Guides › SEO vs AEO vs GEO
Buyer's guide · updated October 2026SEO vs AEO vs GEO: what is the difference?
Search is changing. Customers now get answers from Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, not just a list of links. Here is what SEO, AEO and GEO mean, and what your business should do about each.
Quick answer: SEO helps you rank in normal search results. AEO (answer engine optimisation) helps your content become the direct answer in featured snippets, voice search and AI Overviews. GEO (generative engine optimisation) helps AI assistants like ChatGPT and Perplexity mention and recommend your business. They build on each other, and strong SEO is still the foundation.
Not sure which is right for you?
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SEO vs AEO vs GEO compared
| SEO | AEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank in search results | Be the direct answer | Be mentioned by AI assistants |
| Where it shows | Google and Bing results | Featured snippets, People Also Ask, voice, AI Overviews | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot, AI Overviews |
| Main levers | Technical health, content, links, local signals | Clear Q&A content, structured data, concise answers | Brand mentions, reviews, directories, clear entity info, citations |
| How you measure it | Rankings, organic traffic, leads | Snippet ownership, answer visibility | How often and how well AI names you |
Which should you choose?
You are not ranking yet
Start with SEO basics: speed, service pages, Google Business Profile.
You rank but lose clicks to AI answers
Add AEO: FAQ content, direct answers, schema.
Competitors get recommended by ChatGPT
Invest in GEO: mentions, reviews, directory listings, clear about and service information.
Practical steps for all three
- Make your website fast and technically clean
- Create one clear page per service and location
- Answer real customer questions in short, direct paragraphs
- Add Organization, LocalBusiness and FAQ schema
- Collect reviews and get listed on trusted directories
- Earn mentions on news sites, blogs and industry pages
- Do not block AI crawlers in robots.txt, and consider an llms.txt file
Check where you stand
Use our free AI visibility checker to see whether ChatGPT recommends you, or request a free manual AI visibility check.
Related guides and services
GEO services →SEO services →Free AI visibility checker →AI Search Visibility (AEO) Upgrade →Frequently asked questions
Is SEO dead because of AI?
No. AI assistants rely heavily on the same signals SEO builds: crawlable content, authority and trust. SEO is the foundation for AEO and GEO.
What is GEO in marketing?
Generative engine optimisation means improving how AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity understand, mention and recommend your business.
What is AEO?
Answer engine optimisation means structuring content so search engines and assistants can use it as a direct answer, such as featured snippets and voice answers.
How long does GEO take?
It depends on your current reputation online. Fixing website clarity is quick; building mentions and reviews takes ongoing effort.
This guide is general information based on our experience and public platform documentation, which can change. It is not a guarantee of results.
