Why AEO matters more than SEO: How HubSpot helps education teams boost AI discoverability

As we step into the Amplify stage of the Loop Marketing Framework, one thing has become increasingly clear: SEO alone is no longer enough. Search behaviour is changing rapidly, and so are the platforms our audiences rely on to find information.

This shift introduces a new priority for education marketing teams: AEO - Artificial Intelligence Experience Optimisation, or more simply, AI discoverability.

In a world where parents, students, and stakeholders increasingly turn to AI tools for answers, ensuring your content appears in those AI-generated responses is becoming essential.

AI is the new search engine

Think about how search looks today. When someone types a question into Google, they’re now often presented with an AI summary at the top of the page. If they ask a question inside ChatGPT or HubSpot’s Breeze tool, the AI surfaces sources it trusts to answer that query.

This means your blogs, guides, programme pages, and thought leadership pieces must be optimised not just for keywords, but for AI systems that decide what information is credible and relevant.

Your prospective families and learners are already using AI in this way. The key question becomes:

👉 Is your content being surfaced as a trusted source?

HubSpot’s new AEO tools: Built to help you get found by AI

HubSpot has introduced a powerful new beta feature that mirrors its traditional SEO tool - but with one crucial difference: it analyses your content for AI discoverability.

Just like the SEO tool, you can run an analysis and receive:

✔ AI Discoverability Scores

A clear snapshot of how visible your content is to AI models.

✔ Opportunity Recommendations

Insight into which topics need improvement - and where you’re performing well.

From here, you can drill into specific topics and questions. This helps you understand whether your content is likely to appear when someone enters relevant queries into ChatGPT or other AI search tools.

Mapping content to real questions prospects are asking

The real value of AEO lies in understanding intent.

For example, if a parent asks ChatGPT:

• “What makes a great independent school open day?”

• “How do colleges manage admissions more efficiently?”

• “What CRM tools work best for schools?”

Will your content be included in that response?

HubSpot’s AEO tool helps you answer that question. It highlights gaps and provides direction on how to strengthen your content so it aligns more closely with what people are asking - not just what they’re typing as keywords.

Build stronger ICPs with AI support

Another advantage of this tool is its ability to support Ideal Customer Profile (ICP) development. Understanding your ICP should already be part of your marketing foundation, but AI can now help refine:

• Who your core audiences really are

• What they're searching for

• Which questions they consistently need help with

This ensures your marketing stays aligned with real user behaviour, not assumptions.

Bring products, services, and sentiment into the picture

HubSpot’s AEO dashboard also connects with:

• Your products/services data (e.g. programmes, courses, training offers)

• AI brand analysis (sentiment, perception trends, and tone)

• Share of voice across priority topics

This gives you a fuller understanding of how your organisation is positioned in AI-driven environments.

For schools, colleges, and training providers, this level of insight can be invaluable when shaping campaigns, updating content, or planning for enrolment peaks.

The bottom line: AEO is the new SEO

Search is evolving - and so must our marketing strategies.

Where SEO helped you climb rankings on Google, AEO helps you become visible to AI systems that now act as the first point of contact for many prospective families and learners.

Optimising for AEO ensures your content isn’t just discoverable - it’s recommended, trusted, and amplified by AI.

As part of your Loop Marketing Amplify stage, this is a critical opportunity to stay ahead of the curve and ensure your message reaches the audiences that matter most.

If you’d like guidance on improving AI discoverability or using HubSpot’s new AEO tools, the HubGem team is always here to help.