What is the difference between SEO, AEO and GEO?
Are AEO and GEO the same?
Are AEO and GEO the same? Definitely not. AEO and GEO are different concepts with one shared goal: helping users get better, faster, and more accurate answers. As the best digital marketing expert in Calicut, I’ve seen how these new trends are reshaping the SEO landscape. Think about how your search habits have changed. Earlier, we relied mostly on Google Search. But today, we use AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Bing Copilot. The search method has evolved, but the goal remains the same: to find the most relevant answer quickly. So, when people say “SEO is dead,” that’s not true. It’s just transforming. The principles of SEO are now applied across multiple platforms, not just Google, and that’s where AEO and GEO come in.
What Is AEO in Digital Marketing?
AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimisation. It’s the process of improving your website content so it provides direct answers to user questions.
For example, when you see a featured snippet on Google, that’s AEO in action. If your content gives a clear problem and solution format, search engines can easily pick it as a direct answer.
So, AEO focuses on:
Writing concise and clear answers
- Structuring content for quick understanding
- Using question-based keywords (“What is…?”, “How to…?”)
- Building trustworthy and factual content
What Is GEO in Digital Marketing?
GEO, or Generative Engine Optimisation, is the process of optimising content for AI-driven search engines. Unlike traditional search engines that show links, AI tools generate complete answers based on multiple sources.
So, your content needs to be:
Structured (with proper headings and flow)
- Authoritative (backed by reliable data or expertise)
- Detailed (AI prefers rich, informative content)
GEO ensures that your website or brand appears in AI-generated responses — such as those from ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, or Perplexity. It’s a major shift from “ranking on Google” to “being included in AI-generated answers”.
Conclusion
We can’t predict the exact future of SEO, but we know it’s evolving fast. SEO isn’t limited to Google anymore; it’s expanding across multiple AI and answer-based platforms. As human behaviour and technology keep changing, grabbing user attention will become even harder.
That’s why marketers need to:
Focus on psychological engagement
- Create meaningful, human-friendly content
- Combine creativity and technology wisely
In the end, it’s not just about optimisation; it’s about understanding users deeply and giving them the most valuable content wherever they search.