What is GEO vs SEO vs AEO?

SEO optimizes for ranking position in Google's traditional list of results. AEO, answer engine optimization, optimizes for getting quoted as a direct answer by AI tools. GEO, generative engine optimization, is used almost interchangeably with AEO by most marketers.

The distinction between AEO and GEO is more about which term a given tool vendor or writer prefers than a real difference in practice, both describe optimizing for AI-generated answers rather than link lists.

SEO remains the foundation for all three, since AI tools mostly draw citations from pages that are already indexed and reasonably well-ranked in traditional search.

An SEO automation platform built around direct, well-structured answers covers all three at once instead of treating them separately.