Answer engine optimization (AEO) vs Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) or AIO?

Ignoring AEO Could Make Brands Invisible in the AI Era

The SEO industry can’t decide what to call it but Shelly Palmer likes Answer Engine Optimization better than Generative Engine Optimization and he’s got the juice to lock in the acronym. Some folks prefer GEO Generative Engine Optimization or even AIO.

Most important is that the SEO strategies are bein adapted to reflect the new reality as well as future proofing. The SEO team at Didit has been adapting client strategies for years, that’s one reason why we acquired 3 PR agencies.

As AI-powered search transforms how consumers discover products and services, traditional SEO is becoming less effective particularly in driving traffic.  Zero Click Search is when the chatbot result provides the searcher with the answer they need, no more clicks. Yet clicks are still streaming from the generative engine results.  Brands that fail to adopt Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) risk losing visibility in a world where AI assistants deliver answers, often without users clicking on websites, that Zero-Click phenomenon.

Key Takeaways

• AI search is reshaping online discovery: Users increasingly rely on AI assistants to synthesize information, reducing website clicks.

• AEO is essential for brand visibility: Early adopters are more likely to dominate AI search results.

• AI-driven retail traffic surged 1,200% since last summer (Adobe).

• Google search traffic is declining on Apple devices, while AI integrations rise.

What is AEO?

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the process of optimizing a brand’s digital presence so that AI search engines surface it in responses. It encompasses:

• Website content

• Social media presence

• Review sites, forums (e.g., Reddit), Wikipedia, and news mentions

Alternate terms include:

• Generative Engine Optimization (GEO)

• Large Language Model Optimization (LLMO)

• AI Search Optimization (AISO)

How AEO Differs from SEO

AI doesn’t just crawl websites—it synthesizes content from multiple sources and decides what’s most relevant. Keywords matter less; the overall brand narrative matters more.

Effective AEO Strategies

• Optimize all online content: FAQs, bullet points, evergreen blogs, and authoritative mentions increase AI visibility.

• Maintain consistency: Treat your brand as a “solar system” of content—website, social, media, and UGC must align.

• Adapt websites: AI prefers text-rich content. Consider lighter, crawlable versions of design-heavy sites.

• Leverage citations: Use academic-style references and credible sources to build trust with AI.

• Syndicate Content: Similar content can be syndicated reinforcing the signal to LLM based algos

Content Types That Perform Best for AEO

• Informative FAQs tailored to customer questions

• Authoritative, evergreen articles

• Press mentions and review site listings

• Social proof from Reddit, YouTube, or forums

• Citations and factual accuracy in published content

Measuring AEO Success – There are monitoring platforms but don’t go too crazy.

• Presence in AI results: Test visibility by asking AI assistants about your brand.

• Sentiment monitoring: Ensure your brand appears positively—AI can surface both praise and criticism.

• Referral traffic: Track increases in visits from AI-assisted sources.

• Real-world outcomes: Agencies report inbound leads directly from AI-based brand discovery.

Does AEO Differ by AI Platform?

Not yet significantly—but it will. For now, a universal AEO strategy works across AI platforms, including:

• Google’s AI Overviews

• OpenAI’s ChatGPT

• Perplexity

• Anthropic’s Claude

Early research shows Perplexity is most brand-friendly, while Claude is least favorable.

Will AEO Replace SEO?

Not immediately—Google still commands ~89% of search traffic. But AI is rapidly gaining ground, especially with:

• 1.5 billion users of AI Overviews (Google)

• Growing AI integrations on Apple and elsewhere

• Shifting client strategies toward AEO