AEO and GEO are siblings—not twins.
AEO designs content to be directly answerable and eligible for answer-style results (featured snippets, People Also Ask, and Google’s AI experiences), while GEO goes further to make your pages discoverable, interpretable, and cite-worthy inside AI search experiences such as Google’s AI features and ChatGPT search, which shows links in the conversation.
Definitions at a glance
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
- Craft content so the engine can lift a short, correct answer and place it in answer-style UI. This includes one-sentence definitions, step lists, and FAQs. It aligns with how Google renders AI Overviews/AI Mode and other answer surfaces where SEO best practices remain relevant (Google’s AI features guidance).
- GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
- Extend beyond “short answers” to make your pages verifiable and cite-worthy for generative systems that synthesize and link to sources—notably ChatGPT search (OpenAI announcement: ChatGPT search) and Google’s AI features. GEO emphasizes entity precision, machine-readable evidence (tables, units, schemas), and clear recency signals.
What each optimizes for (surfaces & outcomes)
- AEO surfaces: featured snippets, PAA, How-Tos, FAQs, and AI answers that extract a concise statement or steps from your page (Google: AI features & your website).
- GEO surfaces: AI experiences that synthesize multiple sources and show links, e.g., ChatGPT search and Google’s AI features when they cite pages inside the answer (OpenAI Help: ChatGPT search; Google AI features overview).
AEO vs GEO: comparison table
Decision Tree: When to use AEO, GEO, or both
- Is the query looking for a single definition, list, or quick calculation?
- → Lead with AEO: 1–2 sentence answer + steps/FAQ.
- Will users (or AI) need multiple sources, comparisons, or data with units?
- → Lead with GEO: tables, benchmarks, methods, and inline source links inside the sentence that makes the claim.
- Is the topic YMYL or heavily regulated?
- → Do both: short answers plus auditable evidence, author identity, and change-logs; follow Search Essentials and rater-style quality expectations.
- Are you targeting mentions/citations inside AI answers (not just clicks)?
- → Prioritize GEO and measure inclusion/citation presence in Google’s AI features and ChatGPT search.
Practical case (end-to-end)
Scenario: “SOC 2 monitoring frequency” for a B2B SaaS.
- AEO moves
- Open with a two-sentence answer (“SOC 2 monitoring is typically continuous…”) and a 5-step checklist.
- Add a focused FAQ; ensure visible copy matches
FAQPageJSON-LD (Google structured data policies).
- GEO moves
- Add a table comparing monitoring cadences (continuous vs. periodic) with units and roles.
- Include a methodology note and inline links to relevant frameworks inside the sentence citing them.
- Show last reviewed + change-log to signal recency (Google notes SEO best practices still apply to AI features) (Google’s AI features guidance).
Expected outcome: Your page can both answer directly (AEO) and be cited inside generative answers (GEO).
How AEO/GEO connect to classic SEO
Both depend on three non-negotiables:
- Eligibility & hygiene — crawlability, indexability, spam policies, rendering performance (Google Search Essentials).
- Schema that matches visible content — no “schema-only” claims; validate JSON-LD against Google’s policies (structured data policies).
- Evidence near claims — place source links inside the exact sentence that needs support; mirror in a short Sources section. This mirrors how ChatGPT search and other AI experiences present links (OpenAI: Introducing ChatGPT search).
KPIs to track
- AEO Coverage: % of priority pages with an answer box and FAQ that match visible content & schema.
- GEO Evidence Score: % of key claims with inline sources; # of tables/figures per page.
- Inclusion Rate (Google AI features): prompts where your site is a linked source.
- Citation Share (ChatGPT search): share of links attributed to your domain across a fixed prompt set.
- Entity Match Rate: correct disambiguation of product/standard names in answers.
- Freshness Velocity: % of pages updated in last 90 days.
FAQs
Is AEO obsolete now that AI answers exist?
No. AEO creates the answerable units that AI and SERP features lift; Google states SEO best practices still apply to its AI features (Google’s AI features guidance).
Does GEO replace link building?
GEO aims for citations inside answers, which requires verifiable on-page evidence and clarity; classic reputation signals still matter via Search Essentials (Google Search Essentials).
Should I add FAQ schema everywhere?
No. Use it where Q&A clarifies likely follow-ups and keep the links in visible text; ensure JSON-LD matches the copy (structured data guidelines).
What’s the fastest win for GEO?
Convert key claims into tables with units and add inline source links next to each non-obvious claim; then add a one-sentence answer at the top.
How do I measure impact?
Track inclusion/citations in Google’s AI features and ChatGPT search with screenshots and link logs, alongside SERP metrics for a hybrid view (OpenAI Help: ChatGPT search).
Do I need schema for AEO/GEO?
Schema doesn’t guarantee appearance, but valid JSON-LD is required for many features and helps machines align your page with the answer (Google structured data policies).
AEO is the craft of clear, liftable answers; GEO is the system for evidence that engines can verify and cite. Most modern pages need both: a concise, extractable answer and machine-readable proof.
Try Tacmind in self-serve mode to operationalize this framework: generate answer boxes, surface “proof-ready” claims, validate JSON-LD, and track citations across Google’s AI features and ChatGPT search.
Spin up a workspace, connect your site, and start optimizing—no sales call or services required.
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