SEO vs AEO vs GEO: what is the difference?

The short comparison

• SEO: aims to rank pages in Google and Bing. Measured by rankings, clicks and traffic.
• AEO: aims to be the direct answer in snippets, voice assistants and AI answers. Measured by snippets, answer appearances and engagement.
• GEO: aims to be understood and cited by generative AI tools. Measured by how AI tools describe and mention your brand.

What they share

All three reward helpful, accurate, well-structured content from a trustworthy site that loads quickly. If your basics are weak, fix them first.

Where they differ

SEO is about pages and keywords. AEO is about questions and short answers. GEO is about your brand as an entity and the facts AI tools learn about you.

Which should you start with?

Start with SEO foundations: a fast site, clear pages and helpful content. Then add answer-first sections and FAQ schema for AEO, and tidy your brand facts and crawler access for GEO.

A realistic expectation

All three take time and none can be guaranteed. The best approach is steady improvement and honest measurement.