From SEO to AEO
Search is no longer just about ranking pages. It’s about answering questions.
As AI reshapes how information is surfaced and summarized, enterprise websites must evolve beyond keyword-driven SEO. Content now needs to be structured, contextual, and legible to AI systems that interpret intent rather than links.
At Northrop Grumman, my work focuses on that shift, evolving traditional SEO into Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) by embedding AI-assisted workflows, structured content, and governance directly into the editorial foundation of a global enterprise site.
What this looks like in practice:
Leveraging Sitecore’s AI tagging capabilities and Northrop Grumman’s internal LLM to support scalable generation of metadata, summaries, alt text, and content classification with human editorial oversight.
Shifting editorial strategy from keyword focus to question-and-answer frameworks that clearly articulate the problem, our solution, and evidence of leadership.
Introducing page-level summaries, key takeaways, FAQs, glossaries, and indexes to support AI summarization and human comprehension.
Applying structured data and schema markup to improve clarity for crawlers and answer engines.
Designing modular content that can be reused, surfaced, and summarized across contexts.
Why it matters:
This approach improves discoverability, reduces friction, and creates shared standards for what “good” content looks like at scale. Just as importantly, it prepares the site for an AI-mediated future without sacrificing accuracy, trust, or governance.
For me, AI isn’t about automation. It’s about building systems that help complex information be found, understood, and trusted — now and as discovery continues to evolve.