TLDR: GEO (generative engine optimization) is similar to AEO (answer engine optimization) with some slight but important differences. The two go hand-in-hand along with SEO (search engine optimization) to improve online visibility to AI search crawlers.
Now that you’ve met AEO, (if not, read “An Introduction to AEO”), let us introduce you to its close, equally important relative, GEO.
What Is GEO?
GEO, or generative engine optimization, is the process of creating or adjusting your online content to increase your brand’s visibility among generative engines that scour the internet to provide a synthesized, AI-generated overview to a search query. It’s very similar to AEO (answer engine optimization), using the same principles of optimizing search visibility, but presenting the information in the form of a summary instead of as answers to specific questions. Also like AEO, it is an extension of and uses many of the same principles of traditional SEO, like site authority and credibility. The more easily findable your brand is, the higher it will rank in search results. Quite often, the line between AEO and GEO is blurred. Search results like featured snippets, AI overviews and voice-powered search are all part of the same user experience advancements. They go hand-in-hand.
How Is It Different from AEO?
While the two are closely related, there are some slight differences, including:
How Do LLMs Affect AEO?
To reiterate from “An Introduction to AEO”, LLMs, or large language models, are advanced AI systems in natural language processing (NLP) development, designed to understand and generate language the way humans actually speak and write. These models are fed vast amounts of text data in order to recognize specific patterns, understand context and mimic human-like language.
This technology plays a significant role in GEO by improving a generative engine’s comprehension of natural human language. They convert text into structured pieces used to locate information and synthesize it into a concise summary that answers the search query through:
The results are similar to AEO’s benefits to brands, which include:
Both answer engines and generative engines are forms of LLMs. The difference is the way each presents its search results: For AEO, it’s direct answers to specific questions, and for GEO, it’s an AI-generated overview.
Do I Need Both AEO and GEO?
It’s important to point out that AEO and GEO are not an either-or situation. Both feed into the growing user trend of using AI-powered search engines, so there is a lot of overlap in the underlying principles. Search results like featured snippets, AI overviews and voice-powered search are all part of the same user experience advancements. You need both AEO and GEO because:
“AI Overviews are now the default search experience in the U.S.—reaching over 1.5 billion people,” writes Tiffany Chen for Mintlify.
If your brand’s content isn’t properly optimized, you could be losing out on recommendations and ultimately sales. Per Tara Loftis, global president of skincare at Galderma and global head of Cetaphil, for Ad Age. “[Consumers are] looking for recommendations from ChatGPT in the aisle, they’re not doing it before they arrive.” This illustrates the importance and value of AEO and GEO, especially for product-based brands.
What Does It All Mean?
It’s clear that the advancement of technology and search is impacting the way people find information and the way people shop. With so many options available and steadily increasing prices of just about everything, consumers are getting much more intentional with the way they shop and choose products. Rising costs of just about everything have begun to overshadow brand loyalty in favour of the most cost-effective option. Consumers are now doing their research to ensure they’re getting the best value for their money, heavily relying on AI search for product recommendations. Brands that don’t quickly adopt GEO and AEO will likely end up falling behind.
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Sources:
https://digiday.com/media/wtf-are-geo-and-aeo-and-how-they-differ-from-seo/
https://foundationinc.co/lab/generative-engine-optimization
https://searchengineland.com/generative-engine-optimization-strategies-446723
https://adage.com/technology/ai/aa-cetaphil-ai-advertising-strategy-gen-z/
https://www.contentful.com/events/from-seo-to-geo-amer/?utm_source=marketo&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=fy26-q2-global-july_contentful_newsletter&mkt_tok=NTk3LVBXUC0xNTYAAAGb9UkbF-5zCJLjj0rEPh7CfZnQB1KVfW9j-IE-GTEE8uDxvI8uZ71UTvq98lOoxedyamyJjGHbwPvTgNOy_uWv50QnrhH2Y71NiT8PFkQ65pzYZhXibcDc37qP0Q
https://mintlify.com/blog/how-to-improve-llm-readability
