As AEO becomes a core marketing function, organizations need dedicated teams to drive results. Here's how to build one.
The core AEO team typically includes an AEO strategist (often from an SEO background), a content specialist focused on AI-optimized content creation, a data analyst for monitoring and reporting, and a technical specialist for structured data and crawl optimization.
In smaller organizations, one person might cover multiple roles. In enterprise settings, the AEO function often sits alongside SEO and content marketing, with dedicated resources and leadership.
Key skills to look for include: understanding of how AI models work, content strategy experience, data analysis capabilities, technical SEO knowledge, and the ability to communicate results to non-technical stakeholders.
The AEO team should collaborate closely with PR (for citation building), product marketing (for accurate brand positioning), and engineering (for technical implementation).
Start with a pilot project — pick one product or topic area, build visibility, demonstrate ROI, and then expand the team and scope based on results.