What is the first step in the AEO keyword research approach?

The first step in the AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) keyword research approach is to understand the problem your audience is trying to solve. This foundational step ensures that your content directly addresses user needs and intent, which is crucial for ranking well in answer engines. Without this understanding, your keyword research might focus on terms that don't align with actual user questions or pain points. Identifying high-volume search terms or analyzing competitor rankings are important subsequent steps, but they are less effective if not grounded in a deep understanding of audience problems. Creating a list of core topics is also valuable, but it should stem from the initial problem identification.