through agency roles and a guided tour company, to launching his own agency in 2022 and pivoting hard into AEO after noticing organic traffic softening last summer. The conversation covers how his team audits and reformats content so it gets cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews, how pricing and team structure differ from legacy SEO shops, and why he expects fewer, leaner agencies as AI automates writing, reporting, and link building. He closes with a real client result and his philosophy on setting honest expectations.

A Miami SEO veteran explains why ranking in ChatGPT and AI Overviews takes a completely different playbook than ranking in Google.

The questions, and the answers.

What are you building at Sky SEO Digital?

I have spent the last four years growing and scaling the agency. I focus mainly on small businesses in Miami, though I have clients outside the city too. My work centers on three key areas: AEO, Google Ads, and web design, helping local businesses get found and get customers through those channels.

Where did the idea come from that AEO isn't the same as SEO?

About a year ago, traditional SEO tactics stopped helping businesses rank in AI search or Google AI Overviews. AEO overlaps with SEO on authority, content quality, and user experience, but formatting content for chatbots to read and cite is different from formatting for Google. What works for Google won't necessarily get you ranked in ChatGPT, Copilot, or Perplexity.

Can you give us your 18 years in 90 seconds, and when you realized AEO was its own discipline?

I started in 2008 at a small e-commerce sports collectibles company after finding a Craigslist ad, despite my business degree from American University. I got laid off in the recession, freelanced, then worked agency side for years. I opened my own agency in 2022, and last August I pivoted hard into AEO as AI search started eating into organic Google traffic.

How do you explain to a client who thinks AEO is just a rebrand of SEO?

Most people saying it's the same are marketers on LinkedIn, not clients. Clients already sense the difference. I've run the same content and strategy adjusted for AEO versus standard SEO for clients and seen different results. That's not opinion, that's what actually happened when we tested it side by side.

What do most agencies still believe about AI search that you think will age badly?

Some agencies think how they do business won't change, but I believe in three to five years there will be fewer agencies and lower costs per client because teams will run leaner. Content writing, link building, reporting, and social posting can already be automated. The future is more about consulting, reviewing, and strategy than manual execution.

How do you actually get a brand cited inside an AI answer instead of just indexed?

It comes down to the authority of the site and how the content is formatted for AI, not just for Google. We write for both now. We can post content for a client and within about a week see them starting to rank in AI search for certain terms, though it isn't an exact science.

Can you share an anonymized before and after result?

One current client, an attorney with offices in multiple states, was slower before we optimized the site, added new content, and ran Google local service ads. Within about three to four months he went from not being that busy to, in his own words, being slammed and much busier.

Your about page says transparency delivers results. What does that make you tell clients that other agencies don't?

I have to manage expectations, so I tell clients they won't be number one in 30, 60, or 90 days and we won't 10x or 20x their traffic overnight. I also make sure they own their domain and hosting and have admin access, since I've heard of agencies locking clients into long contracts around a supposedly free site.