SEO vs AEO vs GEO: How Search, Answer and Generative Engine Optimization Differ

Search engines have fundamentally changed the way people find information. Search engines themselves have changed too.

Traditional search engine optimization (SEO) helped businesses rank in the “ten blue links” era, but as voice assistants and generative AI deliver direct answers, a more nuanced strategy has emerged.

Answer engine optimization (AEO) and generative engine optimization (GEO) are two new disciplines designed to help brands remain visible in an AI‑driven search world. 

This article compares SEO, AEO and GEO, explaining how each works, where they overlap and how marketers can combine them to future‑proof their visibility.

What Is SEO?

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the practice of improving a website’s visibility in organic (non‑paid) search results.

Techniques include keyword optimization, on‑page best practices (title tags, meta descriptions and headings), technical improvements (site speed, mobile friendliness) and off‑page link building.

SEO remains the foundation of digital visibility: ranking high in Google or Bing increases traffic, builds trust and supports other marketing channels.

How it works: Search engines crawl and index pages, then rank them based on relevance and authority. On‑page SEO helps machines understand your content; off‑page SEO (backlinks and mentions) signals trust. Technical SEO ensures the site is fast, mobile friendly and easy to crawl, while local SEO optimizes for geographic queries.

A structured SEO strategy gives businesses sustainable organic traffic and remains essential even as AI evolves.

Challenges in 2025: AI‑generated results are pushing organic listings further down the page. Google’s “People Also Ask,” instant answers and AI Overviews mean that informational queries often produce zero clicks.

Users increasingly turn to AI search engines like ChatGPT and Gemini for link‑free answers. SEO is still critical, but brands must adapt their strategies to remain visible in AI‑driven contexts.

What Is AEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) aims to optimize content so that search engines and voice assistants can deliver direct answers. It grew out of the need to win featured snippets, knowledge panels and voice results in Google or Bing.

In answer engines, the goal is not to rank websites but to provide the best answer. AEO is built around the assumption that users want concise answers instead of a list of links.

How it differs from SEO: Traditional SEO focuses on ranking pages in search engines; AEO prioritizes question‑based queries and structured answers. Content should directly address common questions using clear formatting (lists, tables and FAQs) and establish authority—especially for sensitive “Your Money or Your Life” topics.

This Digiday article notes that AEO/GEO/GSO all describe the process of ensuring AI crawlers have enough information to surface your brand in answer engines.

While SEO measures success with click‑through rates, AEO measures success through snippet appearances or voice responses.

Key tactics:

• Question‑based keyword research: Tools such as AnswerThePublic uncover multi‑dimensional questions. By targeting high‑intent and long‑tail queries, content can match how users phrase questions in AI engines.

• Structured content: Use logical heading hierarchies, frame subheadings as questions and provide concise answers directly below each heading. Add FAQ sections with schema markup so machines can easily extract answers.

• Semantic HTML and schema: Implement FAQPage, HowTo and Article markup to help algorithms understand your content. Structured data signals to search engines that your content is an authoritative answer.

• E‑E‑A‑T: Emphasize Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness. Provide clear author bios, cite reputable sources and maintain up‑to‑date information.

What Is GEO?

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is the practice of optimizing content so that AI models use it when generating answers. It extends AEO into generative AI platforms such as Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE), ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Claude.

GEO is less about ranking and more about being recognized as a trusted source worthy of citation.

How it differs from AEO and SEO:

• Goal: Instead of winning a single featured snippet, GEO aims to ensure that your content is included in AI‑generated summaries and conversational answers. It influences what an AI engine thinks and says when responding to queries.

• Platform focus: GEO targets new AI platforms like ChatGPT Search, Perplexity AI, Bing Copilot and Gemini—beyond Google’s featured snippets. It requires understanding how large language models ingest and synthesize web content.

• Format and tactics: GEO relies on authoritative, long‑form content, natural language and citations. The One Technologies guide notes that GEO strategies include publishing comprehensive answers, using NLP‑friendly language and providing credibility signals (author bios, citations).

Key tactics:

• Become a cited source: Publish original research, case studies and whitepapers so that AI models have unique information to cite. Encourage industry experts to reference your work and monitor AI responses to ensure proper attribution.

• Optimize for AI training data: Use clear headings, data tables and citations; AI models train on well‑structured content. Focus on long‑form guides rather than short posts.

• Entity and brand optimization: Ensure that brands, products and experts are consistently named across your site and external platforms. Use structured data to define entities so AI can associate information with your brand.

• Credibility signals: Include expert quotes, data citations and clear author bios; AI models prioritize trustworthy sources. Connect your content to high authority websites through backlinks and mentions.

