AEO, GEO, SEO: let's end the confusion

"What's the difference between AEO and GEO?" We get asked this at least three times a week. And frankly, we understand the confusion. Even on Reddit, in the most expert SEO communities, the definitions contradict each other from one post to the next.

Let's clear this up once and for all.

SEO, you already know

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) is the foundation. You optimize your site to appear in Google, Bing, and company results. It's been around for 25 years. Everyone more or less knows what it is.

The problem is that Google is no longer the only place where people search for answers. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot -- these tools answer questions directly. And they don't work like Google.

AEO: making AI cite you as the answer

AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization. The term has existed since 2018, when Google's featured snippets started giving answers directly in search results. But it's taken on a new dimension with generative AI.

The idea is simple: when someone asks a question to an answer engine (Google AI Overview, Bing Chat, Perplexity), your content should be the source of the response. Not just a link in the results. The answer itself.

AEO focuses on the structure of your content. Schema.org markup, clear answers to frequently asked questions, structured data, content formatted so AI can easily extract it. It's technical and content-oriented.

A concrete example: if you're an accounting firm in Brussels and someone asks ChatGPT "what are the VAT obligations for an SRL in Belgium?", AEO aims to make your blog post the cited source in the response.

GEO: a broader (and fuzzier) concept

GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimization. The term was popularized by a study from researchers at Princeton, Georgia Tech, and IIT Delhi in 2024.

GEO encompasses everything you do to be visible in generative search engines -- not just classic answer engines. It includes AEO, but also broader aspects.

The key difference: GEO accounts for the fact that LLMs (Large Language Models) don't just cite web pages. They synthesize, rephrase, combine sources. Your brand can be "known" to the AI without a link to your site ever appearing.

GEO therefore also considers your overall digital reputation: mentions on Reddit, reviews on G2 or Capterra, Wikipedia presence, press articles, transcribed podcasts, LinkedIn profiles. Everything that feeds the LLMs' training data.

The real difference, in one sentence

AEO optimizes your content to be cited as a source. GEO optimizes your entire digital presence to be known by AI.

AEO is a subset of GEO. You can do AEO without doing GEO (just optimize your on-site content). You can't really do GEO without doing AEO (because your site content is part of your digital presence).

In practice, what does it change?

Not much, honestly. The distinction matters for agencies selling services (it's easier to sell two things than one). For a business trying to be visible in AI responses, what matters is the result.

Here's what you should actually focus on:

On your site (AEO territory): schema markup, FAQ pages that answer real questions, clear and direct content, llms.txt file, proper technical setup.

Off your site (GEO territory): review profiles, press mentions, Reddit and forum participation, Wikipedia/Wikidata presence, LinkedIn thought leadership, podcast appearances.

Both: consistent brand messaging everywhere, regular content publishing, monitoring your AI visibility across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.

What we tell our clients

Don't get caught up in the terminology. The goal is simple: when someone asks an AI a question related to your expertise, your name should come up. Whether you call the work "AEO" or "GEO" or "AI visibility" doesn't matter. What matters is doing the work.

At AISOS, we use "AI visibility" as the umbrella term because it's the clearest for our clients. It covers everything: on-site optimization, off-site presence, monitoring, and strategy. No jargon, just results.

If you want to argue about terminology on Reddit, go ahead. If you want to actually appear in AI responses, let's talk.