What Is AEO and GEO Optimization? A Plain-English Guide
AEO and GEO get thrown around a lot right now, often without a clear definition attached. This article breaks down what answer engine optimization and generative engine optimization actually mean in practice, how they differ from traditional SEO, and — more importantly — what's actually testable and actionable today versus what's still speculation. It's written for agency owners who need to have an informed conversation with clients about AI search without overselling capabilities that don't exist yet.
This article is currently in production. We're documenting the specific structural and content changes that have shown measurable impact on AI citation rates across the client sites we've worked on.
What the full article will cover:
- AEO vs. GEO vs. traditional SEO — what's actually different
- How AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity source content differently
- The structural changes that improve citation likelihood
- How to talk to clients about AI search without overpromising
- Tools and methods for tracking AI search visibility today
- Where AEO/GEO still depends on solid technical SEO fundamentals
Want to see where a client site stands today? Our AEO/GEO optimization service starts with exactly this kind of audit — happy to walk through findings on a call.