Short answer: SEO helps you rank in search results. AEO (answer engine optimization) helps your content be used as a direct answer. GEO (generative engine optimization) helps AI tools like ChatGPT mention and recommend you. They overlap heavily and work best together.
SEO
Search engine optimization: technical health, relevant pages, links and local signals so you appear in search results.
AEO
Answer engine optimization: structuring content so that featured snippets, voice assistants and AI answers can lift a clear answer from it.
GEO
Generative engine optimization: improving how AI models describe and recommend your business, which relies heavily on third-party sources, reviews and consistent entity information.
What this means for your firm
Do not choose one. Strong SEO is the foundation; AEO and GEO extend it to AI answers. Be wary of anyone selling “ChatGPT rankings”; no such guaranteed product exists.
Related
Entity SEO means making sure search engines and AI understand your business as one clearly defined entity, with the same name, details and descriptions everywhere.
Reviewed under the RATdeck editorial review policy.
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