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  • Cover: SEO, GEO, AEO, LLMO. What's what? Three of them describe the same job; one is different. Know which one you're buying before you buy it.
  • The basic distinction: Two different goals.
  • The terms: What the four stand for.
  • An honest note: Three names, one job.
  • Interstitial: Buy the work, not the term.
  • The order: Which one do you start with?
  • Closing: Ask for a free status report. We map out where your site stands in search and in AI answers.
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GEO Lab · GEO

SEO vs. GEO vs. AEO vs. LLMO: What's the Difference?

Three of them describe the same job; one is different. Know which one you're buying before you buy it.

Short answer

SEO aims to rank higher in the results list, while GEO, AEO and LLMO aim to appear inside the answer an AI writes; in practice these three terms describe the same job. SEO is measured by rankings and clicks; answer visibility is measured by mentions and citations. The right order is technical foundation first, then search, then answer visibility.

4 steps · 2 min read · · Turan Yasin Salcı

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  1. Two different goals.

    Every one of these terms falls under one of two goals.

    • Ranking: Moving up the results list. Measured by: position, clicks, impressions. Tool: Search Console.
    • Inside the answer: Appearing in the written answer. Measured by: mentions, being cited as a source. Tool: no standard yet.

    That's why: One doesn't replace the other. You can rank well and never appear in answers; the reverse is also possible.

  2. What the four stand for.

    In plain English, one sentence each:

    • SEO. Search engine optimization. Ranking in the results list. The oldest and most established.
    • GEO. Generative engine optimization. Appearing inside the answer an AI writes.
    • AEO. Answer engine optimization. Almost the same thing as GEO; different vendors use different names.
    • LLMO. Large language model optimization. The same job again. All three terms describe essentially the same work.

  3. Three names, one job.

    In practice there's no meaningful difference between GEO, AEO and LLMO. The work is the same:

    • Making sure bots can get into the site.
    • Turning questions into headings and writing a short, clear answer under each.
    • Introducing your brand identity to machines (schema, a consistent name).
    • Getting mentioned on other trusted sites.

    When buying: Ask for a list of tasks, not a term. Turn down any proposal that sells a three-letter acronym but can't tell you which files it will touch.

  4. Which one do you start with?

    The order is always the same, regardless of budget:

    • Does the site load and can it be read (technical foundation)
    • Do you show up in search results (SEO)
    • Do you appear in answers (GEO)
    • Are you measuring both

    Why this order: AI models largely see the pages that search sees. If you're not in search, your chances of being in the answer are low too.

Sources

  • D
    DijiKoçum: how the terms are used, and the task listOur own data · checked: September 20, 2026

[A] primary source · [B] industry research · [C] practitioner · [D] our own data

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Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between GEO and SEO?

SEO aims to move up the results list; it's measured by position, clicks and impressions, and the tool is Search Console. GEO aims to be mentioned and cited as a source in the answers AI assistants write; there's no standard measurement tool for that yet.

Are GEO, AEO and LLMO different services?

No, all three are different names for the work of being visible in AI answers, and the tasks are the same: letting bots into the site, a question-and-answer structure, brand identity and being mentioned on other trusted sites. When you get a proposal, ask: “Which file on my site will you touch this month?”

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