Search is splitting into two experiences. There is the familiar list of blue links, and there is the growing world of AI answers, where a model replies in prose and cites only a handful of sources. Two disciplines have emerged to win visibility in that second world: AEO and GEO. Here is what they mean, without the jargon.

What is AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)?

Answer Engine Optimisation is the practice of structuring your content so that answer engines use it as the direct answer to a question. Answer engines include Google’s AI Overviews, featured snippets and voice assistants. They reward content that is clearly organised, factually tight, and easy to lift a concise answer from. If someone asks “how much is a private GP appointment” and your page answers it cleanly, AEO is what gets your answer surfaced.

What is GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)?

Generative Engine Optimisation is the wider practice of influencing what large language models like ChatGPT and Gemini say about you and recommend to their users. It is less about a single page and more about how your business is described, consistently and credibly, across the whole web. When a model decides which three agencies to name in an answer, GEO is the work that got you named.

How AEO and GEO relate to SEO

Both sit on top of classic SEO rather than replacing it. A site that is technically sound, well structured and authoritative is a site an AI can read, trust and quote. The foundations are shared:

  • Clean, fast, crawlable pages the AI systems can actually access.
  • Clear structure and headings so an answer can be extracted.
  • Genuine authority and consistent information across the web.

The difference is emphasis. SEO chases rankings; AEO and GEO chase citations and recommendations inside AI answers. In practice we run them together, because the same work strengthens all three.

Why it matters now

AI answers are already on the results page and already shaping shortlists, and models tend to favour sources they already recognise. The businesses that build that recognition now will be far harder to displace later. Starting early is the advantage.

This is the field we call AI Search Optimisation. If you want to understand how it differs from traditional search, read GEO vs SEO, or book a free strategy call and we will show you how AI answers currently describe your business.