When customers search for a business like yours, whether on Google or through AI tools like ChatGPT oe Google Gemini, AEO & SEO ensures your business shows up and gets recommended. Thryv's AEO & SEO program combines traditional Search Engine Optimization (SEO) with Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) to help your business get found across both traditional search results and the next generation of AI-powered search. SEO improves your website's visibility in search engine rankings through content optimization, site structure, keyword targeting, and quality link building. AEO goes a step further by optimizing your content so that AI models can find, understand, and recommend your business as a direct answer when someone asks a question. Together, AEO & SEO give your business the best chance of being found no matter how your customers are searching.

How AEO & SEO Works in Thryv

Our SEO team focuses on 3 key areas. From these SEO efforts, you can expect gradual improvements in your website's visibility, organic traffic, and search engine rankings over time.

• Local SEO — Thryv optimizes your Google Business Profile to ensure your business name, address, categories, service descriptions, and contact details are accurate and aligned with Google best practices. Accurate local listings improve your chances of appearing in map results and local search queries.
• Website SEO — Thryv's SEO team improves your site's structure, content, and technical performance, including page speed, mobile usability, and keyword optimization. This includes crafting search-optimized content and ensuring search engines can crawl and index your site effectively.
• Off-Site SEO — Thryv builds your online authority through high-quality backlinks, social bookmarking, and directory citations. Off-site SEO complements on-site work by signaling to search engines that your business is a trusted, relevant result.
• AEO & AI Visibility — Thryv's AEO work optimizes your content so that AI models like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews can find, understand, and recommend your business as a direct answer to a user's question. This includes AI crawlability research to ensure your business is not just listed on a page, but actively recommended by AI-powered search tools. Web traffic from AI-driven referrals increased 10x between July 2024 and February 2025 making AI visibility a critical part of any search strategy today.

For a quick overview of SEO in Thryv, take a look at this video.

How to Get Started with AEO & SEO

AEO & SEO is available as an add-on to Thryv and must be purchased through your Thryv Business Advisor. It is not available for self-serve purchase in the software. Your Business Advisor will build a comprehensive AEO & SEO proposal tailored to your desired keywords, geography, and competition before you make any decisions. Once you've reviewed your proposal and are ready to move forward, your Business Advisor will guide you through the purchase and kick off your onboarding.

SEO & AEO Onboarding Process

AEO & SEO onboarding begins with keyword research as soon as your purchase is complete. Your program then kicks off with a 45-minute onboarding call with an AEO & SEO specialist, where you will review and finalize your keywords and confirm the on-site and off-site work to be done. AEO & SEO work begins immediately after onboarding is complete. The program cannot be scheduled to start at a future date

How to Access Your AEO & SEO Dashboard

After purchasing AEO & SEO and completing onboarding, you can track your program's progress directly in Thryv. Click the SEO tab in the left-hand navigation to open your AEO & SEO dashboard in a separate tab. Your dashboard displays your keyword rankings, links acquired, Google Analytics data, and total traffic results. 

On your SEO Dashboard, you can keep track of the work our SEO team is doing, as well as the results. The SEO dashboard contains information about your keyword rankings, links acquired, Google Analytics, total traffic, and more.

Your SEO dashboard can be used to keep track of the progress of your SEO program. Click Here for more details on how you can use the dashboard.

FAQ

Do I need to have a Thryv website to have SEO and AEO?

No it is not a requirement. However pairing SEO and AEO with a Thryv website is the best way to ensure timely updates and reliable results. If you wish to use SEO with a 3rd party website, Thryv will require login credentials to your site and continuous access to make changes in real time. 

Can I transfer SEO and AEO work to a different URL?

No, if you wish to have SEO and AEO work done on a different URL, you'll need to complete another purchase and start again. 

Can I change my keywords?

No, once the onboarding is complete keywords can not be changed, you would need to complete another SEO proposal and purchase.

Can I start SEO at a future date?

No, SEO work must begin once the proposal and onboarding process are complete.