Online search used to be controlled by big search engines like Google or Bing. But things are changing. Fast.
The main driver behind this, of course, is the rise of Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude, which have changed the way people find and consume information online. Instead of typing keywords into a search engine, users are now asking their favorite AI chatbot for an answer.
For marketers, this means just making sure your brand is at the top of SERPs is no longer enough. You also want your content represented in AI Overviews or cited in AI-generated answers when users ask related questions.
On its own, good old-fashioned SEO is no longer sufficient for discoverability. You also need to mix in some generative engine optimization (GEO) and answer engine optimization (AEO).
Read on for a breakdown of what these terms mean and how they differ from basic SEO.
Back to Basics: What Is SEO?
At its core, SEO is the process of improving a website so it ranks higher in organic search engine results pages (SERPs). Everyone who’s had a brush with digital marketing knows SEO is not a set-it-and-forget-it kind of situation.
Search algorithms evolve constantly, but the core components of SEO have remained fairly consistent. Here are a few of them:
- Technical SEO: Makes sure your site is crawlable, fast, mobile-friendly, and secure.
- Content optimization: Aligns on-page content with user intent and relevant keywords.
- On-page SEO: Improves readability, structure, and overall relevance.
- Backlinks: Earns high-quality inbound links from reputable sources to strengthen your site’s credibility and domain authority.
You can confidently say that most successful websites dominating SERPs right now have been built using smart SEO strategies.
Let’s take NerdWallet as an example. The website made masterful use of SEO techniques to become an authority in financial content. As a result, many relevant inquiries will lead users to one of its pages.
Years of evolving strategies and tools have helped many brands and publishers climb the ranks in similar ways, from simple keyword research tools that help uncover audience intent to more complex platforms like Seobility that offer comprehensive site audits and optimization checks.
Is SEO Dead?
Now that LLMs are wreaking havoc on search habits, does this mean SEO doesn’t matter anymore?
In reality, things started to change a while back. Younger generations, starting with Gen Z, are not big fans of Google Search. Years ago, they started using social media like TikTok or voice assistants like Alexa to find information. LLMs are just the next best thing.
Despite all of this, most brands are not ditching SEO entirely, and for good reasons.
Sure, search is evolving, but search engines are still very much relevant. In fact, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) are simply new forms of content optimization for different methods of content distribution.
Emerging Terms: What Is GEO & AEO?
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) focuses on improving your chances of being referenced, cited, or paraphrased by AI-powered platforms like ChatGPT, Gemini, or Claude. These models generate responses based on trained and retrieved information from many sources, so content that’s well-structured, credible, and semantically rich is more likely to appear in AI-generated answers.
For example, when users ask ChatGPT about the best debt relief companies in California, brands such as Freedom Debt Relief may surface in the response. It’s an illustration of how visibility in generative engines can reflect effective AI-era optimization.
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), by contrast, focuses on earning visibility in direct-answer formats within traditional search engines, such as Google’s featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, or voice assistant results. This requires clear, concise, and structured content that aligns with user questions.
In short, GEO targets AI systems designed to generate, while AEO targets search engines designed to answer. Both rely on trust, clarity, and contextual depth, but GEO extends those principles to the new world of generative search.
How GEO & AEO Work
While AEO has been around for several years, GEO is newer and still rapidly evolving. We don’t yet have defined methods to measure impact or a playbook, but the foundational techniques are rooted in tried-and-true SEO principles.
Early adopters focus on a few key techniques that show promising results, such as:
- Structured data & schema markup. Marking up your content with schema (like FAQPage, HowTo, or Article) helps machines understand your content contextually. It provides a strong signal for AEO, and may indirectly help GEO by improving how AI systems interpret your content.
- Semantic clarity & factual precision. AI models and answer engines prefer clear, accurate language. Write your content in a way that’s direct, well-researched, and easy to parse.
- Authority signals (E-E-A-T). Expertise, Experience, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness are still essential for high-quality content, whether you’re writing for search engines or AI. The best way to signal authority is by citing credible sources, showing author credentials, and maintaining internal consistency.
- Structured FAQs. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) are a powerful format for AEO. A well-designed FAQ section increases the chances that your content will be picked up by AI overviews or voice search answers.Your FAQ section should first serve the user, and only then try to cater to AI crawlers. For instance, the FAQ section on the Event Ticket Center website is divided into nine categories so that anyone can find their answer within one minute of landing on the page.
This level of FAQ organization provides a helpful guide for human visitors, and may also improve visibility in AI-generated summaries or voice answers.
5. Conversational content. Your audience doesn’t use keywords to search for information; they use natural language. Queries like, “What’s the best way to…” or “How do I…” are quite common, and voice assistants and AI chatbots are better at picking up on content that sounds more like a conversation than an essay.
6. Unlinked brand mentions. These are instances where your brand is referenced in text without a clickable link, e.g., a news article that says “According to research from HubSpot…” without linking to the company’s site. These references don’t directly pass link equity, but they still signal brand salience and topical authority, factors that LLMs often recognize and prioritize.
GEO & AEO in Action
Here are a few examples that show you GEO and AEO are working for your content and what you should aspire to achieve:
- Your blog post is referenced or summarized in a ChatGPT or Copilot response
- Bing Copilot’s AI is using your product pages to formulate replies
- An informational article you wrote is used as a source in Perplexity’s multi-source summary
- A detailed how-to guide, such as ETC’s “How to Get Super Bowl Tickets in 2025” blog post, is picked up by Google’s AI Overview and cited as a source.
- Your brand is recommended in “near me” or “how to” queries
- Your FAQ page is pulled directly into a Google Assistant response when someone asks a question
- A snippet from your glossary page is used by Alexa to answer a terminology question
SEO vs. GEO vs. AEO: Three Facets of Online Visibility
Many of the techniques used in GEO and AEO, like schema markup, clean structure, and relevant language, depend on well-optimized SEO practices. Without crawlable pages, fast load times, and keyword relevance, there’s nothing for AI or voice assistants to pull from in the first place.
That’s because AI systems don’t invent information out of thin air. Many use Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) or similar methods to draw on existing content from trusted sources and turn it into natural-sounding answers.
In short, if your content is already ranking well, clearly structured, and properly marked up, you’re giving both AI and answer engines exactly what they need to surface your brand.
SEO, GEO, and AEO work together to make your content more visible online. Search is changing, but these methods can help you stay on top of things and in front of your target audience.
To keep pace with AI-driven discovery, embrace SEO as your foundation, then layer on GEO and AEO to future-proof your strategy and keep your brand discoverable. Start blending all three now for smarter, more sustainable growth.
Ben Kruger is the Chief Marketing Officer at Event Tickets Center, where he oversees all marketing efforts, including paid search, social media, affiliate marketing, and email campaigns. He builds and scales paid media campaigns for growth and retention, leveraging machine learning models and predictive analytics for marketing activations and analysis. Ben has spoken at industry events such as the Coalition for Ticket Fairness Annual Conference.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
Do I need to overhaul my SEO strategy to add GEO and AEO?
Not at all. Think of SEO as your foundation for site speed, crawlability, and keyword relevance, and GEO/AEO as layers that build on top. If your SEO is strong, you’re already halfway there.
What types of content perform best in generative search?
Informational, evergreen, and expert-authored content tends to perform best, particularly pages that explain how or why something works, rather than simply selling a product.
How can I tell if my content is appearing in AI results?
You can manually check by prompting ChatGPT, Bing Copilot, or Perplexity with relevant queries to see if your brand or content is mentioned. Tools for tracking GEO visibility are still emerging, but expect more analytics options soon.
