What is the difference between AEO and GEO?

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) is specifically about getting cited as a source when AI engines answer questions. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is broader — optimizing for inclusion in any AI-generated output, including product recommendations, comparisons, lists, and summaries. AEO is a subset of GEO.

Do I still need traditional SEO?

Yes. AEO doesn't replace SEO — it complements it. Traditional Google search still drives the majority of organic traffic for most B2B and ecommerce businesses. AI Overviews appear on roughly 47% of searches, but they often pull from the top SEO results. Strong SEO foundations make AEO 5-10x more effective.

How do you actually track AI citations?

We run a defined prompt set (30-100 queries depending on package) across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews on a weekly cadence. We log whether your brand is mentioned, where you appear in the response, what context, and which competitors are cited alongside or above you.

How long until I see results?

Faster than traditional SEO, slower than paid ads. Schema and structural fixes get reflected by AI engines within 2-4 weeks. Citation increases on existing pages: 4-8 weeks. New AEO content getting indexed and cited: 8-16 weeks. Compounding effects: 4-6 months.

What is the pricing for AEO services?

Three packages. Starter at $2,500/month for SMBs. Growth at $5,500/month for $5M-$25M brands. Enterprise from $12,500/month for $25M+ brands. Quarter-to-quarter contracts with no 12-month lock-ins. INR pricing available for India clients.

Will AI eventually replace traditional search?

For some use cases, yes. For others, no. Research-heavy queries increasingly happen in AI tools. Transactional queries still happen in Google. The right strategy is to optimize for both surfaces — your content engine produces material that ranks in SERPs AND gets cited by AI.

Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): The 2026 Guide

Search is shifting from ten blue links to AI-generated answers. When ChatGPT, Perplexity or Google’s AI Overviews answer a question, being cited as a source is the new page-one. That’s what Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) targets.

GEO vs traditional SEO

SEO optimizes to rank a page; GEO optimizes to be quoted in an answer. They overlap — both reward authority and clarity — but GEO puts extra weight on being the clearest, most citable source on a specific claim. See our GEO vs SEO breakdown.

What AI engines cite

Clear, extractable answers: direct statements, not buried prose
Structured content: headings, lists, tables, FAQ schema
Original data and statistics: AI loves citable numbers
Authority and consensus: corroborated, trusted sources

Practical GEO moves

Answer the question in the first sentence of each section
Publish original data others cite (see our stats pages)
Add FAQ and structured schema
Build authority and citations across the web

Measure it

Track brand mentions and citations in AI answers, not just rankings. This is early and messy — but the brands building citable content now will own AI answers as the behavior scales.

Want us to set this up for you? Free 24-hour consult.

Talk to us →

How to rank in ChatGPT citations · Answer Engine Optimization · our AI SEO service.

Related: restaurant GEO guide.

Not sure which is right for you?

Tell us your website and what you're trying to fix. We'll recommend the right tool for Generative Engine Optimization (GEO): get cited by AI in 2026 — and send a prioritized action list. No pitch, 48-hour turnaround.