The Differences Between GEO, AEO & SEO: How To Optimise For Each

Almost everything involved with digital marketing today is as important as it is confusing, especially when it comes to ensuring visibility in search engines. Once-called Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is now more complicated and numerous technologies need more specific terminology, like Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). These are not marketing buzz words; rather, understanding how each term is optimised and how/why they differ is crucial in fending off your competition.

This blog will define and illustrate SEO, AEO and GEO while providing useful tips to optimise each term. You will not only learn how each term functions cohesively, but will learn how to design a strategic visibility plan that is unfazed by the upcoming trends in technology.

1. Why the Traditional Playbook Isn’t Enough

Thinking critically, SEO was a clear and simple explanation, and involved too many recessed steps and adjuncts, like building backlinks. Success was reaching the goals, as defined by a range of criteria, including organic and paid traffic, search engine result page placements.

However, nowadays, things have started to shift. Users are more inclined to seek quick and concrete feedback. Digital and voice assistants, smart home gadgets, chatbots, and AI search engines do not only return URL lists anymore. It can either respond to a query, summarise different answers into a single response, or even engage in a voice conversation. Given this situation:

• In many cases, landing first on a traditional search result page may not matter if the user does not bother to click on any hyperlink.
• It shifts more towards being discovered to being utilised as a resource.
• ‘Search’ in this context has different meanings, thus requiring different forms of optimisation.

This is precisely where AEO and GEO come into play. They add to, but do not replace traditional SEO. AEO has made its mark, focusing on content directly surfaced as answers to user queries (i.e. voiced responses or featured snippets). GEO has an even broader span of focusing on content that is being quoted, summarised, or featured in AI response outputs generated by large language models.

In a nutshell, if you only keep to SEO, you are highly likely to lag behind due to shifts in search behavior. AEO and GEO have to be understood to sustain your visibility, along with traditional SEO.

2. What is SEO, AEO and GEO? Defined

2.1 SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

At its core, SEO remains the practice of improving a website’s visibility in traditional search engines like Google Search and Bing. The objective: rank highly for relevant queries so users visit your site.

Key components of SEO include:

• Keyword research and targeting
• On-page optimisation: headings, meta tags, alt text
• Technical optimisation: site speed, mobile-friendliness, crawlability
• Off-page signals: backlinks, brand mentions, domain authority
• Content quality: relevance, depth, user value

SEO remains essential and forms the foundation of visibility. Many experts emphasise that while newer strategies are emerging, SEO is still the backbone.

2.2 AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)

AEO is the optimisation of content so that your website becomes the direct answer in search surfaces like: featured snippets, knowledge panels, voice assistants (for example: Siri, Alexa) and Q & A boxes.

Unlike traditional SEO (which seeks clicks), AEO seeks inclusion as the answer. The attention shifts from ‘rank #1 in a list’ to ‘be the chosen answer’. Key features include:

• Structured content (FAQs sections, concise Q & A formats)
• Schema markup (FAQs, How To, Q & A)
• Responding to conversational/voice queries
• Creating content designed for quick extraction (for example: lists, tables)

By optimising for AEO, you can capture zero-click visibility: users might get your answer without ever landing on your page but your brand still gets seen, trusted and referenced.

2.3 GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)

GEO is the newest discipline. It’s the practice of optimising content so it can be discovered, interpreted, and cited or used by generative AI systems and large language models (LLMs). For example: ChatGPT, Google Gemini, Bing Chat. These platforms may provide completely synthesised answers drawing from multiple sources, not just lists.

Core aspects of GEO include:

• Semantic-rich content: Covering topics deeply so AI has substance to summarise
• Clear entity/brand identity: Being recognised as a trusted source or brand
• Structured and machine-friendly content: Headings, data, citations
• Multi-format presence: Articles, videos, transcripts, social signals
• Authority, experience and trust (E-E-A-T) elevated for the AI context

In essence, GEO asks: how do we ensure machines treat our content as reliable, extractable and answer-worthy? It’s less about clicks and more about citations and brand visibility inside AI responses.

3. How SEO, AEO & GEO Differ (and Overlap)

Understanding each in isolation helps; but the real value comes from recognising how they overlap and diverge.

