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.

Google Ads or Meta Ads - which is better?

Google Ads captures existing demand (people already searching), so it converts faster for high-intent products and local services. Meta creates demand through interruption and is stronger for visual, impulse and D2C products. Most brands run both - Google for capture, Meta for discovery.

A good ROAS depends on margin. A 70% margin brand can profit at 2x ROAS; a 30% margin brand may need 4x or more. Track contribution margin and blended ROAS across channels, not a single platform number.

How much should I spend on ads?

Start with enough budget to exit the learning phase on each platform (often $50-100/day per campaign), then scale what hits your target CPA. Growing brands typically spend 10-30% of revenue on ads depending on margin and stage.

How do I lower my CPA?

The biggest levers are creative (the #1 driver on Meta), audience and negative-keyword hygiene (on Google), landing-page conversion rate, and disciplined kill criteria for losing ads. Fix conversion before adding spend.

Paid Ads: The Complete 2026 PPC Guide

Paid ads buy growth on demand — but only if the unit economics work. This is the full system across Google, Meta and TikTok: structure, creative, benchmarks, cost, and the levers that cut CPA while you scale.

Quick answer

Use Google to capture existing demand, Meta to create it, and TikTok for younger, video-native discovery. On Meta, creative is the #1 lever; on Google, it’s structure + negative-keyword hygiene. Always spend against contribution margin, not vanity ROAS — and fix landing-page conversion before adding budget.

The fastest way to waste ad budget is scaling before the fundamentals work: a weak offer, a slow landing page, or creative that doesn’t stop the scroll. Paid amplifies whatever you point it at — so get conversion and creative right first, then pour in spend.

1. Google Ads & Performance Max

Intent capture. The platform that converts fastest when someone is already searching for what you sell:

2. Meta Ads

Demand creation at scale. Creative is the algorithm now — these cover testing, CPA and retargeting:

3. TikTok Ads

Where younger, video-native audiences discover brands — and where it does (and doesn’t) work:

4. Ad creative

The single biggest performance lever in 2026. Frameworks, copy and AI-assisted production:

5. Benchmarks & channel choice

Know what “good” looks like before you judge a campaign — and which channel fits your model:

6. Budget & cost

Real numbers on what ads cost and how much to spend by stage:

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