AEO vs SEO, what is the difference?
SEO gets you ranked. AEO gets you recommended. Here is why local businesses need both, and how they work together.
The short answer
SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is about ranking in traditional search results, Google's blue links. AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation) is about being the answer that AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity give when someone asks a question. Both drive leads. Both matter. But they work in different ways.
How SEO and AEO compare
They overlap, but the approach and outcomes are different.
SEO
- Targets Google search rankings
- Focuses on keywords and backlinks
- Results appear as a list of links
- User clicks through to your website
- Established, well-understood discipline
- Highly competitive in most markets
AEO
- Targets AI-powered search engines
- Focuses on clear answers and entity signals
- Results delivered as direct recommendations
- AI names your business in its response
- Emerging discipline, early movers win
- Less competition (most businesses not doing it yet)
Why you need both
Relying on one channel is a risk. The smartest local businesses combine both.
SEO puts you on the map. AEO puts you in the conversation. Traditional search is not going away, but AI search is growing rapidly. Customers who use AI tools expect a direct answer, not a list of ten links to sift through.
When your business has strong SEO and AEO, you appear in traditional results and get cited by AI assistants. That means you capture leads from both channels, and your competitors who only focus on SEO miss out on the AI traffic entirely.
The good news? AEO best practices, clear content, strong entity signals, well-structured FAQs, also improve your SEO. It is not double the work. It is a smarter version of the same work.
Common questions
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