3.1 Comparison of Primary Goals

Strategy	Primary Goal	Key Platform or Surface	Success Metric
SEO	Rank in traditional search results (SERPs)	Google, Bing, etc.	Organic rank, traffic, CTR
AEO	Be the direct answer (no click required)	Featured snippets, voice search, answer boxes	Snippet inclusion, voice answer appearance
GEO	Be cited, used or surfaced in AI-generated responses	Chatbots, generative search, AI summaries	Citation frequency, brand mention in AI responses

3.2 Content and Format Differences

• SEO emphasises keyword targeting, link-building, long-form content, and topic relevance.
• AEO emphasises structured, concise answers (FAQs, How To), schema markup, and voice-friendly language.
• GEO emphasises semantic depth, trust, brand identity, multi-format presence and machine readability.

3.3 Authority, Experience & Trust: The Common Thread

Across all three strategies, three signals repeatedly emerge: authority, experience and trust. These underlie all effective optimisation because whether a person or a machine is assessing your content, credibility matters.

For example:

• ASEO (AEO + SEO) emphasises that featured snippet content must be authored by an expert and clearly structured.
• GEO emphasises that brand presence across platforms, citations outside your site, and original research strengthen your chance of being referenced by AI.

Therefore, while SEO, AEO and GEO each have specific tactics, the philosophical core is consistent: produce high-quality, relevant, credible content that users (and machines) trust.

3.4 Why You Can’t Pick One and Ignore The Others

Because search behaviour is becoming hybrid, limiting yourself to only one strategy is risky. For example:

• You might rank well in traditional search (SEO), but miss out on voice answers (AEO) and AI responses (GEO).
• You might optimise for AEO (FAQs style) but neglect the more substantial content needed for GEO.
• You might pursue GEO but ignore backlinks and traditional SEO fundamentals, which still matter massively.

The effective approach is integrated: build your foundation via SEO, optimise for voice/answer surfaces with AEO, and expand your presence into AI-driven environments with GEO.

4. Practical Strategies: How to Optimise for Each

4.1 Optimising for SEO

Start with the fundamentals:

• Keyword research: Identify relevant keywords (short-tail & long-tail) for your business, topics and audience.
• On-page optimisation: Use headings (H1, H2…), meta title/description, alt text, internal linking.
• Technical SEO: Improve page speed, mobile responsiveness, secure site (HTTPS), XML sitemap, schema markup.
• Content quality: Publish content that addresses user intent, has depth, and provides value beyond basic information.
• Off-page signals: Build backlinks, brand mentions, social signals, and positive user engagement.

These remain the bedrock of discoverability.

4.2 Optimising for AEO

Once your SEO foundation is in place, apply these for AEO:

• FAQs / Q&A structure: On key pages include questions that users might ask, followed by clear, concise answers.
• Schema markup: Use FAQs Schema, How To Schema, and QA Schema where appropriate so search engines can identify answer content.
• Voice-friendly language: Write conversationally; incorporate how people speak rather than how they type.
• Featured snippet targeting: Structure content so it can be extracted into a snippet: For example: What is X?, followed by a 40-70 word summary and supporting details.
• Concise summaries: Include bullet lists, tables, short paragraphs easy for machines and voice assistants to pick up.

The aim is not just ranking but being the direct address when someone asks a question.

4.3 Optimising for GEO

Optimising for GEO is more advanced and focuses on ensuring your content is machine-usable and credible in AI systems:

• Topic depth + semantic richness: Cover topics comprehensively, with related sub-topics, definitions, examples, case studies. AI systems favour content with breadth and context.
• Brand/entity signals: Ensure your brand, authors, and content are consistently cited, referenced and linked. Machine systems look for clear identifiers of credibility.
• Structured & machine-readable content: Use clear heading hierarchy, markup, data tables, citations, author bios, publication dates.
• Presence beyond your website: Blogs, videos, podcasts, transcripts, third-party mentions increase your footprint and signals to AI systems.
• Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T): Emphasise originality of content, expert authorship, case studies, transparent sourcing all of which boost your chance of being used as an AI source.
• Monitor AI visibility: Track whether your content is being cited in AI answers or referenced by chat interfaces.

