SEO, GEO and AEO get thrown around together — here's what each actually means, in plain English.
SEO — Search Engine Optimisation
The classic discipline: getting your pages to rank in Google's list of results for the searches your customers make.
AEO — Answer Engine Optimisation
Getting your content used as the direct answer — featured snippets, 'People also ask', and the answer box — rather than just a link in the list.
GEO — Generative Engine Optimisation
Getting your business surfaced and cited by generative AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews when they answer questions.
Why you need all three
People now search across Google, snippets and AI assistants — often in the same journey. Covering only classic SEO leaves you invisible in the fastest-growing channels. The three work together: strong, structured content that ranks also tends to get quoted and cited.