GEO vs AEO – Deep Dive
Understand the difference between Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) and Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). When do you use what?
Published: November 2, 2025 | Updated: November 2, 2025 | Reading: 6 minutes
What Are GEO and AEO?
Both GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) are about optimizing for AI engines. But they have different focuses and use cases.
📝 GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
Focus: Optimize for generative AI that creates new content based on your website. Example: When ChatGPT generates a summary that builds on your information but rephrases it.
Target audience: Content creators, publishers, media
💡 AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
Focus: Optimize to be cited in AI answers with direct source attribution. Example: When Perplexity or ChatGPT Search cites your FAQ page as a source for a specific answer.
Target audience: B2B companies, service providers, e-commerce
Comparison: GEO vs AEO
| Aspect | GEO | AEO |
|---|---|---|
| Main Goal | Influence how AI generates content | Be cited as source in AI answers |
| Source Attribution | Often no direct source attribution | Clear source attribution with link |
| Content Format | Long articles, guides, in-depth content | Short FAQ answers (40-80 words), structured data |
| Technical Implementation | Semantic HTML, topical authority | Schema.org (FAQPage, HowTo), JSON-LD |
| Best For | Brand building, thought leadership | Lead generation, direct conversions |
| Time Investment | High (continuous content creation) | Medium (one-time implementation + maintenance) |
When Should You Use GEO?
GEO is suitable when you want to influence how AI engines talk about your topic generally, without necessarily being cited directly.
Use GEO if:
- You run a media company or publisher and want AI to learn from your content
- You're building thought leadership and want AI to associate you with specific topics
- You have resources for continuous content creation (blogs, articles, reports)
- Direct source attribution is less important than general visibility
Example: GEO in Practice
A management consulting firm publishes in-depth articles about leadership. When someone asks ChatGPT "What is transformative leadership?" AI generates an answer based on the company's articles – but doesn't necessarily cite the source directly. The company still gets indirect exposure as AI learns from their expertise.
When Should You Use AEO?
AEO is suitable when you want to be cited as a source and drive traffic or leads to your website via AI engines.
Use AEO if:
- You run a B2B company and want to reach decision-makers via ChatGPT/Perplexity
- You sell products/services and want AI to link to your site
- You want measurable results (clicks, leads, conversions)
- You have clear FAQ questions that customers often ask
Example: AEO in Practice
An IT security company has optimized FAQ about "What is penetration testing?" When someone searches in Perplexity, the company's FAQ page is cited directly with a link. The user clicks, reads more, and books a demo. This is AEO in practice.
Can You Combine GEO and AEO?
Yes, absolutely! Most companies should use both strategies in parallel.
Recommended Combination:
- Start with AEO (quick results): Implement FAQ pages with Schema.org for immediate AI citability.
- Build long-term with GEO: Publish in-depth guides and articles for topical authority.
- Link content together: Let FAQ pages link to in-depth articles for users who want to read more.
- Measure and optimize: Track AI citations from AEO and brand associations from GEO.
Kreatum: We Focus on AEO
At Kreatum, we specialize in AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) because it delivers faster, measurable results for B2B companies and service providers.
Why AEO first?
- ✅ Faster ROI – results within 2-4 weeks
- ✅ Measurable – clear AI citations and source attributions
- ✅ Cost-effective – one-time implementation with long-term effect
- ✅ B2B focus – reaches decision-makers where they search (ChatGPT, Perplexity)
Ready to Start with AEO?
Get a free AEO analysis and see how your company can appear in AI answers.