AI Search Optimisation
6 min read
SEO vs AEO vs GEO: What Is the Difference and Where Should You Start?
SEO wins rankings, AEO wins direct answers and GEO wins AI citations. They share one foundation, and the right starting point depends on where you are today.
Quick answer: SEO (search engine optimisation) helps your pages rank in search results. AEO (answer engine optimisation) helps your content become the direct answer in featured snippets, voice results and Google AI Overviews. GEO (generative engine optimisation) helps your brand get cited by AI assistants like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini. Start with SEO foundations, then layer AEO and GEO on top, because all three rely on the same technically sound, clearly structured, trustworthy content.
Key takeaways
The three disciplines share most of their foundations.
SEO is the base layer; without crawlable, fast pages, AEO and GEO struggle.
AEO and GEO reward answer-first structure, schema and entity clarity.
Measure each differently: rankings, answer placements and AI citations.
How do SEO, AEO and GEO compare?
Goal: SEO targets rankings and clicks; AEO targets being the direct answer; GEO targets being cited in AI-generated answers.
Where it shows: SEO in organic listings; AEO in snippets, voice and AI Overviews; GEO in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Copilot.
Key tactics: SEO uses technical health, keywords, links; AEO uses question headings, concise answers, FAQ schema; GEO uses entity consistency, factual depth and third-party corroboration.
Measurement: SEO uses Search Console and rank trackers; AEO tracks snippet and AI Overview presence; GEO tracks AI citations and AI referral traffic.
Where should a business start?
Fix SEO foundations: crawlability, speed, mobile, one H1 per page, sitemaps.
Restructure key pages for AEO: answer-first openings, question headings, FAQs and schema.
Build GEO signals: consistent entity details, case studies, reviews and industry mentions.
Measure all three monthly.
Do you need separate teams or budgets?
Usually not. One well-planned programme covers all three because the same improvements help every channel. The difference is mainly in what you measure.
How Fameweb approaches it
We run SEO, AEO and GEO as one programme for clients in India and abroad. See AEO and GEO services, SEO services and our explainers on AEO and GEO.
Frequently asked questions
Is SEO dead because of AI search?
No. AI systems draw heavily on search indexes and well-ranked pages, so SEO remains essential.
Which matters most for B2B companies?
All three, but GEO is increasingly important because buyers ask AI assistants to shortlist vendors.
Can a small business do AEO and GEO?
Yes. Answer-first content, FAQ schema and consistent business details are affordable and effective.
