Concepts
Answer engine optimisationAEO
Answer engine optimisation is the practice of getting a brand named and cited in AI-generated answers. It is the same discipline as generative engine optimisation; the two terms emerged in parallel and are used interchangeably across the industry, including by the tools that sell measurement for it.
Why two names exist
GEO arrived first, in a 2023 academic paper. AEO grew out of the SEO industry's own vocabulary, where “answer engine” already described featured snippets and voice results. Neither term won outright, so vendors pick whichever reads better in their positioning. Treat them as synonyms and read past the label.
Picking one internally
It matters less which you use than that you use one consistently. Zebora writes GEO in its own material and recognises AEO wherever it appears, so a client using the other word is never talking about something different.
Related terms
- Generative engine optimisation — The same discipline; GEO is the term with a paper behind it.
- AI visibility — What both names are ultimately about.
Last reviewed . Definitions are reviewed quarterly, and whenever the underlying measurement changes.
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