GEO vs SEO vs AEO: what's the difference?
GEO vs SEO vs AEO comes down to where you want to show up. SEO aims for ranked links in search engines. AEO aims for direct answers, such as featured snippets, voice answers and AI Overviews. GEO aims for mentions and citations inside AI answers from tools like ChatGPT and Claude.
All three share most of the work: pages that crawlers can read, clear answers and a brand people trust. The difference is the result you measure. If you ship an app, there is a fourth place to show up: the app stores inside AI assistants.
GEO vs SEO vs AEO at a glance
| SEO | AEO | GEO | AI app store optimization (for apps) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank a page in search results | Be the direct answer | Be named or cited in AI answers | Rank your app inside AI app stores and get suggested in chats |
| Where results show | Google and Bing result pages | Featured snippets, voice assistants, AI Overviews | ChatGPT, Claude, Google AI Mode and other AI assistants | ChatGPT Plugin Directory, Claude connectors, Muse, Meta AI, MCP registries |
| What you measure | Rank, clicks, impressions | Snippet wins, answer share | Mention rate, citation rate across many runs | Directory rank, category rank, suggestion rate |
| Main levers | Content, links, technical health | Short answers, question headings, lists and tables | Mentions on sites AI cites, original data, answer-first pages | App name, description, tool metadata, categories |
| Tools | Search Console, rank trackers | Rank trackers with SERP features | AI visibility tools | gaintage |
Ready to measure? Measure AI visibility for your app across ChatGPT and Claude.
What is SEO (search engine optimization)?
SEO is the work of getting your pages to rank in search engines like Google and Bing. It covers the content on the page, links from other sites and the technical health of the site. You measure it with rank, clicks and impressions in Google Search Console.
What is AEO (answer engine optimization)?
AEO is the work of making your content the direct answer to a question. The answer can show as a featured snippet, a voice assistant reply or a line in Google's AI Overviews. AEO uses short answers at the top of a section, question headings, lists and tables.
What is GEO (generative engine optimization)?
GEO is the work of getting your brand named or cited when an AI tool writes an answer. A mention is when the AI says your brand name. A citation is when it links to your page as a source. Answers change from run to run, so you measure GEO as a rate over many runs of the same prompt.
Is AEO a part of GEO?
Mostly, yes.
Mostly yes. Many people use the two words for the same thing, and Wikipedia sends "answer engine optimization" to its article on generative engine optimization. If you split them, AEO is about one direct answer and GEO is about being part of a longer AI answer.
Does GEO replace SEO?
No, it builds on it.
No. AI answers often pull from search indexes, so pages that rank well in search are easier for AI tools to find. AI Overviews showed up on 116 of the 120 Google results pages we checked in October 2026, and those overviews also draw from ranked pages. GEO adds work on top of SEO. It does not remove it.
How SEO, AEO and GEO overlap
Most of the work is shared.
- Shared work. Crawlable pages, clear answers, accurate facts and a trusted brand help all three.
- AEO only. Formats that fit a snippet: a 40 to 60 word answer, a numbered list or a small table under a question heading.
- GEO only. Mentions on third-party sites that AI tools cite, such as lists and reviews, and tracking a fixed set of prompts over time.
Compare the best AI visibility tools for tracking GEO. Then learn how to rank in ChatGPT answers step by step.
Where apps fit: ASO vs SEO vs GEO
Apps that live inside AI assistants have their own stores. A ChatGPT plugin ranks in the Plugin Directory. A Claude connector ranks in Claude's connector directory. MCP servers are listed in registries. Inside a chat, the assistant can also suggest an app for the task. You measure this with directory rank, category rank and how often the app is suggested, not with web rank. Classic app store optimization works the same way for Apple and Google stores. Read ASO vs SEO for that side. Ship an app? Measure AI visibility for your app in ChatGPT and Claude.
Five steps any team can start with today
From basics to tracking.
- Fix the basics. Make sure search engines and AI crawlers can reach your pages.
- Answer first. Put the answer in the first one or two sentences of each page and section.
- Write question headings. Use the questions people search for, then answer them right away.
- Get named on other sites. Ask to be included on lists and reviews that AI tools already cite.
- Track a prompt set. Run the same prompts every month and log how often you are named. Try our free AI visibility checker to start.
Frequently asked questions
What are the four types of SEO?
On-page, off-page, technical and local SEO.
Is AI SEO called GEO?
Often, yes. "AI SEO", "GEO" and "AEO" are used for the same work: showing up in AI answers.
How do I measure GEO?
Pick a fixed set of prompts, run each one 10 to 20 times in each AI tool every month, and log how often your brand is named and cited.
What is the difference between AEO and GEO?
AEO aims for one direct answer, like a featured snippet. GEO aims for mentions and citations inside longer AI answers.