Answer engine optimization (AEO) is a marketing strategy designed to help brands appear more consistently and accurately within AI-driven answer engines such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Copilot. According to Adobe Express, 77% of Americans have used ChatGPT as a search tool. Although Google still owns a large share of traditional search, it’s becoming clearer that discovery no longer happens in a single place. The challenge is that AI answer engines don’t function like traditional search engines. They’re probabilistic in nature and don’t rely on fixed rankings or predictable clicks. This means marketers need to rethink how content performance is measured. That starts with understanding which AEO metrics actually reflect visibility and influence in AI-driven discovery. Tools like HubSpot AEO can help teams track metrics like visibility, share of voice, and citations consistently. This guide explains what AEO metrics are, how they differ from SEO KPIs, and which AEO metrics matter most in 2026.…