Increasing Visibility in Artificial Intelligence (AI) Search Results

A practical guide to Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) for investment managers.

What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of creating authoritative content that AI systems cite when answering user questions. AEO focuses on helping your brand become a trusted source of information that AI platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google’s AI Overview use when generating answers.

Unlike traditional search engine optimization (SEO), where companies need to publish regular content to rank higher in search algorithms like Google, AI algorithms search for highly cited and authoritative content to generate answers.  The entire space is changing, and marketers will need to adjust to ensure their brands remain relevant.

What Is the Difference Between SEO and AEO?

AEO differs from traditional SEO in several nuanced but important ways.  Historically, SEO prioritized webpages that best matched search query, while AEO focuses on optimizing content to answer users’ questions. AEO is always evolving.  SEO prioritizes web traffic, while AEO focuses on visibility and authority within AI generated responses. Rather than measuring success primarily by website traffic, AEO places greater emphasis on how often your content is cited or recognized as authoritative source by AI platforms.

Why Does AEO Matter for Asset Managers?

Investors Are Using AI for Research

Artificial intelligence is quickly becoming part of how investors and financial advisors gather information. What began as a productivity tool is now being increasingly used to research investment concepts, compare strategies, and answer financial questions.

Recent surveys show 55% of Americans have used AI for financial advice, while 37% of AI users report using these tools for investment research or investment recommendations.

This shift has important implications for asset managers. Historically, investors and advisors would visit multiple websites, research reports, and third-party databases to answer questions about investment strategies and managers. Today, many of those same questions are being directed to AI platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity.

Common prompts or questions might include:

• What is infrastructure investing?
• How should investors think about inflation protection?
• Who are the leading global small-cap managers?
• What are the risks and opportunities in resource equities?
• Which strategies have historically performed well during periods of high inflation?

The firms most likely to appear in these responses are those that have established expertise on a topic through authoritative, well-structured, and frequently cited content. As AI becomes a more common part of the investment research process, visibility will increasingly depend not only on whether a firm can be found online, but whether it is recognized by AI systems as a trusted source of information.

AI Is Becoming a New Discovery Channel

Historically, consultants, databases, and research platforms played a major role in helping investors discover asset managers. McKinsey estimates that roughly half of consumers now use AI-powered search tools; 37% report starting searches with AI rather than traditional search engines.

At the same time, Bain research found that 80% of consumers rely on AI-generated summaries for at least 40% of their searches, reducing organic website traffic by 15% to 25%.

For asset managers, this means visibility is increasingly determined by whether a firm is cited in AI-generated answers rather than whether it simply ranks highly in traditional search results.

AEO is becoming the new search engine, helping determine which firms’ investors encounter during the earliest stages of research.

The Four Types of Content Most Likely to Be Cited by AI

There are a host of topics a firm can write about to help establish their presence in AI algorithms.  Some topics that would do well include:

Explanatory Content

 “What is infrastructure investing?”
“How does global small-cap investing work?”

Market Education

 “What is the energy transition?”
“How should investors think about inflation?”

Expert Perspectives

Insights on investment frameworks, how a portfolio manager thinks, etc..

Frequently Asked Questions

Give highly structured answers, clear definitions, and concise explanations on frequently asked questions on a particular subject.  These FAQ’s will help firms get cited by AI algorithms as they answer basic questions that someone may inquire about.

How Can Boutique Asset Managers Compete with Larger Firms in AI Search?

The SCALE Framework for AI Visibility

AI search rewards topical expertise more than firm size or frequency of content. Boutique asset managers can improve and evaluate their visibility in AI searches by focusing on five key factors: SCALE.

Specialization

AI systems reward firms that are known for a specific area of expertise. Asset managers that consistently publish content on a particular investment theme are more likely to be associated with that category.

Examples include:

• Infrastructure investing
• Resource equities
• Global small-cap investing
• Emerging markets
• Downside risk management

When evaluating Specialization – Are you appearing in AI-generated answers related to your core area of expertise?

Consistency

Publishing consistently on a single topic helps reinforce expertise over time. AI platforms continuously refresh and evaluate content. A firm that produces educational content, market commentary, and thought leadership on one investment theme regularly is more likely to be recognized as an authoritative source than a firm that publishes broadly across unrelated topics.

When evaluating Consistency – Are you regularly publishing educational and thought leadership content that addresses investor questions?

Authority

Authority is built by demonstrating expertise and presence across a variety of sources. This includes publishing original insights, answering common questions, and gathering third party endorsements (like speaking to the media) while providing a clear investment perspective that can be referenced by others.

When evaluating Authority – Are your portfolio managers and investment professionals being cited or referenced as experts in their field?

Links and Citations

AI platforms seek evidence that a source is trusted by others. Media mentions, third-party articles, industry publications, and research citations all help strengthen a firm's credibility and increase its likelihood of being referenced in AI-generated answers.

When evaluating Links and Citations – Are reputable publications, media outlets, and third-party websites referencing your content?

Expertise

As opposed to Authority, which emphasizes credibility, expertise is demonstrated through depth of knowledge. AI Engines are more likely to recognize detailed, educational, and well-supported content as a trusted source of information.

When evaluating Expertise – Is your firm becoming associated with specific investment themes or categories in AI-generated responses?

Why Does AI Search Favor Specialized Firms?

AI systems are designed to identify the most relevant and authoritative sources for a specific question. As a result, firms that consistently publish content on a single investment theme often develop stronger topical authority than firms that publish broadly across many topics.

For example, a boutique manager focused on infrastructure investing may be more likely to appear in AI-generated responses to questions about infrastructure assets than a larger diversified asset manager with limited content on the subject.

How Can Asset Managers Measure AEO Success?

Unlike traditional SEO, AEO success is not measured solely by website traffic or search rankings. The primary goal of Answer Engine Optimization is to increase visibility within AI-generated answers.

One of the simplest ways to measure progress is to track how often your firm appears in responses to relevant investor questions. For example, a global small-cap manager may monitor prompts such as:

• Who are the leading global small-cap managers?
• What are the benefits of small-cap investing?
• How should investors gain exposure to international small-cap stocks?

By running these prompts across platforms such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity, firms can begin to understand how visible they are within AI search results.

What Does the Future of AI Search Mean for Asset Managers?

As investors increasingly use AI platforms to research investment strategies, compare managers, and answer financial questions, visibility will depend less on where a firm ranks in search results, and more on whether it is recognized as a trusted source of expertise.

For boutique asset managers, this presents an opportunity. Firms that consistently demonstrate expertise in a specific investment category may be more likely to appear in AI-generated responses than a larger competitor with broader but less focused content.

Ultimately, the goal of AEO is not to be known for everything. It is to become a trusted source for something.