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SEO vs. AEO vs. GEO: How Do They Differ?
SEO, AEO, and GEO target three different systems, not three versions of the same job. SEO optimizes for rank position in a traditional search results page. AEO optimizes for selection as a single direct answer, such as a featured snippet or a voice assistant response. GEO optimizes for being one of several sources a generative AI engine pulls together and cites in a synthesized answer.
Contents
TL;DR
- SEO optimizes for rank position in a traditional search results list; success is measured by ranking and clicks.
- AEO optimizes for being chosen as one single, direct answer, a featured snippet, a voice assistant response, or a "People Also Ask" box.
- GEO optimizes for being cited as one of several sources synthesized into a generative AI answer, like a ChatGPT or Perplexity response.
- AEO predates GEO by years: it grew out of featured snippets and voice search, long before generative AI search existed.
- Featured snippet visibility on Google dropped by a shocking 83% in August last year, as the AI overview took the throne.
- SEO, AEO, and GEO overlap and reinforce each other - none of the three replaces the others.
What Is Search Engine Optimization (SEO)?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) is the practice of improving a page's position in a traditional search results list, with the goal of earning a click on the website. SEO targets one output: a ranked list of links on a results page like Google or Bing.
The fundamentals of SEO are backlinks, technical site health, keyword targeting, and content relevance. Success in SEO is measured by ranking position and organic click-through rate, and, most importantly, whether a page ranks on page one or not.
What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content to be selected as a single direct answer, rather than one option among ten suggested links. AEO targets placements like featured snippets, voice assistant responses, and "People Also Ask" boxes.
AEO predates GEO by a couple of years. This discipline grew out of optimizing for Google's featured snippets, introduced in 2014, and for voice assistants like Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, which read out a single answer instead of displaying a list of suggested solutions. Success in AEO is binary: a page either becomes the featured answer or it doesn't, with no partial credit.
What Is Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is the practice of structuring content so that a generative AI system can retrieve, cite, and synthesize it into a longer, multi-source answer. GEO targets LLMs like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
Success in GEO is measured by inclusion and citation frequency inside a generated answer, often alongside several competing sources. A page can be one of three sources cited, all five, or none, and that mix can shift from answer to answer.