What is SEO?#
SEO is the work of ranking higher in search engines like Google and Bing. It covers your website's technical health, the words on your pages, your Google Business Profile for local searches, and links from other websites. The prize is a high position in a list of results that people click.
What is AEO?#
AEO is the work of becoming the answer itself. When Google shows an AI Overview, a featured answer, or a voice assistant reply, it pulls a short passage from a page it trusts. AEO focuses on clear, question-led pages where the first sentence answers the question directly, backed by structured data that tells search engines exactly what each page is about.
AI Overviews are now common in many industries. In healthcare, including med spas, they appear on about 88% of searches tracked by BrightEdge in early 2026.
What is GEO?#
GEO is the work of getting your business named inside answers written by generative AI tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Copilot. These tools assemble an answer from sources they trust, then recommend the businesses those sources agree on. GEO focuses on making your business easy to recognize and verify: consistent details everywhere, recent reviews, and mentions on trusted third-party sites.
It matters because people now ask AI for local recommendations. BrightLocal's 2026 survey found 45% of US consumers used AI tools like ChatGPT to find local businesses in the past year, up from 6% the year before.
How do SEO, AEO, and GEO compare?#
| Aspect | SEO | AEO | GEO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank in results | Be the direct answer | Be named in AI responses |
| Where it shows | Google, Bing, maps | AI Overviews, featured answers, voice | ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Copilot |
| Main levers | Technical health, content, links, Google Business Profile | Answer-first content, structured data, FAQs | Consistent business data, reviews, third-party mentions |
| How to measure | Rankings, clicks | Answer appearances | Share of tracked questions where AI names you |
Do I need three different agencies?#
No. The same foundations drive all three, which is why AI Search Optimization covers them in one plan: a fast website that crawlers can read, consistent business information, answer-first content, real reviews, and mentions on trusted sites. Splitting them across providers usually means paying twice for the same work.
What you do need is measurement for each. A ranking report alone will not tell you whether ChatGPT recommends you. Ask any provider how they track AI answers, how often, and on which questions.
Where should a small business start?#
- Check your foundations: make sure your website loads fast on a phone and that its content is in the page's HTML, not built by scripts.
- Align your details: use the exact same business name, address, phone, and description on Google, Bing, Apple, and your industry directories.
- Answer real questions: create a page or FAQ for each question customers ask before they buy, with the answer in the first sentence.
- Earn reviews and mentions: ask happy customers for reviews, and look for local media and guides that could feature you.
- Measure AI answers: ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, and Google the same questions every month and record who they name.