In effect, GEO acknowledges that “search” is now partly conducted by machines themselves. The better you make your content readable and trustworthy for machines, the more chance you have of being surfaced as part of an AI answer.

5. How to Develop an Integrated Strategy

Here’s a recommended workflow to combine SEO, AEO and GEO effectively:

• Perform an audit

1. 1. • Review current keyword ranking, featured snippet presence, AI visibility (if possible).
      • Check content for structured Q & As, use of schema, author credibility.
      • Assess brand and author presence across platforms.

• Map your content strategy by channel & goal

1. 1. • Identify pages that need SEO strengthening (For example: core service pages, blog posts).
      • Identify questions your audience asks for AEO (For example: FAQs, voice queries).
      • Identify content topics that could serve as authority sources for AI systems (for GEO).

• Create or refresh content accordingly

1. 1. • For SEO: Optimise keywords, ensure technical soundness, build quality backlinks.
      • For AEO: Embed FAQs, use schema, employ conversational tone, and provide short answer summaries.
      • For GEO: Create topic hubs, author-expert pages, provide original data, case studies, videos. Ensure content is machine-readable and distributed outside just your website.

• Build your brand and signal trust

1. 1. • Ensure authorship is clear, maintain consistent brand profiles, earn third-party mentions.
      • Get reviews, testimonials, social proof.
      • Ensure your site has proper structured data for organisation, authors, and content.

• Monitor and iterate

1. 1. • Track traditional SEO metrics: Rankings, traffic, conversions.
      • Track featured snippet gains and voice search visibility for AEO.
      • Attempt to gauge AI visibility for GEO: Check whether your brand or pages appear in AI summaries, citations or conversational tools.
      • Update and refresh content, fix technical issues, maintain brand presence.

• Allocate resources intelligently

1. • If resources are limited, start with SEO fundamentals.
   • Then layer in AEO tactics (FAQs, structured content).
   • Then invest in GEO strategy as part of long-term brand visibility in the AI era.

By following this layered approach, you’re not choosing one to the exclusion of others;  you’re building a holistic visibility strategy.

6. Common Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with a good understanding of these three disciplines, many businesses stumble. Here are some common pitfalls and how to avoid them:

• Mistake: Treating AEO or GEO as replacements for SEO.
  Avoid thinking ‘I’ll skip SEO and go straight to GEO’. The truth: SEO is still foundational. Without good SEO, your content will struggle everywhere.
• Mistake: Publishing generic content.
  For GEO especially, content that merely rehashes other sources won’t cut it. Original insight, expert voice, data and case studies perform much better.
• Mistake: Neglecting structured data and machine-readable format.
  FAQ sections without markup, content without clear headings or metadata may be overlooked by voice assistants or AI summarisers.
• Mistake: Ignoring brand signals and authority.
  To win in AEO and GEO you need signals of trust (author bio, external mentions, testimonials). If you neglect brand credibility, you’ll struggle to be chosen.
• Mistake: Measuring only clicks and traffic.
  For AEO and GEO, it may be just as important that your brand is seen in an answer or AI summarisation, even if the user doesn’t click. Track visibility, citations, mentions not just traditional clicks.
• Mistake: Not iterating and updating.
  The search environment is moving fast. If you create content once and forget it, you’ll fall behind. Refresh, update, and optimise over time.

7. Who Should Care?

• Businesses targeting local markets: For example, if you are a business servicing a specific region, you’ll want to perform well in traditional search (SEO), feature in voice/answer surfaces (AEO) and be visible in conversational/contextual AI tools (GEO).
• Content-rich brands: If you generate lots of content (blogs, tutorials, case studies), your opportunity to be cited in AI contexts grows.
• Brands that depend on authority and trust: Professionals, agencies, consultancies visibility in AI answers or voice search adds significant credibility.
• Anyone who wants to future-proof their digital presence: Search is changing; waiting isn’t an option.

If you run or work for an agency or company in a specific locale, the integrated strategy also supports local optimisation and digital visibility for that region.

