Search is changing faster than ever. Traditional SEO has long been the foundation for online visibility, but voice assistants, AI-powered results, and generative search are rewriting the rules. This is where SEO vs GEO and AEO vs GEO debates come in, helping businesses understand how to adapt.

In this blog, we’ll break down the differences between SEO, GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation), and AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation), and how combining them will shape the future of digital marketing optimisation.

What is SEO and Why It Still Matters

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) remains an important part of most digital strategies and is still relevant in 2025. Its goal is to improve visibility on search engines like Google and Bing through:

  • Keyword research and targeting
  • Technical site optimisation (page speed, indexing, mobile-friendliness)
  • High-quality content and backlinks

Even as AI tools evolve, SEO is still crucial because:

  • It builds long-term visibility – Once you rank well, your site continues to generate organic traffic without ongoing ad spend.
  • It drives relevant traffic/leads –  Unlike ads shown to broad audiences, SEO brings in users actively searching for specific topics, often leading to higher-quality engagement per user.
  • It supports other strategies – Strong SEO underpins AEO and GEO success by creating authoritative content that AI systems can trust.

Think of SEO as the foundation for all digital marketing optimisation efforts.

AEO: Answer Engine Optimisation

Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) is about creating content that can be delivered directly as answers by AI assistants, voice search, and featured snippets.

Common applications include:

  • Google featured snippets (“Position Zero”)
  • Voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant
  • AI-driven chat results on tools like Bing Chat and ChatGPT

AEO success requires:

  • Clear question-and-answer formatting
  • Greater emphasis is placed on schema markup
  • Be concise, authoritative, and accurate.

GEO: Generative Engine Optimisation

Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) is the newest evolution in search. Instead of only focusing on traditional search rankings or featured snippets, GEO helps your content to be understood, cited, and surfaced by AI-driven results, including both AI summaries in search engines and standalone tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.

Modern search engines increasingly display AI-generated overviews or summaries before standard results. GEO helps your brand to be shown in these new search types.

Key GEO strategies include:

  • Structuring content for AI with clear headings and semantic formatting
  • Including authoritative references and entity-linked content to build credibility
  • Presenting well-organised, concise information to maximise the chance of being cited in AI summaries or conversational results

If SEO helps you rank in traditional search rankings and AEO helps you become the immediate answer, GEO ensures your brand is visible in AI-driven search experiences – from Google’s AI snapshots to generative tools like ChatGPT.

SEO vs GEO vs AEO: How They Work Together

It’s not about choosing between SEO, AEO, and GEO. The future of digital visibility depends on using all three together.

Strategy Focus Key Outcome
SEO Traditional search engines Ranks pages and drives organic traffic
AEO Voice assistants & snippets Delivers instant answers
GEO AI-powered search Positions your brand in AI-generated results

By combining them, your business can:

  • Maintain visibility in Google and Bing search results
  • Capture zero-click and voice-based traffic
  • Appear in AI-generated summaries where competitors may not

Practical Tips to Get Started

  • SEO: Optimise site speed, use targeted keywords, and publish high-quality, in-depth blogs.
  • AEO: Add FAQs, use structured headings, and apply schema markup.
  • GEO: Write authoritative, semantically-rich content with clear structure for AI parsing. Reference credible sources.

A strategic approach ensures your brand can be found whether users search, ask, or chat.

How Evolution Digital Can Help

At Evolution Digital, we help brands stay visible in a world where search keeps evolving. Our team builds strategies that combine SEO, AEO, & GEO so your business is ready for every discovery channel:

  • SEO to increase traffic and rankings
  • AEO to capture voice and snippet-based searches
  • GEO to position your brand for AI-driven search experiences

Ready to evolve your visibility strategy? Contact us today to get started.