AEO, GEO and AI SEO, explained
AEO, GEO and AI SEO are three names for the same job: getting your business named in the answers AI tools give, not just listed in Google's links. AEO stands for answer engine optimisation, GEO for generative engine optimisation, and AI SEO is what most agencies call it.
What each term means
- AEO (answer engine optimisation)
- Making your business easy for AI tools and voice assistants to pick as the answer to a question, such as "who's a good accountant in Hamilton?"
- GEO (generative engine optimisation)
- The same idea, named after the AI tools that write their answers, like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity. Some people use GEO for the AI tools and AEO for voice and featured answers. In practice the work is the same.
- AI SEO
- The plain label agencies use for AEO and GEO. It usually means SEO work aimed at AI answers as well as Google rankings.
- AI visibility
- The result you're after: how often AI tools name your business when people ask for a recommendation, and whether what they say about you is right.
How it's different from SEO
SEO gets your pages ranked in Google's list of links. An AI answer is different: it usually names two or three businesses and explains why. To choose them, AI tools search the web and lean heavily on what other websites say about you, such as reviews, directories, news and industry lists.
So a business can rank well on Google and still never be named by ChatGPT. AI visibility builds on good SEO. It doesn't replace it.
Six steps that help
These come from what we found when we audited our own site, which scored 0 out of 100 at launch.
Let AI tools find your site
Get your site into Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools, and don't block AI crawlers such as OAI-SearchBot (ChatGPT) in your robots.txt. If search engines haven't indexed you, most AI tools can't find you either.
Say plainly what you do, where and for whom
One clear sentence near the top of your home page: your service, your town and who you help. AI tools lift sentences like that almost word for word.
Answer the questions your clients ask
Give each common question a page or section of its own, with the answer in the first line. Publish your prices if you can. When we tested our own site, no AI answer gave our price because we had no page that said it.
Keep your business facts the same everywhere
Same name, address, phone and description on your site, your Google Business Profile, LinkedIn and directories. Mixed signals make AI unsure who you are.
Get mentioned on other websites
Most of what AI says about a business comes from other people's websites: reviews, directories, local news and industry lists. One study found 84% of AI citations come from earned media, not the brand's own site.
Measure it properly
Ask the same questions several times on several AI tools, because the answers change. One screenshot of one answer tells you very little.
What it can't do
Nobody controls AI answers, and they change from one day to the next. Anyone promising guaranteed ChatGPT rankings is guessing. What you can do is make it easy for AI to find you, understand you and trust what it reads about you.
See it in practice
We're fixing our own AI visibility in public, starting from zero. Follow the case study, check your own business with the free AI visibility checker, or see what a full audit costs.
Questions about AEO, GEO and AI SEO
Is AEO the same as GEO?
Near enough. Both mean getting your business named in AI answers. GEO is often used for tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity, AEO for answer boxes and voice assistants. The work behind them is the same.
Do I still need SEO?
Yes. AI tools lean on search engines to find and check information, so a site Google and Bing can't read is hard for AI to recommend. AI visibility builds on SEO rather than replacing it.
Can I rank well on Google and still not be named by AI?
Yes, and it's common. Google shows a list of links. An AI answer usually names two or three businesses, and it relies heavily on what other websites say about you, not just your own pages.
How long does it take to see results?
Some changes show within weeks, once search engines have indexed them. Mentions on other websites take longer to build. We're tracking our own site's progress publicly on our case study page.
Can I do it myself?
Much of it, yes. The steps on this page are a good start. The hard part is knowing which gaps matter most for your business, which is what an audit shows.
Can anyone guarantee AI will recommend my business?
No. AI answers change and nobody controls them. Be wary of anyone promising guaranteed ChatGPT rankings.
How do I check whether AI recommends my business now?
Run the free AI Visibility Mini Audit. It asks ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Perplexity 3 questions your clients ask, 3 times each, and gives you a score out of 100 in about 2 minutes.
Free mini audit
Not ready to book?Start for free.
Two ways to find out if AI recommends you. Start with the free mini audit, or go straight to the full audit.
Free mini audit No cost
- 3 questions your clients ask, e.g. “Who are the best engineers in Christchurch?”
- Each asked 3 times on ChatGPT, Google AI Mode and Perplexity
- Your score out of 100 and the websites AI relies on, in about 2 minutes
Good for: a quick read on where you stand.
Full audit NZ$1,295 + GST
- Up to 8 questions your clients actually ask
- Each asked 5 times on 6 AI tools, against your competitors
- A fix list ranked by impact, checked by a person
Good for: knowing exactly what to fix. Book your full audit
Your next client is asking AI today. Make sure it says your name.
While AI names someone else, those enquiries go to them. Book your full audit and get a clear plan to become the business AI recommends.