If you’re in PR or marketing, you’ve probably noticed a shift in how answers show up online, especially during peak moments like the holiday and winter season. Gone are the days of patiently climbing search rankings—today, being chosen as the featured answer is the mark of a savvy, forward-thinking PR team. At Red Shoes, we see Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) as not just another buzzword but the new battleground for credibility, visibility and impact in 2025. Below, we break down exactly how we approach AEO to help our clients steal the spotlight and win those coveted featured answers, with the real intention of giving away all the practical steps and insights you need to do the same.

Why AEO is a must for PR during the 2025 holidays

Featured answers and AI summaries have fundamentally altered search behavior. Whether someone is a healthcare executive looking for crisis response tips, or a marketing director planning their Q1 brand strategy, their journey increasingly stops at that highlighted answer at the top of the results. Rather than a bonus, being the featured answer is now critical for trust, lead generation and thought leadership—especially as holiday decision cycles shorten and people demand clarity before the new year.

Holiday and winter periods bring heightened search activity for solutions in healthcare, marketing, internal communications and reputation management. This is your best window to set the tone for annual contracts and become the resource decision-makers bookmark for 2026 planning. Waiting until January usually means playing catch-up. Acting now gives you a head start where interest and need are at their highest.

AEO, defined: What really matters for PR teams

Answer Engine Optimization is all about crafting, structuring and surfacing content so it answers question-based searches directly. Unlike traditional SEO, AEO focuses on the snippets, lists and boxes that Google and other engines prioritize, instead of aiming just for the top ten links.

We find that PR wins these spots when our writing is clear, cut to the chase and organized in the format Google prefers for each question. This isn’t about tricking algorithms—it’s about knowing your audience’s intentions and delivering real expertise in the way search engines want to display it.

Red Shoes’ approach: Three steps to featured answer wins

1. Uncover True Searcher Intent

We start by identifying the precise questions our ideal buyers are asking—down to the phrase. Instead of making assumptions, use actual search data to surface recurring pain points and how those get worded. For example, rather than “PR for healthcare,” we see queries like “how do I maintain trust with patients during a recall” or “what should be in a brand crisis playbook for 2025”.
Document every question your target decision-maker is likely to ask before, during and after a purchase decision. Focus on practical, intent-driven language.
Analyze live search results to see what type of answer wins—definition, short list, table or statistic. Tailor your approach to mirror that format.

2. Share Real Answers, Not Sales Pitches

For definition queries, give a clear, jargon-free summary under sixty words, followed by supporting context.
For process or how-to queries, use a numbered list with direct, actionable steps. Keep bullets precise and avoid fluff.
For comparison queries, organize your insight into a table with a few concise attributes, then summarize findings below it.

Our PR teams structure each answer so that the first two sentences give away the solution completely. Only after this do we add context, examples or a call to action. The payoff: you earn instant trust and Google is more likely to promote your answer.

3. Connect Answers to the Right Places Internally

Don’t let your best answer content get lost in the blog archive. Link it from your relevant service pages, feature it in newsletters and reference it in social media when the audience and timing align.
Example: If the blog answers, “what’s involved in crisis communication training,” link directly from your Crisis Communication service page and related content. For organizations that want a step-by-step healthcare content template, an internal link to creating a healthcare marketing customer journey template is a strong supporting resource.
Use your site architecture to show Google which pages are most valuable by creating a clear, natural path between related answers and services.

Applying AEO during the holiday/winter 2025 window

Attack this season by planning what high-intent questions will surge from December to mid-January. Decision-makers ask about agency reviews, budgeting, staffing and branding, looking for actionable plans they can trust. Prepare now with a structured approach:

Research (early December): List thirty to fifty relevant queries, sorted by search intent. Focus on questions that spike at year-end, such as “how to protect brand reputation for 2026” or “what’s the fastest way to build trust after a PR incident”
Content Production (first half of December): Write and publish answer-first articles tailored to five to eight priority queries, using the ideal answer format Google prefers for that question type
Distribution & Monitoring (mid-December to early January): Internally link new blog posts from core services pages and case studies, monitor rankings and adjust headlines or summary answers if you see your content approaching featured placement
Amplify Winners (January onward): Use email, social posts and speaking spots to showcase content that hits featured answer status. Encourage your leadership team to reference and share these pieces in their communities

By acting decisively, you not only win peak-season visibility but build momentum for Q1 and Q2 as your authority grows.

What to avoid: Common AEO pitfalls PR teams make

Overusing keywords: Prioritize clarity and readability. If your answer feels forced, users and Google will drop it
Long-winded answers: Keep your direct answers under sixty words when possible, even for complex topics
Forgetting about site authority: Regularly publish credible thought leadership and secure high-value media mentions to boost trust
Ignoring ongoing change: Featured answers rotate often—your answer may stick for weeks or drop off tomorrow. Review your highest-traffic queries monthly and keep tweaking

Fast-start checklist for your PR AEO program

Find three high-intent holiday season queries for your target audience
Review current featured answers for each, noting format and weaknesses
Draft your own answer (definition, list or table), making it more actionable
Publish the content, link it internally, and share it with your leadership team for input and social visibility
Expand to ten or more queries as you see traction

This simple discipline (research, write, optimize, and monitor) is all it takes to build authority and win more featured answers. Consistency is more important than trying to perfect everything at once.

Red Shoes: Our perspective on the future of PR and AEO

We see AEO as a natural evolution—breaking out of the old ways of waiting for someone else to give us credibility. Today, we can claim attention directly by showing up right at the exact moment someone needs guidance or reassurance. This levels the playing field for brands of any size—especially in trusted industries like healthcare, manufacturing, nonprofit service, and community relations. Our approach is to build internal confidence, then go external only when we believe our content truly gives away value that isn’t available elsewhere. That’s the foundation of modern loyalty and growth.

Keep learning: Next steps and deeper reading

If you want to dig deeper into AEO for PR teams, we recommend checking out our earlier article on AEO for PR Teams: How to Optimize News Releases and Thought Leadership for Holiday 2025 Answer Engines. For those working in healthcare or mid-market marketing roles, our piece How to Choose a Marketing Agency in Wisconsin: A 2026-Ready Checklist for Healthcare and Mid‑Market Brands outlines more hands-on approaches to agency selection and campaign structure. Each article offers frameworks to support your AEO journey all year long.

Final thoughts

The PR teams who win in 2025 know the answer is theirs for the taking—provided they research, write and distribute with empathy, speed and clarity. This year, instead of letting someone else define your expertise, claim your corner of the answer box. Your next holiday lead might be just a featured answer away.

If you’re looking for a partner that’s committed to action and results—not just theory—reach out to us at Red Shoes. Let’s build your AEO game plan together and make your expertise the answer everyone sees.

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