SEO, AEO, GEO, what’s the Difference? Can’t We Just Call the Whole Thing Off?
The way we search has changed, and businesses are starting to notice this in their SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) performance. We are producing more content than ever before across social media, blogs, websites and video, yet we’re not seeing the same results we achieved in the past.
That’s because consumer behaviour has evolved.
Search used to be keyword driven. This is why paid SEO worked well, you bid on the right keyword and pushed your visibility up the search engine results page. It was structured and transactional.
Now, we ask for information differently.
We’ve moved to a more conversational search approach through Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO). Think Google Home, Alexa or Siri. AEO focuses on optimising content so it can be selected as the direct answer to a spoken or AI-generated query. It’s about clearly solving specific questions.
Then we move further into Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). With AI-driven platforms, users no longer simply search and click links. Instead, they ask detailed, prescriptive questions and receive synthesised responses. GEO ensures your content is structured, authoritative and relevant enough for generative platforms to reference and draw from when building answers.
The search journey is no longer just about ranking. It’s about being included in the answer. This shift cannot be ignored. SEO still matters. AEO is growing. GEO is accelerating.
Today, we have access to many digital programs that can measure your website and content against what your customers are actually searching for the questions they’re asking and the language they’re using. When you layer that insight with what your business can genuinely offer, and address their problem with a clear solution, you move from simple awareness into the research and consideration stages of the marketing funnel.
Search is no longer just about keywords. It’s about clarity. Authority. Relevance and answering real questions better than anyone else.
For now, SEO, AEO and GEO all matter. The businesses that win will be those that adapt their content strategy to how people search today not how they searched five years ago.