The Next Era in Real Estate Marketing Is Here
As customers increasingly use AI to ask full questions, agents who structure content around clear answers may stand out and win more business online.
NEW YORK — Answer engine optimization (AEO) is reshaping how real estate professionals attract leads as AI-driven search tools prioritize clear, question-and-answer content.
While traditional search engine optimization (SEO) and search engine marketing (SEM) still matter, buyers and sellers are increasingly asking full questions through tools like Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT and voice search, which reward direct, structured answers. This “zero-click” behavior occurs when a search engine user finds the answer to their query directly on the results page without clicking on any website links.
“Zero-click behavior means fewer clicks, fewer page views and fewer opportunities to convert visitors after the search. It also means the agent who wins is often the one who shows up in the answer itself,” author Marki Lemons-Ryhal said in Chicago Agent magazine.
Beyond websites, AI tools also rely on brand “mentions” across platforms, making consistent publishing and repurposing essential. Lemons-Ryhal sums up the strategy as: “Record once, then repurpose everywhere.”
Local business profiles on platforms that include Yelp and Bing Places, along with technical tools, also help AI systems identify credible, location-based answers.
Ultimately, visibility alone is not enough. “The first business to respond often wins,” Lemons-Ryhal wrote.
“AEO is not a trend to watch. It is a publishing-and-response system to run. The agents who publish answers and reply first will attract more clients organically, convert faster and waste less money on marketing and missed calls,” she said.
Source: Chicago Agent Magazine (01/20/26) Lemons-Ryhal, Marki
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