In short
Which one for whom?
SEO gets a page ranking in search results; AEO structures the page so it answers a specific question directly; GEO aims to have the brand and the page chosen as a source in AI answers, off-site sources included. They are not alternatives: SEO is the foundation, and AEO and GEO build on it. Our GEO agency service runs all three.
SEO first
sites with technical problems, or with crawling and indexing issues.
AEO
sites with a solid technical foundation that want to be the answer to informational questions.
GEO
B2B, SaaS and healthcare brands whose buyers start with research and that want to be recommended by AI assistants.
Side by side
GEO vs SEO and AEO
| Criterion | SEO | AEO | GEO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Ranking in search results | Being the direct answer to a question | Being a source and recommendation in AI answers |
| Where | Google and Bing results pages | Featured snippets, AI Overviews, voice assistants | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, AI Mode, AI Overviews |
| Core work | Technical foundation, content, authority | Question-led structure, definitions, FAQs | AEO plus off-site sources, brand consistency, measurement |
| Measurement | Rankings, traffic, conversions | Snippet and answer appearances | Mentions, citations, AI referral traffic |
SEO: the foundation
A crawlable, fast, well-structured and authoritative site is the foundation for both search results and AI answers. Only 37.9% of the pages cited in Google AI Overviews also rank in the top 10 for the same query (Ahrefs, 2026): ranking is necessary, but not enough.
AEO: page structure
A self-contained definition at the top of every page, a clear answer in the first paragraph of every section, visible FAQs and real tables.
GEO: beyond the page
For commercial questions, the engines look first at directories, comparison lists and the press. Having the brand described consistently in those sources, and measuring visibility every month, is what sets GEO apart. More: GEO agency services, AEO services.
Related services: SEO agency, AEO, GEO agency.
Sources
- Ahrefs, study of AI Overview citations and top-10 rankings: https://ahrefs.com/blog/ai-overview-citations-top-10/ (accessed October 2026)
- Google Search Central, AI features and your website: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features (accessed October 2026)
- Google Search Central, SEO Starter Guide: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/fundamentals/seo-starter-guide (accessed October 2026)
Frequently asked questions
Is GEO replacing SEO?
No. GEO builds on SEO. A crawlable, fast, well-structured and authoritative site is the foundation for both search results and AI answers.
What is the difference between AEO and GEO?
AEO focuses on structuring content so it answers a specific question directly. GEO includes that and adds brand presence, third-party sources and how AI engines choose their sources.
Where should I start?
If you have technical SEO problems, start there. Then run an AI visibility analysis to see where you stand, then work on page structure (AEO) and off-site sources (GEO).
