AEO, GEO, SEO - What's The Difference?

Branched Team - 2026-05-06

For twenty years, "search" meant Google. You optimised for keywords, you ranked, you got clicks. That world is changing fast.

Today, the same customer might find you through a Google search, an answer in ChatGPT, an AI overview, a voice assistant, or a recommendation inside Perplexity. Each of those uses a different mechanic, and each has its own discipline.

SEO - Search Engine Optimisation

The classic. Optimising your website so Google and Bing rank it for relevant searches. The goal is a click to your site.

Core levers: keyword targeting, on-page structure, backlinks, technical performance, and local signals like Google Business Profile.

AEO - Answer Engine Optimisation

The shift. Optimising for the moment a search engine answers the question directly - in a featured snippet, a People Also Ask box, or an AI Overview - without needing a click.

Core levers: clear question-and-answer structure, schema markup, concise definitions, and content that maps cleanly to specific intents.

GEO - Generative Engine Optimisation

The new layer. Optimising for how generative tools - ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude - cite, summarise, and recommend your business when somebody asks them a question.

Core levers: authoritative content, structured data, mentions across the wider web, citations from trusted sources, and a digital footprint that LLMs can read and trust.

How they fit together

What to do about it

1. Audit what AI tools currently say about your business. Most owners have never checked.
2. Build content that answers the questions your customers actually ask, in the format AI can extract.
3. Strengthen your off-site footprint - directories, reviews, mentions - so LLMs have something to cite.

Our Perception Gap audit includes an AI visibility check so you can see how you show up across these new surfaces.