The short answer: SEO gets your pages found in Google’s list of results. AEO gets your answer picked as the direct answer to a question. GEO gets your business named inside an AI assistant’s reply. They overlap a lot. Start with SEO, because the other two stand on it, then add clear question pages (AEO), then work on being named and trusted across the web (GEO).
If you have been reading about AI search, you have met three short names: SEO, AEO and GEO. Agencies use them as if everyone already knows the difference. Most business owners do not, and that is fair. There is no official rulebook. People use the words in slightly different ways.
Here is how I use them, what each one is for, and where to put your time and money first.
The three, in plain words
SEO (search engine optimisation) is the older one. It makes your pages easy for Google to find, read and rank, so you show up when someone searches. The buyer sees a list and chooses.
AEO (answer engine optimisation) is about being the answer. When someone asks a clear question, such as “how long does a wheel alignment take?”, the search tool or assistant picks one answer to show. AEO means writing pages that answer one question clearly, so yours is the one picked.
GEO (generative engine optimisation) is about being named inside the reply of an AI assistant such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude or Perplexity. These tools write a fresh reply each time. GEO means making your business clear and trusted enough, in enough places, that the tool names you when a buyer asks who to call.
These are working definitions, not official ones. Different writers use the three terms differently, and you will see AEO and GEO used for the same thing.
Side by side
| SEO | AEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| The goal | Show up in the list of results | Be the direct answer to a question | Be named in an AI assistant’s reply |
| Where it shows | Google results page | Answer boxes, voice answers, AI answers | ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI answers |
| What the buyer sees | Ten links to compare | One short answer | One or two business names |
| What it needs most | A fast, findable site and useful pages | Pages that answer one question clearly | Matching facts everywhere, reviews, and mentions on other sites |
| How you check it | Rankings, clicks, enquiries | Is your page the one quoted? | Does the assistant name you? (Run the test, three times each) |
How much they overlap
A lot. Google says so itself: “The best practices for SEO remain relevant for AI features in Google Search (such as AI Overviews and AI Mode).” (Google Search Central, AI features and your website, last updated 10 December 2025.) A page that Google cannot find or show is not going to turn up in an AI answer from Google either.
That is why I do not treat the three as rival services. They are three layers of one job: be found, be chosen as the answer, be named and trusted.
Which one to start with
- SEO first. Make sure your site loads fast, Google can find your pages, and your Google Business Profile is complete. Without this, the other two have nothing to stand on.
- AEO second. Write one page for each real question your buyers ask. Put the plain answer near the top, then the detail.
- GEO third. Make your name, address and phone match everywhere. Collect reviews that describe the work. Get your business mentioned on other trusted sites. Then test whether the assistants name you.
Do not skip the order because the newest term sounds more exciting. Our own numbers show why. On 30 October 2026 our site passed 19 of 26 search checks, which is decent SEO work, and ChatGPT still named us in only 2 of 60 answers to buyer questions. Perplexity named us in 19 of 60. Good SEO helped, and it was not enough on its own. That gap is the GEO work.
Source: SEO Smart’s own search checks and AI test, 30 October 2026 (DataForSEO and direct checks of seosmart.co.ke). 26 search checks; 20 buyer questions, 3 runs each, across five AI tools. Claude and Gemini did not accept the Kenya location setting, so they ran without it.
What this looks like for a Nairobi business
Say you run a tyre shop. SEO makes sure “tyres Nairobi” finds your site. AEO is a clear page on “when do I need a wheel alignment?”. GEO is the assistant naming you when a driver asks “who can fit tyres near Westlands?”.
You can check where you stand on all three in an afternoon. Our 30-minute AI test shows how, and our main guide lists what to fix. The deeper reading is in our GEO playbook.
Key points
- SEO, AEO and GEO are three layers of one job: be found, be chosen as the answer, be named.
- There is no official definition, so check what an agency means when it uses the terms.
- Google says SEO best practices still apply to its AI features.
- Start with SEO, then clear question pages, then consistent facts, reviews and mentions.
- In SEO Smart’s own checks on 30 October 2026, good SEO results did not guarantee being named: ChatGPT named the agency in 2 of 60 answers.
Questions people ask
What is the difference between SEO and GEO?
SEO aims to get your pages ranked in Google’s list of results. GEO aims to get your business named in an AI assistant’s reply. GEO builds on SEO.
What is AEO?
AEO is answer engine optimisation. It means writing pages that answer one clear question, so a search tool or assistant picks your answer.
Is GEO the same as AEO?
They overlap, and some writers use the words for the same thing. In this article AEO is about being the direct answer and GEO is about being named in a generated reply.
Should I stop doing SEO and move to GEO?
No. Google says SEO best practices remain relevant to its AI features, and the other two layers stand on them.
Which should a small Kenyan business start with?
Start with SEO basics and a complete Google Business Profile, then add pages that answer your buyers’ questions, then work on consistent details and reviews.
Come and see where you stand
Not sure which layer is your weak one? Bring your website and your buyers’ questions, and we will check all three with you in Nairobi.
Mehul Shah, Founder and Managing Director, SEO Smart Limited
Mehul Shah is the Founder and Managing Director of SEO Smart Limited, a specialised SEO, GEO and AEO agency based in Kenya. With nearly 20 years of experience, Mehul helps agencies and businesses build scalable SEO strategies, performance-optimised websites, and conversion-driven content marketing frameworks.