AEO vs GEO vs SEO: how to show up when buyers search with AI
SEO gets you ranked. AEO and GEO get you cited inside AI answers. Here is the plain-language difference and what to do about each.
SEO, AEO, and GEO are three overlapping jobs. SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is about ranking in traditional search results. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about being the answer an AI tool surfaces to a question. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is about being cited inside AI-generated answers across search and chat. The short version: SEO gets you found, AEO and GEO get you recommended.
This matters now because search changed. AI tools increasingly read the web, compare options, and hand the user a single answer. If the AI summarizes three providers in your category and you are not one of them, your ranking on page two does not help. You were not in the comparison. (More on that shift in the guide to content for answer engines.)
SEO, in one line
SEO is making your site visible in unpaid search results through technical health, content quality, and credible links. It still matters. It is the foundation the other two build on.
AEO, in one line
AEO is making your content easy for an answer engine to lift and present as the answer. That rewards clear, direct answers near the top of a page, defined terms, and structured data the machine can read.
GEO, in one line
GEO is optimizing to be cited inside AI-generated answers across tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. It leans on the same clarity and structure as AEO, plus credibility signals: named authors, real proof, consistent facts about your business everywhere it appears.
What to actually do
You do not need to outspend anyone. You need to be legible to the systems doing the comparing:
- Answer real questions directly, in the first paragraph, the way a person would ask them.
- Give machines structure: clean headings, defined terms, schema markup, and business facts that match across every page and profile.
- Build credibility: real reviews, named authors, citations, and a track record.
None of this is penalized by traditional search. It is now simply the price of being in the comparison at all.
Where to start
If you want to see how an AI engine currently describes your business, that is the first thing an AI Visibility Audit surfaces. For ongoing work, the AEO/GEO retainer tracks your brand across AI tools and turns findings into fixes. To check your own readiness first, use the GEO/AEO readiness checklist.
Frequently asked questions
Is AEO replacing SEO?
No. AEO and GEO sit on top of SEO. You still need a technically healthy, well-written site; you are now also optimizing to be cited by AI tools.
What is the difference between AEO and GEO?
AEO is being surfaced as the answer by an answer engine. GEO is being cited inside an AI-generated answer. In practice the work overlaps heavily: clarity, structure, and credibility.
How do I know if AI tools mention my business?
Ask them directly, then track it over time. An AI Visibility Audit does this systematically across the major engines.
Does schema markup help with AI search?
Yes. Structured data helps machines read your facts accurately, which supports both traditional rich results and AI citation. It must be server-rendered so crawlers that do not run JavaScript can read it.
Want to know how AI describes your business today?
Send a message and I will walk through what an AI visibility audit covers and whether it fits your situation.