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SEO Isn’t Dead: What GEO & AEO Mean For Your Business

Author: Haley Waldo
From SEO to GEO to AEO - let’s unpack what’s actually happening, how your business can be positioned to rank, and how you can expand your digital presence as things change in search.

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“Nobody Googles anymore.”

“How to rank #1 in AI search.”

“GEO is the future.”

“SEO is dead.”

Heard any of these lately? If you work in marketing, you may have seen a wave of acronyms and hot takes about the future of Google and search marketing. From SEO to GEO to AEO, that is a lot of alphabet soup! It’s hard to know what’s real, what’s hype, and what deserves your attention.

Let’s unpack what’s actually happening, how your business can be positioned to rank, and how you can expand your digital presence as things change in search.

Acronyms Explained: SEO, GEO, and AEO

First, let’s break down some of the most common 3 search acronyms right now:

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) focuses on helping your content appear across all kinds of search interfaces – from traditional search engines and news feeds to AI models and voice assistants; it involves technical website tuning, keyword targeting, content quality, backlinks, user experience, and more.

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) focuses on how content is surfaced and cited by AI-powered tools like ChatGPT or Perplexity; these tools mostly give answers and fewer web links.

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) focuses on tailoring content for direct answers – whether in a snippet, a chatbot, or a voice assistant; these tools only give answers, and don’t encourage site visits. 

These are not actually separate disciplines: they’re new layers built on top of core SEO strategies. If your content is clear, relevant, trustworthy, and optimized for real people, not just robots, you’re already on the right path. Here are the key differences:

Comparison at a glance

Main Goal
Primary Platforms
Content Format
Click Behavior
Key Tactics
Measurement
SEO (Search Engine Optimization)
Rank web pages in search engine results
Google, Bing, YouTube
Keyword-rich, structured pages
Drives users to your site
Keyword research, genuine backlinks, technical SEO
Clicks, rankings, traffic
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
Get cited/mentioned in AI-generated answers
ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, Copilot
Clear, fact-based, AI-readable content
May not drive clicks (brand is mentioned in the answer)
Structure around people, places, & things, citations, off-site credibility
Difficult to track (mentions, citations)
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
Provide direct answers in search results
Google (snippets, “People Also Ask”), voice assistants (Siri)
Concise, scannable answers (FAQs, how-tos)
Often zero-click; answer shown in results
Bullet points and short, clear answers
Impressions, featured snippet tracking

SEO Isn’t Dead: It’s Transforming

Search engine optimization is not going anywhere, but it has completely changed. Yes, AI-powered search engines are changing how people find information, but that doesn’t mean the principles of good SEO are suddenly obsolete. In fact, they matter more than ever! To quote Google’s Search Team leader, Danny Sullivan: “Good SEO is good GEO.”

Google still receives over 22 billion searches per day. Google is still the dominant player, but users are now leaning on platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Copilot, and Google’s own Gemini for quick answers, research, and recommendations. These tools don’t always replace traditional search – but they are evolving it. Your content needs to show up wherever your audience is looking, not just in the Google results page.

How Search Is Evolving Today

What’s changing about search:

  • Search behaviors are expanding; people are asking longer, more complex questions – especially in conversational tools.
  • Click-through rates are dropping by an average of 34.5%; AI answers are increasingly showing up before links, especially on Google via AI Overviews. Some AI models will never give the user their source or link to a website at all.
  • Platforms are fragmenting; more channels mean more online area for your content to live, but there is also more to manage.
  • Trust matters more; as generative content floods the web, original, human-created content stands out above the rest and weeds out duplicate content.
  • Social media content matters in search a great deal; even your comment sections can be indexed.

What isn’t changing about search:

  • Content quality still rules (whether it’s a caption, blog, or website copy).
  • E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) still matters significantly to rank in traditional search and AI tools.
  • Local businesses and organizations heavily depend on traditional search engines and listings; tools like ChatGPT aren’t the best places to find real-time, local information (such as ‘pizza shop open now near me’).
  • You don’t need to completely overhaul your SEO strategy (at least, not yet).

What Should Marketers Actually Be Doing Right Now?

Here’s what we would recommend for anyone managing their website and creating content:

  • Write for people, not machines. Create helpful, original content with a clear point of view!
  • Audit and improve your top-performing website pages. Are they helpful and up to date? Are they well-structured?
  • Make sure your technical SEO is solid (website is fast loading, mobile-friendly, has no broken links or 404s, etc.).
  • Be wary of gimmicks. Some of these new ‘GEO services’ or products might sound fancy, but they could be just rebranded SEO basics to sell you on something.
  • Prioritize traditional online trust signals and social proof! Brand mentions, positive reviews, real testimonials, and genuine backlinks still matter, possibly even more, as AI tools use these to assess credibility.
  • Watch your website analytics, keep tabs on where your traffic is coming from, and monitor how it’s all shifting!

What We Think About The Future Of SEO

SEO, AEO, and GEO aren’t competitors – they’re companions.

Whether it’s search, social media, or new AI interfaces, people are still looking for answers, connection, inspiration, and trustworthy information (and they always will). Your content has a real opportunity to meet those needs better than ever.

Need help navigating the online world that is digital marketing? From SEO strategy to content development, AI-readiness to technical optimization, our Juxt Marketing team can help you adapt with confidence – backed by two decades of digital experience. 

At Juxt, we love to help organizations craft thoughtful marketing strategies that meet people where they are. From brand identity and website development to strategy, content, SEO, social media, and paid campaigns, we’re here to help you think big, execute well, and reach the right people in the right way.