AEO & GEO vs. Traditional SEO: Why You Need All Three in 2025

Quick definitions (so we’re on the same page)

  • SEO (Search Engine Optimisation): Classic ranking play—optimise pages so they appear (and get clicked) in organic results. Still vital for discovery, crawling/indexing, and long-tail demand capture.
  • GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation): Optimise so AI systems (Google AI Overviews/AI Mode, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot) can find, extract, and cite your content inside synthesised answers. Think structure, evidence, and machine-readable facts.
  • AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation): Shape content to be the answer—concise, question-led, reliable, with schema and source clarity—so answer engines return your explanation, not just your link.

Why “page one” isn’t enough anymore

Two shifts broke the old playbook:

  • People are asking AI directly. Nearly 60% of shoppers already use AI to help them buy, and 77% say it speeds decisions, meaning a lot of “consideration” happens before any site visit. (Pew Research Center)
  • AI Overviews reduce clicks. When an AI summary appears, users click traditional links far less often (roughly 8% vs. 15% without the summary, per Pew). That’s a structural change in traffic flow. (Pew Research Center)

Meanwhile, Google says AI Overviews has become one of its most successful Search launches, increasing usage for queries that show Overviews, with broad rollouts through 2025. (blog.google)

In short: ranking is table stakes—visibility now means being included in the AI SEO.

SEO vs. GEO vs. AEO: what each is for (with examples)

1) SEO (rankable pages):

    • Purpose: show up and get crawled, indexed, ranked, and clicked.
    • Example: Your “/best-running-shoes” guide ranks #2 and earns links; strong on E-E-A-T; and is technically sound.

2) GEO (extractable, citable facts):

    • Purpose: make content retrievable and reference-worthy when LLMs assemble an answer.
    • Example: The same guide uses short, labeled spec tables (heel-to-toe drop, weight, stack height), cites lab tests, and marks them up so an AI can quote them confidently.

3) AEO (answer-ready wording):

    • Purpose: structure ​question → crisp answer → credible source​ so engines can lift your response verbatim.
    • Example: On that guide, you add one-sentence summaries under sub-questions like “Are carbon plates good for daily training?” with FAQ schema and a source note.

Side-by-side strategy guide (do this for each layer)

1) Content style & structure

  • SEO: Comprehensive hubs, depth, internal links; headings that map intent.
  • GEO: Short “answer blocks” (2–4 lines), spec tables, callouts with evidence, clear attributions; keep key facts in plain HTML (not images/JS).
  • AEO: Conversational Q&A sections; one-sentence direct answers; define terms; add brief “why it matters.”

2) Markup & metadata

  • SEO: Title/meta, canonical, hreflang, performance, internal linking.
  • GEO: Product/HowTo/Recipe/Medical/Organisation markup where applicable; author credentials; cite primary sources inline.
  • AEO: FAQPage, QAPage, Speakable (where relevant), BreadcrumbList; ensure answers in DOM match schema (no contradictions).

3) Evidence & trust

  • SEO: E-E-A-T signals (bios, references, revisions, reviews).
  • GEO: Link out to primary data, standards, or peer-reviewed sources; show methodology for comparisons.
  • AEO: Inline citations near each claim; dates on stats; “last reviewed” stamps.

4) Format for AI platforms

  • SEO: Long-form guides; pagination as needed.
  • GEO: “Card-like” chunks: TL;DR, bullets, pros/cons, “best for” tags; keep nomenclature consistent for entity recognition.
  • AEO: Query-mirrored headings (“Is X good for Y?”), short direct answers, minimal hedging.

5) Measurement

  • SEO: GSC impressions/clicks, rank tracking, log files.
  • GEO: Track inclusion in AI answers (manual sampling, third-party tools), monitor citations/mentions in AI apps.
  • AEO: Monitor featured snippets/People-Also-Ask, FAQ visibility, and referral lift from AI products (e.g., “AI Mode” sessions).

Suggested site architecture that supports all three (without splitting teams)

Think tiered, modular, and reusable:

1) Top-level Hubs (SEO foundation).

  • Big topics with evergreen guides and internal links to categories and deep dives.
  • Own the query family and build authority.

2) Mid-tier Collections & Comparisons (GEO sweet spot).

  • Category intros (60–120 words) that define selection criteria.
  • Comparison matrices/spec tables; short “Quick Picks” with “best for X” tags baked into HTML.
  • This tier generates the extractable facts LLMs need.

3) Answer Blocks & FAQs (AEO layer).

  • Co-located within hubs and collections; each block maps to a common question.
  • One-sentence answer, 2–3 supporting bullets, source link, FAQ Page schema.  

4) Entity & Review Pages (Trust spine).

  • Author/Expert bios (credentials, real photos), organization details, review methodology, update logs.
  • This spine feeds both GEO (credibility) and AEO (attribution clarity).

One team, one workflow. Treat content as components: an H2 section can be rendered as a paragraph on the guide (SEO), as a compact facts card for LLMs (GEO), and as a Q&A entry (AEO). The same truth, three formats.

Practical checklist (put into motion this quarter)

  • Map questions to pages. Pull top user questions from Search Console, site search, support/chat, and turn them into Q&A blocks with schema. (AEO)
  • Add extractable facts. Convert narrative specs into small HTML tables and bulleted “facts cards.” (GEO)
  • Cite sources. Place a short source note and link next to key stats/claims. (AEO/GEO)
  • Tighten intros. 2–4 sentence summaries per section; add TL;DR at page top. (GEO)
  • Refresh metadata & internal links.​ Keep canonical, breadcrumbs, and hub → spoke links clean. (SEO)
  • Measure AI inclusion. Sample priority queries in AI Overviews/AI Mode and log whether your brand is cited; compare against GSC deltas post-AI. (GEO/AEO)

What the latest data means for your 2025 plan

  • AI Overviews are widespread and growing; Google calls them one of its most successful Search launches, with increased usage where Overviews show.
  • Clicks drop when AI summaries appear; you can’t rely on “position = traffic” anymore. Plan for answer inclusion and citation alongside ranking.
  • Consumers are comfortable letting AI recommend; most already use it to shop and say it speeds decisions. If you’re not “answer-ready,” you’re absent at the decisive moment.

Bottom line: Don’t replace SEO—layer it. Keep ranking (SEO), become reference-worthy for synthesis (GEO), and phrase content so it is the answer (AEO). That combination is how you stay visible when the “results page” is increasingly an answer. To make sure you’re taking full advantage of AEO and GEO, talk to the local SEO services pros at eMarket Experts: Melbourne’s most awarded SEO agency.

Author Written by
Rashesh Shah

September 15, 2025

Rashesh Shah is the Founder and Managing Director of eMarket Experts, an award-winning Melbourne-based digital marketing agency. With over 15 years of experience in the digital marketing space and deep expertise in SEO, Rashesh has helped hundreds of businesses achieve measurable growth through data-driven strategies. Since founding eMarket Experts in 2013, he has led the company to become one of Australia’s fastest-growing agencies, earning multiple industry awards and recognition as a Google Premier Partner.


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