SEO isn’t dead. AEO isn’t the next hype. They’re two parallel disciplines with different optimisation logic.
What SEO still is (and stays)
Classic SEO is the foundation layer. Google still indexes, page-rank signals stay relevant, Core Web Vitals and mobile-friendliness stay mandatory. Ignoring SEO leaves you invisible in AI results too — AI models primarily scan top-ranking pages as sources.
What AEO additionally requires
AEO is the structural layer above SEO. While SEO optimises visibility in the result list, AEO optimises the probability that content gets extracted and cited in an AI answer. That requires different structures: Quick Facts tables, H2-as-question, direct answers under 30 words, FAQPage schema. What Google previously ranked as “Featured Snippet” is now lifted by ChatGPT as source.
Swiss 2026 reality
Three measurable shifts. AI models weight Swiss premium media (NZZ, Handelszeitung, Le Temps) significantly higher than German or US tier-1 sources for CH queries. Schema depth got more critical — a site with only Organization and WebSite schema is now classified as “shallow” with reduced citation potential. Multilinguality is expected — AI models check DE/FR/IT/EN coverage and treat a missing locale as a credibility gap.
What to do now
Audit your top-10 pages against AEO structure (X-is-Y intro, Quick Facts, H2 question, FAQ). Expand schema stack to at least FAQPage, HowTo, Person, LocalBusiness. Secure DE+EN coverage minimum, plan FR for Geneva region. Define citation targets for the next 6 months — which 3 Swiss tier-1 outlets should cite you?
This isn’t a quick fix. The brands visible in CH AI answers in 2026 started in 2025.