SEO vs AEO vs GEO — What’s the Difference?

Search is evolving. Not long ago, ranking high on Google (SEO) was enough. But with AI assistants and generative search engines, two new disciplines emerged: AEO and GEO. Understanding the difference is key for any business that wants to stay visible online.

1. What is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the foundation. It’s the process of optimizing websites to rank higher on search engines like Google or Bing. The goal: drive organic traffic to your site.

Example:
When someone searches “best coffee shops in Vienna”, the list of blue links at the bottom of the results are SEO results.

2. What is AEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on getting your content selected as the direct answer for questions in search or voice assistants.

This includes:

• Featured snippets on Google
• “People Also Ask” boxes
• Answers read out by Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant

Example:
“How tall is Mount Everest?”
Google immediately shows: “8,848 m” from Wikipedia. That’s AEO in action.

👉 AEO is all about short, fact-based, zero-click answers (in Yellow frame and People also ask sections).

3. What is GEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is about making your content visible in AI-generated responses from tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity.

Example:
“Best SEO strategies 2025” → Gemini generates a full paragraph listing strategies, citing your blog post.

👉 GEO is about long, contextual answers where AI blends information and may cite your brand.

4. The Simple Difference

• SEO = Ranking links on search engines
• AEO = Optimizing for one-line answers
• GEO = Optimizing for AI-written paragraphs

Analogy:

• SEO = the kitchen that prepares the meal
• AEO = waiter tells you one dish on the menu
• GEO = chef gives you the full recipe

5. Why This Matters

• SEO brings organic traffic.
• AEO builds authority in zero-click searches.
• GEO secures visibility in AI-driven platforms where clicks may never happen.

The future is not “SEO vs AEO vs GEO.” It’s about combining all three for multi-channel visibility.

Conclusion

Search is no longer just about Google rankings. To win in 2025 and beyond, businesses need to adapt to:

• SEO (classic search)
• AEO (short factual answers)
• GEO (AI-generated long answers)

Question: Is your website optimized for all three?