AEO AND GEO: WHY THE INDUSTRY KEEPS GETTING IT WRONG

Over the past year, as I was putting this content together, I spent a significant amount of time studying how AI search and LLMs interpret Content, rank authority, and decide what to surface. And recently, while reviewing the website of one of the most respected GEO-focused measurement platforms, I noticed something unexpected. They were using AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) almost interchangeably. Not a massive issue for most people—but in our industry, where content quality is so important, it was surprising. 

I knew it wasn't right, but you know those moments when you think, oh, they're "that guy" or "that company," they must know something I don't. So, of course, I second-guessed myself. I may have missed or misunderstood something. That night, I did some research, which I do every night, but this time it was focused on AEO and GEO. 

First, I read a Google AI Overview that started with the correct definition, then quickly shifted to the wrong information. The AI Overview was pulling from a Semrush article, and it was also incorrect. Adobe's acquisition of Semrush for $1.9 BN, a 77% premium in an all-cash deal, was fresh in my mind. All I could think was, for that much money, could they get this right? 

The more research I did, the happier I was that I'd second-guessed myself, because I was right. There's so much going on in our industry now, and many people are using the wrong terms and saying incorrect things, even people who should know better. 

AEO and GEO are connected, but they're not the same. 

And despite the confusion created by Semrush, Google's AI Overview, and even a leading GEO measurement platform, the most precise definition I saw was the first one from Google's initial framing at the beginning of the AI Overview. I've copied it below. 

·       AEO focuses on getting Content into short, direct answers for snippets, voice search, and AI overviews. In contrast, GEO focuses on creating Content that AI models can use to generate longer, more complex, and cited explanations. AEO is about quick wins; GEO is about being a credible, comprehensive source that generative AI can pull from.

I believe the industry confusion exists for three reasons:

Semrush's Article Treats AEO as "Old SEO" and GEO as "New AI SEO."

1.            Semrush's information that Google's AI Overview was pulling from puts AEO squarely in the legacy SEO bucket— they don't mention AI. Instead, they only mention snippets, answer boxes, and FAQ schema. 

·       Their GEO definition, on the other hand, treats GEO as the future and associates it only with AI, implying that AEO isn't relevant to AI at all.

·       This is only half true. AEO did start with traditional snippets and zero-click answers. 

·       We used to get thousands of them as search results for Ford. We would even be able to focus on specific snippets to reach consumers in different stages of their purchase journey. 

·       Still, today, those short answers are exactly what appear at the top of AI overviews. AEO has expanded — it's now the "question-and-answer layer of GEO".

2.            Google's AI Overview repeated Semrush's Content, which caused more confusion. Clearly, Semrush has considerable authority and glossaries full of industry knowledge, so Google just pulled the AI Overview answer directly from them. Google's AI Overview included Content that it copied and paraphrased from Semrush — and it wasn't correct, so the result was a split message:

·       The "first paragraph" offers the perfect, modern definition that correctly ties AEO "directly" to AI answers.

·       The "rest of the overview, the part pulled from Semrush, wrongly implies that AEO is only for old search, while saying that GEO is the new AI strategy. I'm sure this contradiction has misled thousands of marketers. 

3.            Even GEO Measurement Platforms Blur the Line. The large GEO platform has accidentally created its own misinformation. Again, it's surprising when one of the most prominent GEO measurement platforms in the industry positions itself around AEO as if AEO = GEO. It's right on their site front and center. Their logic is flawed but straightforward: "If AI answers questions, then every Q&A is AEO, so AEO = GEO."

·       But that's not how AI models work. AEO provides the "direct answer," and GEO builds the "structured knowledge"that the AI reasons with. Yes, they are connected — but absolutely not interchangeable. The correct way to think about AEO vs. GEO is the following:

·       AEO = The precise Answer. Short, structured, 40–60-word answers optimized for extraction. These are the answers that you often see at the beginning of an AI overview. 

·       GEO = The authoritative source. Rich, contextual, linked, cited, entity-driven Content that AI models trust and incorporate into longer generated explanations.

AEO is often the "first step" in GEO.

AEO provides AI with the clarity it needs to identify key concepts. 

GEO gives AI the depth it needs to build high-quality, trustworthy output. 

→ AEO The Quick Answer The Full Explanation → GEO

That's why I thought Google's initial paragraph was so powerful — it acknowledges that AEO and GEO are both essential to AI. Another issue that compounds this is that AEO (American Eagle) and GEO (Gene Expression) get more traffic. SEO for Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) have doubled over the past two years and will continue to grow. Google doesn't yet recognize AEO and GEO for optimization. 

 

Why This Moment Is Timely: Adobe Just Acquired Semrush 

Adobe acquired Semrush for "$1.9 billion", a 77% premium — a clear signal that AI search, content automation, and GEO are about to reshape the entire marketing ecosystem. The race has begun, and we're all in it, and we need to get it right. 

But it also highlights something more concerning:

·       If one of the most prominent players in SEO is still confusing the definition of AEO vs GEO, our industry is clearly not prepared for what's coming. Using them interchangeably is a lack of understanding of how AI functions. 

·       Adobe is betting that AI-driven search visibility will define the future. I mentioned Andreessen Horowitz, the VC, the other week; they called GEO the third-largest marketing revolution, after Google AdWords in the 2000s and Facebook targeting in the 2010s. Achieving that level requires clarity — and right now, the market doesn't have it.

·       This article is my contribution toward correcting that, and you don't have to pay me anything.