How search has changed
For years, being found online mostly meant ranking well on a search results page. That still matters. But today, people also get answers directly from search features, voice assistants, and AI tools that summarise information before anyone clicks a link.
That shift has produced a few new acronyms. They sound complicated, but the ideas behind them are simple.
SEO: search engine optimization
SEO is the practice of helping your pages rank in search results for the queries your customers use. It covers three broad areas:
- Technical health — can search engines crawl, index, and load your pages properly?
- Content — do your pages clearly answer what people are searching for?
- Authority — do other trustworthy sites reference you?
AEO: answer engine optimization
AEO focuses on being the answer, not just a link. When someone asks a direct question, search features and assistants try to respond immediately. AEO means structuring your content so it can be understood and quoted: clear questions, concise answers, and accurate structured data.
Good AEO usually looks like good writing: direct answers, clear headings, and no filler.
GEO: generative engine optimization
GEO is about how AI-generated answers understand and mention your business. These tools draw on information from across the web, so consistency matters: your website, listings, and other mentions should describe who you are and what you offer in the same clear way.
It’s worth being honest here: nobody controls what AI tools say, and anyone promising guaranteed placement is overselling. What you can do is make accurate, well-structured information about your business easy to find.
Where to start
The good news is that SEO, AEO, and GEO share the same foundations. If you’re deciding where to begin:
- Fix technical issues that stop pages from being crawled or loading quickly.
- Make sure your key pages clearly explain what you do, who it’s for, and where you operate.
- Add a focused FAQ section that answers real customer questions directly.
- Keep your business information consistent everywhere it appears online.
- Measure what changes, and refine from there.
If you’d like a second pair of eyes on where your business stands, our Search Visibility team can help.