SEO, AEO and GEO are three names for getting found, in three different places. SEO is about Google's regular results and Maps. AEO is about direct answers. GEO is about being named by AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini. For a local business, they share most of the same work.
Here's what each one means, and where to start. We're an AI SEO agency in Denver, so we work on all three every day.
The three terms in one table
| SEO | AEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stands for | Search engine optimization | Answer engine optimization | Generative engine optimization |
| Goal | Rank in Google results and the Map Pack | Be the direct answer: featured snippets, voice assistants, AI Overviews | Be named or cited in AI-written answers |
| Where it shows | Google, Bing, Google Maps | Google answer boxes, Siri, Alexa, AI Overviews | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Copilot |
| Main signals | Relevance, links, reviews, distance | Clear, short answers to specific questions | Mentions across the web, reviews, clear facts about you |
| Measured by | Rankings, clicks, calls | Answer boxes won | How often AI names you for key questions |
What is SEO?
SEO makes your website and Business Profile rank in search results. For local businesses it covers your Google Business Profile, reviews, listings, service pages and links from local sites. It's still the base for everything else.
What is AEO?
Answer engine optimization shapes your content so search engines can lift a direct answer from it. That means putting the answer to a question in the first sentence or two, then the detail. FAQ sections, short definitions and step-by-step lists all help.
What is GEO?
Generative engine optimization aims to get your business named in answers written by AI. AI tools gather information from many sources and summarize it. They name businesses that are described clearly and consistently across websites, listings, reviews and articles. Read how to get your business recommended by ChatGPT for the steps.
Where they overlap
Most of the work counts three times:
- A complete Google Business Profile and Bing Places listing
- Detailed reviews that name your service and area
- Service pages that answer questions in the first sentences
- The same name, phone and details on every directory
- Mentions on local news, lists and partner sites
What a local business should do first
- Fix the SEO basics. Business Profile, listings, reviews and clear service pages. Without these, AEO and GEO have nothing to work with.
- Rewrite key pages answer-first. Start each service page with what you do, where, and for whom. Add a short FAQ.
- Build mentions. Local press, awards, associations and partners give AI tools more sources that name you.
- Check AI answers monthly. Ask ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity the questions your customers ask and track who gets named.
FAQ
Is SEO dead because of AI?
No. AI tools still rely on search results, listings and websites. Good SEO feeds good AI visibility.
Do I need a separate GEO agency?
Not usually. For a local business, one team should handle all three, because the work overlaps so much. See our generative engine optimization service.
Which one brings results fastest?
Local SEO on your Business Profile often shows first, within weeks. AI visibility usually builds over months.
