Go-to-Market Daily

Audience Engagement Optimization

Written by Mark Kilens | 3/4/25 9:35 PM

New term alert. Audience Engagement Optimization (AEO).

The process of creating and engaging an audience to deliver value to its participants. My prediction is this will become more valuable and important than SEO in the next five years. Bold, I know.

It's the act of using questions, media, content, events, and education to develop and deliver value to an audience. And then find ways for the audience to move from bystander to engaged participant to customer to raving loyalist.

I think very few marketers have this skill set today. And are going to need it big time as the older ways of marketing get swallowed by AI. AEO is deeply rooted in psychology and crafting empathetic approaches to human connection.

So the tip today is start thinking about this and invest a bit in optimizing your audience engagement in 2025.

It could be something simple with your audience on LinkedIn, your email newsletter, or in your owned community. Be a bit more deliberate and thoughtful. Which usually starts with being better at listening to your audience.

So what say you? Is this tip too far out there? Do you believe in it?