GEO Fundamentals
AEO vs GEO: When to Use Each Strategy (Decision Framework)
Quick Answer
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) targets smaller, research-focused platforms like Perplexity and Brave Search. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) targets dominant platforms like ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini with 200 million weekly active users. For most marketers, GEO is the priority simply due to market size. The distinction is simple: AEO equals specialized platforms, GEO equals mainstream adoption.
Two acronyms causing confusion: AEO and GEO.
Both target AI. Both want citations. Both feel important. But which one should you actually focus on?
The Confusion (Why They Sound the Same)
It's an alphabet soup out there right now.
Both approaches focus on AI. Both want you to be the "cited source." Both require strong E-E-A-T signals. It's easy to think they are just two words for the same thing.
They aren't.
Confusing them costs you time. You might spend weeks optimizing for a technical answer engine format that 99% of your customers never use. Or you might ignore the specific entity signals that ChatGPT needs, assuming your standard SEO work is "good enough."
Let's clear the board.
What is AEO? (Answer Engine Optimization)
AEO is optimization for Answer Engines. Think Perplexity, Brave Search, or You.com.
These platforms are essentially "search engines 2.0." They crawl the web live, read multiple pages, and synthesize an answer with citations.
The goal of AEO is to appear in that synthesis.
The audience here is specific. It's tech-savvy early adopters, researchers, and people who want "facts fast." It is a smaller ecosystem, but a highly intent-driven one. If you sell developer tools, specialized B2B software, or deep-tech hardware, your audience is likely here.
What is GEO? (Generative Engine Optimization)
GEO is optimization for Generative Engines. Think ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini.
These are the giants. ChatGPT alone has 200 million weekly active users. This isn't a niche; this is the new internet.
The goal of GEO is to become part of the model's knowledge base—or at least a trusted source it can retrieve. You want to be the brand that ChatGPT recommends when a user asks, "What is the best CRM for small business?"
The difference in scale is massive. Semrush found that traffic from these AI recommendations carries a 4.4x conversion lift. That's the prize we're chasing.
Key Differences (Technical & Strategic)
So, how do they differ under the hood?
1. Platform Scope
AEO is niche. GEO is mainstream. Optimizing for AEO is like optimizing for Bing—valuable, but not the main event. Optimizing for GEO is optimizing for Google in 2005.
2. Entity Recognition
This is the big one. Internal analysis shows that approximately 60% of GEO success comes down to entity strength—whether the model understands who you are.
Think of it this way: Entity recognition is like how you recognize a celebrity versus a stranger. A celebrity name carries instant credibility and context. A stranger's name? It means nothing without additional proof. In GEO, your brand is the celebrity name—you want instant recognition. In AEO, you're building credibility in specific contexts where that recognition matters.
3. Citation Mechanics
AEO engines look for direct text matches to summarize. They act like super-smart librarians. GEO engines look for concepts. They understand your brand semantically. They act like consultants.
4. Market Size
AEO platforms have millions of users. GEO platforms have hundreds of millions. The conversion potential isn't even close.
Decision Framework (When to Use Each)
Which one should you prioritize? Here is the framework.
Use AEO When
Your Audience is Research-Driven
1. Your audience is comprised of researchers, developers, or academics.
2. You operate in a highly technical niche where accuracy is more valued than brand.
3. You have limited budget and want to own a smaller, less competitive pond.
Example: A developer tools company targeting engineers who use Perplexity for technical research.
Use GEO When
Your Audience is Mainstream
1. You sell to the general public or mainstream B2B.
2. You want access to the 200M+ users on ChatGPT.
3. You are building a long-term brand asset.
4. You want that 4.4x conversion lift from high-trust recommendations.
Example: A CRM company targeting small business owners who ask ChatGPT for software recommendations.
Use BOTH When
You Have Enterprise Resources
1. You are an enterprise with resources to dominate everywhere.
2. You serve multiple audience segments with different search behaviors.
3. You want complete AI visibility across all platforms.
Example: A major SaaS company with both technical and business decision-maker audiences.
SEO = be found. AEO = be quoted. GEO = be recommended.
For 90% of businesses reading this, GEO is the priority. The sheer volume of users on ChatGPT and Gemini makes it the necessary play. But don't sleep on AEO if you serve the technical elite.
Skills Overlap (The Good News)
Here's the relief: approximately 60% of SEO skills transfer to both AEO and GEO.
Intent identification, content structure, research skills, and entity understanding all apply. If you're already doing good SEO, you're not starting from zero.
The platform has changed. The surface is different. But the game of organizing information for machines? You're already playing it.
Which Path is Right for You?
Stop guessing. Answer 5 simple questions to get a personalized recommendation on whether you should focus on AEO, GEO, or both.
Get Your Personalized Strategy →The Story Behind This Post
Every week I see marketers confused about whether they need AEO or GEO. They waste time optimizing for the wrong platform because the acronyms sound similar. This post cuts through the confusion with a simple decision framework: platform size, audience type, and business goals.
I started by researching the technical differences between answer engines and generative engines. Then I looked at usage data—ChatGPT's 200M weekly users versus Perplexity's smaller audience. The celebrity recognition analogy came from thinking about how brand entities work differently in each platform. The three-tier decision framework (AEO when / GEO when / Both when) makes the choice actionable.
This post helps marketers and business owners who are paralyzed by the AEO vs GEO question. It gives them a clear framework to choose based on their specific audience and resources. The "SEO = be found, AEO = be quoted, GEO = be recommended" distinction makes the difference memorable.
Arun Nagarathanam
Strategy & Quality Control
200,000+ students across 190 countries. 10+ years teaching SEO, GEO, and AI strategies. Orchestrates research direction, validates all facts, ensures quality standards.
Arun Thinking Agent
Research & First Draft
Metacognitive AI assistant trained on Arun's 10 years of teaching patterns. Researches topics, synthesizes sources, creates initial drafts for human review.