SEO vs AEO vs GEO: What's the Difference?
Three related disciplines, one goal: content that's easy to find, understand and trust. Here's how they differ and where to start.
By Editorial Team · Agency editorial team · Published · Updated
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What is SEO?
Search engine optimization (SEO) helps search engines crawl, understand and rank your pages for relevant searches. It covers technical foundations, content that matches search intent and genuine references from other sites.
What is AEO?
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) structures content so that a clear answer to a specific question is easy to identify. In practice that means question-led headings, a direct answer in the first sentence or two, and supporting detail after.
What is GEO?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) focuses on clarity, credibility and consistency so that generative AI search experiences can understand and accurately describe your business. Original insight, cited sources and consistent facts matter most.
How do they compare?
| Discipline | Main question | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| SEO | Can search engines find and rank this page? | Technical fixes, keywords, internal links |
| AEO | Is the answer to this question clear? | Question headings, concise answers, FAQs |
| GEO | Is this information credible and consistent? | Entity consistency, sources, original content |
Where should you start?
Start with SEO foundations — if pages aren't crawlable and indexed, nothing else matters. Then restructure your most important pages for clear answers, and build consistency and evidence across your content. See our SEO services, AEO services and GEO services.
Can any of this guarantee AI citations?
No. Search engines and AI systems decide independently what to show. The value of this work is that it makes content better for people too.
Sources & further reading
- #SEO
- #AEO
- #GEO
Editorial Team
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