SEO vs AEO vs GEO: Key Differences

The table below summarizes the main differences between SEO, AEO and GEO. Note that tables should contain short phrases or keywords; longer explanations appear in the text.

Aspect	SEO	AEO	GEO
Primary goal	Rank pages in search results	Provide direct answers in snippets and voice results	Be cited in AI‑generated summaries
Platform focus	Traditional search engines (Google, Bing)	Featured snippets, knowledge panels, voice assistants	AI platforms (SGE, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini)
Format	Keyword‑focused pages, on‑page and off‑page SEO	FAQs, Q&A sections, structured answers	Long‑form content, natural language, citations
Optimization focus	Search algorithms (relevance, links, technical factors)	Structured data, semantic markup, question‑answer alignment	Entity optimization, credibility, AI‑friendly formatting
Output	SERP listings and organic traffic	Direct answers with potential clicks	Generated summaries where clicks may be limited
Origin	Developed in pre‑AI era	Grew with featured snippets and voice search	Emerged to address generative AI and AI‑powered search

Similarities: All three strategies aim to enhance online visibility, align with user intent and rely on structured content and technical optimization. They also emphasize E‑E‑A‑T principles to build trust. Traditional SEO techniques like keyword research and link building still support AEO and GEO; the difference lies in how content is structured and where it appears.

Integrating the Strategies: A Unified Approach

Rather than choosing between SEO, AEO and GEO, marketers should adopt a unified strategy. The One Technologies article notes that the modern approach is not SEO vs AEO vs GEO, but SEO + AEO + GEO.

Here are steps to integrate these strategies:

1. Conduct search intent analysis

Analyze keyword lists to categorize queries into SEO, AEO and GEO opportunities.

Service‑based and local queries may remain unaffected by AI overviews and should be targeted with traditional SEO. Informational queries triggering AI Overviews require AEO or GEO optimization.

Use analytics and tools to identify long‑tail, question‑based queries.

2. Structure content for humans and machines

Follow best practices for headings and Q&A formats: question‑based subheadings, concise answers under each heading, and scannable paragraphs.

Include FAQ sections marked up with schema.org to help answer engines extract information. Provide mini tables of contents with anchor links for long articles.

3. Implement structured data and semantic markup

Use structured data to clarify article details (headline, author, date) and FAQ schema for question‑answer sections. Entities like products and experts should be defined using schema so AI models can accurately associate information.

Schema markup also improves the likelihood of being cited in generative responses and enhances click‑through rates in SERPs.

4. Develop authoritative, trustworthy content

Invest in original research, whitepapers, case studies and long‑form guides. Generative engines prioritize detailed content and original data.

Build authority by earning backlinks and mentions from credible sites.

Show expertise with clear author credentials and maintain accurate, up‑to‑date information.

5. Optimize technical performance

Ensure that pages load quickly, are mobile friendly and are accessible to crawlers. Use modern image formats like WebP, lazy load images and minimize JavaScript to improve performance.

Technical enhancements not only support SEO but also help AI engines process your content efficiently.

6. Monitor AI engine performance

Because AI platforms provide little reporting, marketers must creatively monitor their presence. Reddit and social platforms can provide insights into user questions and content needs.

Tools like Mention or Brand24 can track brand citations within AI responses.

Keep an eye on changes in AI Overviews and adjust strategiesaccordingly.

Why Businesses Need Both AEO and GEO

The Nowspeed article argues that although AEO originated in the Google‑focused SEO world, GEO emerged to address AI‑powered search engines, and businesses need to optimize for both.

Featured snippets and AI overviews co‑exist; winning one does not guarantee visibility in the other. Up to 47% of searches now feature AI‑generated overviews, meaning that optimizing for GEO is essential for staying visible.

At the same time, voice assistants and answer boxes remain important, so AEO ensures that quick answers drive brand awareness and traffic.

Be the Answer: SEO + AEO + GEO

SEO, AEO and GEO are not competing strategies but complementary tools for navigating an increasingly AI‑driven search landscape.

SEO remains essential for ranking in traditional SERPs and driving consistent traffic. AEO ensures that your content appears in featured snippets, knowledge panels and voice assistants by structuring information around user questions and providing direct answers. GEO extends these principles into the world of generative AI, where long‑form, credible content earns citations in AI‑generated summaries.

By integrating these strategies, focusing on user intent, structured content, E‑E‑A‑T signals and technical performance, marketers can future‑proof their digital presence and maintain visibility across both search engines and AI answer systems.

Ready to be the answer in AI search?

Reach out to Holistik and let us build an integrated SEO + AEO + GEO plan for your busines: audits, entity & schema implementation, long-form authority content, and measurement that tracks snippet wins and AI citations.

Let’s make your brand the one AI (and humans) surface first!