Marketing is shifting faster than ever. Algorithms change. Platforms rise and fall. Attention spans shrink.
But amid all this chaos sits a transformative idea—one that Vast Solutions Group and guest Jason Hackett explore in their recent discussion:

👉 The world is moving from SEO to AEO — Ask Engine Optimization.

If SEO helped you rank in search engines…
AEO will help you stay relevant in a world where customers don’t search the way they used to.
They ask. They ask Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant. They ask ChatGPT. They ask AI.

And the companies who answer best?
They win. 🚀

Let’s dive into this future of marketing with a full breakdown, insights, examples, and actionable strategies — all inspired by the podcast conversation and expanded with research-based context.

🧠 Mindset Shift: “What Can I Give?” → The New Marketing North Star 🎁

Jason Hackett opens the conversation with a challenging but game-changing idea:

“Take the ‘I’ out of the equation. Focus on what you GIVE, not what you GET.”
—Jason Hackett

This mindset has quietly become the foundation of modern marketing.

Why?

Because customers today:

• can smell self-promotion from a mile away 👃

• expect real value before they give you trust 🫶

• want experiences, not advertisements 🎟️

• want answers, not taglines ❓

People don’t follow brands because they want to be sold to.
They follow brands because they are helpful, useful, community-driven, and human.

💡 Practical Shifts You Can Make Today:

• Replace “We do XYZ” with “Here’s how YOU benefit”

• Offer free education, tools, or insights

• Focus on customer results, not company claims

• Ask: “If my brand disappeared today, would people miss it?”

This is the heart of AEO… not algorithms, but SERVICE. ❤️

🤝 Community Is the New Currency

Why the Most Successful Brands Are Becoming Community Platforms

Jason points out a growing trend across industries:

👉 People don’t want to join audiences. They want to join communities.

An audience listens.
A community interacts.
A community shares.
A community grows together.

And in marketing, the brands building community win because:

• Communities create trust faster 🤝

• Communities reduce ad spending (peer-to-peer sharing!) 💬

• Communities increase retention 🧲

• Communities turn customers into ambassadors 🗣️

🔥 Real-World Examples

• Peloton didn’t sell bikes — they sold belonging

• Apple didn’t sell phones — they sold identity

• Local real estate groups build tribes based on location & lifestyle

• Creators build communities better than corporations

Jason shares how communities work best:

• Invite experts to lead discussions

• Create spaces where members can share and help each other

• Host Q&As, live sessions, mixers, and real-world events

• Encourage collaboration, not competition

❤️ The Rule of Real Community:

“People come for the value. They stay for the relationships.”

🏡 Real Estate Example: Not Square Footage — But Life, Family & Business

Jason expands on how AEO and value-based marketing specifically impacts real estate.

Traditionally, real estate was positioned as:

• a home

• a building

• a property

• an investment

But today’s buyers want more than that.

🏢 For Commercial Real Estate:

They’re not buying space.
They’re buying business acceleration.

They want:

• lower cost of operation

• better foot traffic

• strategic location leverage

• a place to scale

🏠 For Residential Buyers:

They’re not buying a house.
They’re buying a life.

They want:

• safety

• family connection

• community

• school access

• lifestyle

Marketing is no longer about the product.
It’s about the transformation the product makes possible.

This shift is exactly why AEO matters…

🔍 SEO vs. AEO: What’s Changing? What’s Coming Next? 🤖

Let’s break this down clearly.

🔵 OLD WORLD: SEO — Search Engine Optimization

People would:

• type keywords

• scroll results

• click websites

Businesses optimized for:

• keywords

• backlinks

• metadata

• content clusters

🔴 NEW WORLD: AEO — Ask Engine Optimization

People now:

• ask Siri

• ask Google Assistant

• ask ChatGPT

• ask AI-powered bots

• ask voice agents

• ask smart devices

They don’t type.
They don’t browse.
They don’t scroll.

They ask.

And that changes everything.

🧭 What AEO Requires:

To win in an AEO world, your content must be:

• conversational

• answer-driven

• accurate

• actionable

• context aware

• structured in Q&A formats

• voice-friendly

• AI-friendly

Think more:

• FAQs

• “How do I…”

• “What’s the best…”

• “Who should I…”

• “Where can I…”

Less:

• keyword stuffing

• 2,000-word SEO articles

• clickbait titles

🔮 Why AEO Is the Future

Jason says it clearly:

“AEO is inevitable. Consumer behavior is shifting, and businesses must adapt.”

AI is becoming the gateway to information.
And the language of AI is conversation.

This shift will define the next 5–10 years of marketing.

🚀 Action Plan: How to Start AEO Today

(Practical steps you can implement immediately)

1️⃣ Write Down the Top 50 Questions Your Audience Asks

These become your AEO content pillars.

2️⃣ Turn Every Question Into a Short, Clear Answer

AI loves:

• clarity

• structure

• accuracy

• simplicity

3️⃣ Use Conversational Language

Imagine someone speaking the question, not typing it.

4️⃣ Include Real Expertise

AI will favor trusted sources over fluff.

5️⃣ Format Content Like a Q&A

Your website and social media should look like a knowledge hub.

6️⃣ Build Premium “Answer Content”

Answer guides
Explainer videos
Live Q&As
Tutorials
Mini-courses
Voice-friendly scripts

7️⃣ Keep SEO Alive — But Allocate Budget Slowly to AEO

SEO isn’t dead.
But it’s no longer the only game in town (or the most important one).

🌐 Social Media + Real World = Magic ✨

Jason emphasizes that:

👉 You use social media to get attention…
…then use real-world or live experiences to build deep relationships.

Examples:

• Live events

• Masterminds

• Zoom meetups

• In-person mixers

• Webinars

• Guest speakers

• Coffee chats

Attention → Relationship → Trust → Business.

This is the new marketing funnel.

🧠 Big-Picture Takeaways (Emoji Edition)

• 🔄 Remove the “I”. Add value.

• 🤝 Community beats audience.

• 🏘️ Real estate = life + business acceleration.

• 🗣️ AEO is the next frontier of marketing.

• 🤳 Social → Attention | Live → Relationship.

• 💡 Consumers trust brands who ANSWER, not advertise.

• 🧲 AEO will separate future winners from the forgotten.

🏁 Final Thoughts: Marketing Is Becoming More Human — With AI’s Help 🤖❤️

This is the irony and beauty of AEO:

The technology is getting smarter…
But the brands winning will be the ones who act more human, more giving, and more community-oriented.

AEO isn’t just strategy.
It’s psychology.
It’s empathy.
It’s service.
It’s connection.

Businesses that answer questions, serve communities, and focus on transformation — not promotion — will dominate.

In short:

👉 AEO isn’t just the future of marketing.
It’s the future of trust. 🧡


Schedule Your Free Strategy Call Now!


📚 Don’t miss Modern Millions by R. Kenner French – the #1 BEST SELLING Amazon book (Entrepreneurship category)👉ModernMillions.ai

📚 Amazon Top Selling Author→https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FHBS32LG