8. Local Considerations & The Role of Local SEO

Although much of this discussion is broad, local businesses must pay attention to region-specific factors. For example:

• Traditional local SEO (optimising for “near me” queries, Google My Business, local citations) remains vital.
• For AEO, ensure you answer localised queries (“Who is the best plumber in [City]?”, “How much does service X cost in Sydney”) with concise answers.
• For GEO, ensure your local business appears in multi-format content (blogs, local news, community mentions) so that generative systems can pick up your regional relevance.
• Maintain consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) data across directories and your website.
• For regional visibility, integrating “location + service” content helps both SEO and AEO (and indirectly GEO) by making clear your local focus.

So, for businesses operating in a place like Parramatta and beyond, combining these strategies means you’re visible in traditional search, voice/answer surfaces and emerging generative platforms all within your local ecosystem.

9. Case Study – How It Might Work in Practice

Imagine you run a service-based business in Parramatta, and you want to dominate visibility for your service offering. Here’s how you might structure a strategy:

• SEO: You create a hub page titled “Premium Plumbing in Parramatta” targeting keywords like “service in Parramatta”, “best service Parramatta”, etc. You ensure technical SEO is solid, earn local backlinks and maintain a blog covering related themes.
• AEO: Within that hub and blog you include FAQs (“What does plumbing cost in Parramatta?”, “How quickly can pizza be delivered in Parramatta?”, etc). You markup these with FAQs schema and craft headlines that match how people speak (“How much does service X cost in Parramatta?”).
• GEO: You publish a whitepaper or case-study on “How businesses in Parramatta improved performance with our service”, publish a video case study on YouTube, mention your brand in local news outlets or industry directories, and create structured author & organisation data. Over time, generative AI systems referring to “best plumbing in Parramatta” or “Parramatta business case study” may cite your content, or your brand appears in AI-driven answers.

What you end up with is a multi‐layered visibility strategy: you appear in traditional search, you show up as answers in voice/assistant formats, and you are present in the AI-driven content ecosystem.

10. Measuring Success Across SEO, AEO & GEO

Tracking metrics and success across these three disciplines requires both traditional and advanced indicators:

• SEO metrics: Organic traffic, keyword rankings, click-through rates (CTR), bounce rate, conversion rate from search.
• AEO metrics: Number of featured snippets acquired, voice search visibility (if trackable), “zero-click” answer appearances.
• GEO metrics: Brand mentions/citations in AI summaries, number of pages referenced in generative systems, presence of your brand in AI-generated answers (though this is still a developing measurement area).
• Brand credibility metrics: External mentions, author and brand profile strength, trusted reviews.
• Local metrics (if applicable): Visibility in your region, local keywords ranking, local citations, local business reviews.

Because GEO is still evolving, many tools are emerging to track AI visibility. But if you begin with the basics, reinforce authority, structure content well, expand your distribution you’ll be ahead of many competitors.

11. The Future of Search What’s Next?

As we look ahead, several trends suggest why SEO, AEO and GEO is only going to become more important:

• The line between search engines, voice assistants and chatbots is blurring. Users expect an answer, often without clicking.
• Generative AI is embedding into more search surfaces (conversational UI, summarised answers, multi-modal responses).
• Click behaviour is shifting. Fewer users click traditional links if they get the answer directly. Visibility is more than just website traffic.
• Brand trust and signal strength are being leveraged by machines, not just humans. If your brand lacks recognition, it may get overlooked in AI citations.
• As more of the internet becomes voice-driven and AI-driven, optimising content solely for ranking becomes a risky bet.

In short: Focusing only on traditional SEO is no longer enough. To maintain your competitive edge, you need to optimise for the full visibility continuum: ranking, answering and being cited.

Final Thoughts

SEO remains critical. But the future of search visibility isn’t limited to just rank on Google. It’s about being found by humans, voiced by assistants, and cited by machines. The trio of SEO (Search Engine Optimisation), AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation) represents this evolution.

By understanding how each works and layering your strategy accordingly, your brand can remain visible, trusted and relevant even as the search landscape transforms around us. 

If you’re looking for expert support in navigating this complexity and implementing a full-spectrum optimisation approach, engaging a specialist seo agency in Parramatta can help you stay ahead locally and regionally.

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