Is AEO the Future of Marketing?

August 28, 2025•3 min read

R. Kenner French welcomed Jason Hackett, a marketing veteran with two decades of experience in location-based entertainment and a recent stint at McKinsey. Jason shared his journey into entrepreneurship, highlighting his focus on guest experience and customer-first strategies. He emphasized that businesses should shift from “what can I get” to “what can I give,” reminding listeners that the customer ultimately decides the success or failure of any company.

The discussion turned to community building. Jason stressed that communities thrive when value is consistently added, not just extracted. He advised providing practical insights, facilitating meaningful connections among members, and creating peer-to-peer opportunities rather than relying solely on one-way broadcasts. These approaches could spark engagement and build stronger relationships.

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On increasing engagement, Jason outlined several tactics: drawing attention with high-profile speakers, hosting interactive AMA sessions on relevant topics (such as AI or tax strategies), and empowering members to share their expertise. He explained that engagement flourishes when communities encourage peer-to-peer exchange rather than being top-down. Kenner agreed, noting that VastSolutionsGroup.com has access to well-known guests and could also leverage internal networking to help members benefit from one another’s expertise.

The conversation then shifted to marketing strategies, especially for real estate professionals. Jason advised agents to view real estate as an enabling function rather than the end goal. On the commercial side, agents should help clients use real estate to accelerate business goals while minimizing costs. For residential, agents should focus on lifestyle and family needs rather than just square footage. He encouraged collaboration among agents in building communities, warning against redundancy but highlighting the benefits of cooperation over competition.

Finally, the pair discussed the evolution from SEO to AEO (Ask Engine Optimization). Jason noted that consumer behavior is shifting from search engines to AI-driven Q&A platforms, making AEO an inevitable evolution. He advised businesses to gradually allocate resources toward AEO while maintaining traditional SEO. Kenner agreed, admitting his company was late to SEO but is now early to AEO. They closed by reflecting on the importance of balancing marketing with product development, the power of social media for authority building, and the increasing value of in-person events for converting attention into long-term relationships.

Takeaways

• Take the 'I' out of the equation; focus on the customer.

• Community engagement should be about adding value.

• Real estate should be viewed as an enabling function.

• Building connections within a community is vital.

• Social media is essential for gaining attention.

• Live events are crucial for converting interest into action.

• Transparency in collaboration fosters trust among agents.

• AEO is the future of digital marketing.

• Business owners should allocate time to learn new marketing strategies.

• Attention is the new currency in business.

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