WTF Are SEO, GEO, AEO? When to Use Them and Why They Matter

You might have thought that with the rapid rise of AI, content would be obsolete. But surprise, surprise, content is more important than ever for your business. We marketers have been shouting this from the rooftops, but now we have more answers as to why.

BUT not all visibility is created equal.

At this point, I’m sure you’ve heard of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). But there are two other acronyms worth knowing if you want to be found by the right people: GEO and AEO.

Buckle in, we’re going to cover some very 2025 shit.

SEO: Search Engine Optimization

The OG of online visibility. Our good friend SEO has been around for a hot minute and isn’t going anywhere.

SEO is about making your website, blog posts, and online content easy for search engines to find, understand, and rank.

It’s keyword research, meta descriptions, backlinks, internal linking, page speed, mobile-friendliness…SEO is the whole technical and content package.

When it’s best:

✔️ You want to attract a broad or niche audience through search (yes, it can be either)

✔️ You have content that can answer questions or solve problems

✔️ You’re playing the long game (SEO takes time to show results)

SEO is the foundation: if you want to be findable, you start here.

GEO: Generative Engine Optimization

This is the new kid on the block. Formerly, GEO referred to geotargeting, which is kind of like a laser pointer rather than a wide net (like SEO). In 2025, though, it’s about winning in an AI-powered search world.

Come on, keep up 😉

GEO is the art (and science) of making sure your content shows up when generative engines (like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Bing Copilot, and Google AI Overviews) are creating answers.

Instead of someone scrolling through a list of blue links, the AI does the reading for them…and you want it to read yours.

That means:

• Creating content that’s factually accurate, well-sourced, and original (AI engines pull from trustworthy sources)

• Structuring information clearly so AI can easily lift and summarize it

• Building topical authority so your site is seen as the go-to source in your niche

When it’s best:

✔️ You want your expertise front and center in AI-generated answers

✔️ You’re producing guides, tutorials, or thought leadership

✔️ You want to future-proof your visibility as traditional search shifts to AI

Generative engines don’t just find content, they train on it. If you're throwing your hat in the ring with optimized content for these tools, you have a shot at being the cited source every time someone asks a question in an AI chat window. Now that's a 2025 sentence for you.

AEO: Answer Engine Optimization

Welcome to the future.

AEO is about optimizing for answers, not just search results. AI assistants, voice search, and featured snippets are now dominating the way people get information. AEO makes sure your content is the one being read out loud or pulled as the “instant answer.”

This is about:

• Structuring your content with clear, concise answers

• Using question-based headers (“What is AEO?”)

• Adding structured data to your website’s code so search engines (and AI tools) can better understand your content

When it’s best:

✔️ You want to be the go-to authority in your niche

✔️ You create how-tos, guides, or FAQs

✔️ You’re adapting for voice search and AI-powered tools

GEO vs AEO: What's the Difference?

They might sound like twins, but they’re more like cousins.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is about making your content the source material for AI tools. You’re aiming for the AI to train on and pull from your work.

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is about formatting your content so search engines can lift a specific answer instantly, often as a snippet, voice response, or quick AI summary.

TLDR:

GEO = Be the book the AI keeps quoting from.

AEO = Be the highlighted sentence the AI (or Google) reads out loud.

Both are for visibility in a search landscape beyond the list of links, but the approach and end goal are slightly different.

How SEO, GEO, and AEO Work Together

You don’t have to pick one. The sweet spot is often combining all three:

• Use SEO to build a strong, keyword-rich foundation

• Layer GEO to dominate your niche

• Add AEO so your content is the one getting quoted, pulled, and read out loud

  
  

Utilizing only one of these is like showing up to a networking event with one business card in your pocket.

If you’re ready to be everywhere your audience is looking, it’s time to start strategizing with all three.

Too much Gen-Z talk for you? I’m happy to do the translating. Give me a call, and I’ll take care of all the engine optimization for you.