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.

SEO (search engine optimization) is the practice of improving a website so it ranks higher in organic search results, driving free, intent-driven traffic. It spans technical health, on-page content, and off-page authority.

How long does SEO take to work?

Most sites see meaningful movement in 3-6 months, with compounding gains over 6-12 months. Local SEO can move faster; competitive national terms take longer. Paid media fills the gap while SEO builds.

How much does SEO cost?

SEO typically ranges from a few hundred dollars a month for small local businesses to several thousand for competitive programs. What matters is the return - leads and revenue per dollar - not the headline retainer.

Is SEO still worth it with AI search?

Yes. AI answer engines draw heavily from well-ranked, well-structured pages. Strong SEO now feeds both traditional rankings and AI citations - they are complementary.

SEO: The Complete 2026 Guide

Search still sends more qualified, compounding traffic than any other channel — if you get the fundamentals right. This is the full system: technical health, on-page, local, links, tools, cost, and how SEO now feeds AI search.

Quick answer

SEO works on three layers: technical (can search engines crawl and trust your site), on-page (does each page answer the query better than rivals), and off-page (do others vouch for you via links and citations). Nail all three, be patient 3–6 months, and the traffic compounds — and now feeds AI answers too.

SEO isn’t one tactic — it’s a system where each layer multiplies the others. A technically broken site can’t rank great content; great content with no authority stalls; authority pointed at thin pages wastes itself. Work the layers in order.

1. Technical SEO

The foundation. If engines can’t crawl, render and trust your site, nothing else matters:

2. On-page & content

Where most rankings are won or lost — matching intent better than the pages above you:

3. Local SEO

For any business serving a place. Different rules: Google Business Profile, proximity, reviews:

4. Programmatic SEO at scale

Templated pages done right — the compounding moat (done wrong, it’s doorway-page risk):

5. Tools

What to actually pay for, by budget and need:

6. Cost, timeline & the AI question

The questions every buyer asks — answered with real data:

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