AEO and GEO vs. classic SEO: How AI is changing search and the entire internet
Do you remember the days when SEO mainly meant fighting for the first place in Google and the goal was to get your website among the "10 blue links"? However, the world of search has changed beyond recognition in just a few years. Today, it is no longer enough to just optimize a page well for Google - the era of Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) is coming. What does this mean for business owners, marketers and e-commerce merchants? Let's explain it in human terms, without buzzwords, and most importantly with a practical plan at the end.
How the “old” SEO looked vs. today’s reality
Once upon a time: you would type a question into Google and the result would be a list of 10 blue links. You would click, read, and search for the answer. The main goal of SEO: to reach the first place in the SERP (Search Engine Results Page), or at least on the first page.
Today: you ask a question (often by voice or into an AI chatbot) and you get an answer immediately. Sometimes you don’t even reach a list of links – AI answers you directly, or displays an “AI Overview” that summarizes information from multiple websites. This is called zero-click search: the user receives an answer without even clicking on any link.
Example:
- Classic SEO: “How to fix a leaking faucet?” → Google: 10 links to articles.
- Today: “How to fix a leaking faucet?” → AI answer: “Shut off the water supply, unscrew the handle, replace the washer. If the problem persists, call a plumber.”
Explanation of terms: SEO, AEO, and GEO in simple terms
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) – How to get among the results. The goal is to be among those 10 blue links so that people click on you.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) – How to be that short answer directly in the search engine or AI. Imagine you ask Google or ChatGPT a question and your page is the one from which AI pulls the answer – it displays a short definition, summary, or answer right in the results.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) – How to be the source that AI chooses when compiling its answer. This is no longer just about a short answer, but about making your content part of the “encyclopedia for AI” from which AI selects information, combines it, and uses it to generate answers.
How AI is changing user behavior
Zero-click searches: More and more people receive answers directly in the results (or in the AI overview) and no longer click on websites. AI Overviews (e.g., in Google) display summaries instead of links. Chat interfaces and voice searches (e.g., Siri, Alexa) shorten the path to the answer even more.
Informational queries:
- “What is AEO?” – AI answers you directly, often without the need to visit a website.
Transactional queries:
- “Where to buy a laptop in Bratislava?” – here the website, product catalog, and contact details still play an important role.
Practically: AEO-optimized content
What does content that AI and search engines love for AEO look like?
- Clear answers at the beginning: The reader and AI should receive an answer right in the first sentences.
- FAQ blocks: Question and clear answer – AI can use this directly.
- Structured data: Schema.org, tagging questions and answers.
- Short summaries, definitions, HowTo: Example: “AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is a way to prepare content so that it can be used as an answer in the search engine or AI.”
Example:
Question: How to change a car battery?
Answer: First, turn off the engine and all appliances, disconnect the negative terminal, then the positive, replace the battery, and reverse the procedure.
Practically: GEO-optimized content
For GEO, you need to structure content like an encyclopedia for AI:
- Articles divided into logical blocks: Definition, causes, processes, examples, advantages, disadvantages.
- Emphasis on facts and citations: AI selects information from reliable sources – cite relevant studies, authorities.
- Consistent brand/authority: Your website and name should be mentioned on various relevant websites.
Example of GEO optimization:
If you want ChatGPT or Perplexity to use your article as a source, write an article with a clear structure, refer to data, and build authority (e.g., through expert articles, interviews).
What still applies from classic SEO?
- Technical SEO: The website must be fast, secure, and easily navigable.
- Authority: It still holds true that trustworthy websites have an advantage.
- UX: Good user experience is essential.
But the main goal is shifting: it’s no longer just about the position in the SERP, but whether you are part of the answers generated by AI. Your “share of voice” in AI responses is a new success metric.
90-day plan on how to start with AEO and GEO
- Audit existing articles (AEO): Review your articles and add clear answers at the beginning, FAQ sections, and structured data.
- Create 2–3 “pillar” articles (GEO): Write extensive, expert articles on topics where you want to be cited as an authority. Break them into logical blocks, cite sources.
- Build authority and measure results: Get your name and brand mentioned on other relevant websites, gain citations, conduct interviews. Track not only positions in the SERP but also whether AI tools are citing you and using you as a source.