The short version
Why AEO and GEO are effectively the same
AEO started as a way to describe optimizing for featured snippets and voice assistants, where one answer is read out rather than ten links listed. GEO was introduced in a 2023 research paper about search engines that write their answers with large language models. As AI assistants took over, the two terms converged.
You will see both in job ads and vendor pages, sometimes with "LLM SEO" and "AI SEO" as well. Treat them as synonyms unless a specific vendor defines them differently. Don't spend time on a separate plan for each one.
Where the work overlaps with SEO
Far more overlaps than the marketing around AEO suggests. All of these help in both:
- Pages that crawlers can reach and that are indexed.
- Clear headings and content that directly answers the question.
- Fresh, dated information with named authors.
- Links and mentions from credible websites.
Google says plainly that there are no additional requirements for its AI features and that you don't need special files or schema.org markup for them. If your SEO fundamentals are weak, start there.
What is actually different
Different crawlers
AI companies run their own crawlers, and each has its own rules. Allowing Googlebot says nothing about OAI-SearchBot or Claude-SearchBot. Many sites block these bots without realizing it; our study of major websites shows how common blocking is.
Passages rather than pages
A search result sends the reader to your whole page. An AI answer uses a passage. That rewards a clear answer near the top of a section, written so it still makes sense when lifted out of the page.
Your reputation elsewhere counts for more
When someone asks which product to buy, an AI answer often draws on review sites and comparison articles. That makes third-party coverage a direct input. The AI recommendation leaderboards list which sources get cited most in each category.
Measurement is harder
A rank tracker tells you where a page sits. It can't tell you what an answer said about you, whether it was accurate, or which competitors were named instead. Answers also vary between runs, so one check proves little. Measuring AI visibility without false claims explains how to handle that.
Which should you focus on first?
- If your site has technical SEO problems, fix those first. They hold back both.
- If your SEO is sound, check AI crawler access next. It takes an hour and it can be a complete blocker.
- Then measure. Ask real buyer questions and find out where you stand before you change any content.
- Then fix the biggest gap you found. That might be a missing page, an unclear passage or being absent from the sites that get cited.
Our guide to generative engine optimization and the explainer on answer engine optimization cover the practical steps in more detail.
