zaDojoGEO vs SEO vs AEO: what is the difference?
SEO ranks pages in search results. GEO and AEO get your brand named in AI answers. What each one targets, how they overlap, and how to split your time.
SEO (search engine optimization) gets your pages ranked in Google and Bing so people click through to your site. GEO (generative engine optimization) and AEO (answer engine optimization) get your brand named and linked inside answers written by AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google's AI Overviews.
GEO and AEO are two names for nearly the same job. If someone draws a line, AEO tends to include older "answer" formats such as featured snippets and voice assistants, and GEO focuses on AI-written answers. In practice you can treat them as one discipline. For the full definitions, read what GEO is and what AEO is. This page is about how the two compare with SEO and where to spend your time.
Side by side
| SEO | GEO and AEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Where you show up | Google and Bing results pages | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Copilot, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode |
| What success looks like | A high position and a click | Your brand named, recommended or linked in the answer |
| What you measure | Rankings, impressions, clicks | Mention rate and citation rate per question and engine |
| Main inputs | Your own pages, links to them, technical health | Your own pages plus the third-party pages the engine reads |
| Demand data | Search volume per keyword | None that is reliable; pick questions by buying intent |
| How stable | Rankings move over weeks | Answers can change from one run to the next |
| Where data comes from | Search Console, rank trackers, keyword tools | Repeated checks of the same questions in each engine |
Where they overlap
Most AI answers start with a web search. The engine reads pages that rank, then writes its answer. That means:
- A page that ranks well for the searches an engine runs is more likely to be cited.
- Technical problems that hurt SEO (blocked crawlers, content hidden behind JavaScript, slow or broken pages) also keep engines from reading you.
- Clear, specific pages win in both: a direct answer near the top, real numbers, comparison tables.
If your SEO is weak, start there; the SEO checklist covers the basics in order. GEO on top of a site nobody can find has little to work with. Google's own AI features are the clearest case: AI Overviews and AI Mode are built on its normal index and ranking systems.
Where they differ
- Third-party pages carry more weight in GEO. For "best X for Y" questions, AI answers lean on lists, reviews, forums and comparison pages. Getting your brand onto those pages is often the fastest GEO win, even if they never link to you.
- There is no position to track. You are in the answer or you are not. Track how often you are named across many runs.
- No volume numbers. Search volume tells you which keywords matter in SEO. No outside tool can measure how often people ask an AI a given question, so GEO question lists come from customer research, sales calls and Google's related questions.
- Brand facts matter more. Engines repeat what they read about your prices, features and limits. Outdated facts on other sites end up in answers.
How to split your time
- Most businesses: keep SEO as the main channel, because Google still sends far more visits than AI tools for most sites. Add a weekly GEO check on 15 to 30 buying questions.
- B2B software and products people compare: give GEO more time. Buyers ask AI for shortlists, and a missing name is a lost deal you never see.
- Local businesses: SEO and Google Business Profile first; a local SEO audit shows where you stand in Maps. Check AI answers for "best [service] in [city]" questions now and then.
Doing both in one place with zaDojo
zaDojo covers both sides with one account and one MCP server for your AI agent:
- SEO: keyword research, live Google results, competitor rankings and backlinks, site audits, rank tracking, and read-only Search Console and Google Analytics.
- GEO and AEO: Prompt Research (questions, ChatGPT answers and cited sites for a keyword, about €0.25 each), Prompt Tracking in ChatGPT and Gemini with Google AI Overviews, Claude and Perplexity as options (about €0.002 per scheduled check), and a citations view that splits your pages from third-party ones.
One plan at €10 a month includes €10 of usage, and new accounts get €0.10 of trial credits with no card. To start measuring the GEO side, read how to track your brand in ChatGPT or see the AI brand visibility tracker.
Questions people ask
Is GEO replacing SEO? No. AI answers depend on search results, and most sites still get most of their visitors from search. GEO is a layer on top.
Should I hire a GEO agency? Only once you know which questions and pages matter. A month of tracking 20 to 30 questions yourself tells you whether there is a gap worth paying to close.
What is LLM SEO? Another name for GEO, used mostly by developers and SaaS marketers. LLM stands for large language model, the technology behind ChatGPT and Gemini.