Quick answer: Start key sections with a 40-word direct answer, use question H2s, and add visible FAQs with FAQPage schema. That is AEO for a Croydon site.
How to structure a Croydon website so Google, voice assistants and AI overviews can cite you. This guide is written for businesses in Croydon and Purley, Thornton Heath, South Norwood and Shirley.
What AEO actually is
Answer engine optimisation means writing the sentence a featured snippet or AI overview can lift. It is not a new trick separate from SEO. It is clearer pages. Croydon has fierce local competition, so generic copy disappears.
The page pattern that works
H1 with the query, a short answer, then detail. FAQ at the end. Internal links to services and contact. Mention Purley, Thornton Heath, South Norwood and Shirley naturally, not as a dump.
Schema that matches the visible text
FAQPage, LocalBusiness, and Article. Never mark up questions you do not show. Croydon Web Design includes this on builds from £150.
Voice search around Croydon
People say “who does web design Croydon near me?” Your page should answer in spoken English, with hours and a phone number in the same block.
Frequently asked questions
Is AEO different from SEO?
It is SEO with stricter answers. Rankings still need useful pages and local signals.
Do I need special tools?
No. Clear headings, FAQs and accurate business details beat most tools.
Can AI write the answers?
It can draft. A human must add Croydon facts or the page stays generic.
