Forget SEO.

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Welcome to AEO (Agent Engine Optimisation).

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I tested OpenAI Operator by asking to find a suitable apartment for rent in Zurich within a given budget.

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Operator opened its browser.

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It used Google Chrome, but it didn’t search on Google.

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It searched on Bing (no surprise here, given Microsoft’s massive investment).

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Then things got interesting.Instead of heading to Homegate or ImmoScout24 (specialised real estate platforms in Switzerland, owned by my employer), it went straight to comparis.ch AG, a general comparison site and my employer's competitor.

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I noticed a similar pattern when searching for flights.

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Rather than Skyscanner, it often defaults to Google Flights.

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How can you make sure agents choose your website over competitors'?

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Does it even matter?

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Well, it does.

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At the end of the process, which lasted about 10 minutes, Operator returned two links of two suitable apartments. I clicked on them and eventually interacted with the website myself.

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💡You want to make sure those links bring to your website!

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In a world where agents browse on behalf of humans, SEO and marketing strategies will need to evolve.

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UI, UX, copywriting and SEO will have to shift from human-centric to agent-centric design. Remember, agents don't feel emotions! This changes everything.

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Are marketers ready for this?