What is the difference between AEO and GEO?

What is the difference between AEO and GEO?

AEO stands for Answer Engine Optimization and focuses on getting direct answers from answer engines, especially in short and immediate results. GEO is broader and deals with optimization for generative engines, which produce articulated answers using multiple sources.

In other words, AEO tries to win the single answer, while GEO aims to become a source cited by AI in the generated text. Both strategies require clear and well-structured content, but GEO tends to work more on authority, semantic comprehensibility and citability. They are related concepts, but not identical.