The short answer
SEO (search engine optimization) works to rank your pages in the list of search results. AEO (answer engine optimization) works to get your business named inside AI-generated answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google’s AI Overviews. They share most of their foundations, so most businesses should treat them as one system rather than choosing between them.
Key takeaways
- SEO earns a spot in the results list; AEO earns a mention inside the answer.
- Both depend on a crawlable site, clear service pages, reviews and consistent listings.
- AEO leans harder on direct answers, structured data and third-party mentions.
- Google still sends most search traffic — AEO adds to SEO, it doesn’t replace it.
What is SEO?
Search engine optimization is the work of making your pages rank for the searches your customers make — in the regular results and, for local businesses, the map pack. It covers technical health (can search engines crawl and index your site), content (do you have pages that match what people search) and authority (do reviews, links and listings show you’re credible).
What is AEO?
Answer engine optimization — sometimes called AI SEO or generative engine optimization (GEO) — is the work of being included in the answers AI tools generate. Instead of a list of links, the person gets a written answer that may name a few businesses. AEO aims to make your business one of those names, and to make sure what’s said about you is accurate.
Where do SEO and AEO overlap?
Much of the work is shared:
- A fast, crawlable website that serves its content in HTML.
- A page for each core service, written around real customer questions.
- A complete Google Business Profile and consistent listings.
- A steady flow of reviews.
- Credible links and mentions from other sites.
What’s different about AEO?
AEO puts more weight on a few things:
- Answer-first writing that’s easy to quote — a clear sentence or two before the detail.
- Structured data that states your business facts explicitly.
- Entity consistency — the same facts about you across many sources.
- Third-party mentions, even without links, from sources AI tools draw on.
- Measuring differently: checking which businesses AI tools name, not just rankings.
Which should a business focus on first?
Start with the shared foundations, because they help both. For a local business that usually means the Google Business Profile, service pages and reviews. Then add the AEO layer — FAQs, schema, consistent listings and mentions — as part of the same routine.
Frequently asked questions
Is AEO replacing SEO?
No. AI answers are growing, but traditional search still drives a large share of traffic, and AI tools often draw on the same pages that rank well. The two work together.
Is GEO the same as AEO?
The terms are used almost interchangeably. Both describe optimizing to appear in AI-generated answers.
Do I need separate content for AI search?
Usually not. Clear service pages with direct answers and FAQs serve both people and AI tools.