Layered silicates were made compatible with SBR rubber matrix by (i) swelling a commercial organophilic clay of the Montmorillonite type in SBR solution and (ii) by cation exchange of a synthetic Fluorhectorite with protonated amino-terminated polybutadiene(ATB). The effect of the surface-compatibilized silicates relative to conventional silica filler was tested with SBR vulcanizates in which silica was either completely or partially exchanged by layered silicate. TEM reveals the morphology of the rubber nanocomposites with finely dispersed intercalated aggregates or partially exfoliated layers suggesting that reinforcement and hysteresis are related to the anisotropic nature of the aggregates and concomittant orientation during strain.