What Are AEO and GEO?

What Are AEO and GEO?

What Are AEO and GEO?

Why SEO Alone Is No Longer Enough in the AI Search Era

If you’re already doing SEO but notice this:
Rankings are still there, but enquiries are dropping;
Ad costs keep rising, yet customers are harder to get —
then the problem is likely not SEO itself.

The real issue is this:
👉 The AI Search era has begun, but your website is still playing by old rules.


1. First, Let’s Clearly Define SEO, AEO, and GEO

In 2026, every business owner must understand these three concepts clearly.


1️⃣ What Is SEO? (Search Engine Optimisation)

SEO has been the most important traffic strategy for the past 10–15 years.

Main goal:
👉 Rank higher on Google.

SEO focuses on:

  • Keywords

  • Content relevance

  • Website speed

  • Mobile-friendliness

  • Backlinks

📌 In essence:

Helping people find and click your website on Google.


2️⃣ What Is AEO? (Answer / AI Engine Optimisation)

AEO is a new optimisation method designed for AI search engines, such as:

  • ChatGPT

  • Google Gemini

  • Meta AI

  • Perplexity

  • Other LLMs (Large Language Models)

Main goal:
👉 Help AI understand, quote, and recommend your business.

AEO focuses on:

  • Website structure and logic

  • Whether content is “answer-ready”

  • Structured data (Schema)

  • Clear business positioning

  • Expert-level explanations

📌 In essence:

Making AI treat your website as a “standard answer”.


3️⃣ What Is GEO? (Geographic / Generative Engine Optimisation)

GEO is often overlooked —
yet it is critical in AI Search.

When users ask AI:

“Recommend a marketing company in Malaysia”
“Best renovation contractor in KL”

AI prioritises businesses with clear geographic signals.

GEO focuses on:

  • Location positioning (Malaysia / KL / JB / Penang)

  • Localised content structure

  • AI-readable geographic tagging

  • Industry + location relevance

📌 In essence:

Helping AI know where and to whom it should recommend you.


2. Why SEO Alone Is No Longer Enough in the AI Search Era

This is the biggest and most realistic question business owners ask.


❌ Reason 1: AI Does Not “Look” at Rankings

AI does not say:

“This company ranks #1 on Google, so I’ll recommend it.”

Instead, AI evaluates:

  • Clarity

  • Trustworthiness

  • Relevance to the question

  • Location suitability

👉 Ranking is only a reference, not a decision factor.


❌ Reason 2: SEO Content ≠ AI-Usable Content

Most SEO content is written for search engines:

  • Keyword-heavy

  • Marketing-driven

  • Long but unfocused

AI prefers content that is:

  • Clearly defined

  • Logically explained

  • Directly quotable

📌 That’s why many websites:

Are visible on Google,
but never recommended by ChatGPT.


❌ Reason 3: Without GEO, AI Will Skip You Entirely

In AI Search, location matters a lot.

If your website does not clearly tell AI:

  • You serve Malaysia

  • You focus on KL / JB / Penang

  • You are a local business

👉 AI will skip you and recommend businesses with clearer GEO signals.


3. SEO vs AEO vs GEO (Simple Comparison for Business Owners)

Aspect SEO AEO GEO
Optimised for Google AI / LLMs AI + Location
Goal Ranking Being quoted Being recommended
Core logic Keywords Structure & answers Location matching
User behaviour Click results Ask AI “Nearby / local”
Required in 2026 Basic Essential Essential

📌 One-line conclusion:

SEO gets you into the game.
AEO + GEO get you chosen.


4. “Does This Mean I Have to Spend More Money?”

This is a very real concern.

But the truth is:
👉 You are not adding another system —
you are upgrading the same one.

AI Search does not replace SEO.
It evolves it:

SEO → AEO → GEO

If you don’t upgrade:

  • Google traffic may remain

  • AI leads won’t come

  • Competitors get recommended instead

  • Your brand slowly fades from visibility


5. What Businesses Truly Need in the AI Search Era

Not more articles.
Not more keywords.

But:
✅ Clear AI-readable positioning
✅ AEO-ready website structure
✅ Quoted, expert-level content
✅ Strong GEO recommendation logic

These form the core of AI Search Marketing.


6. A Message to Business Owners Considering an Upgrade

AI Search is not a future trend —
it is already deciding who customers see today.

The real question is not:
👉 Should I do AEO and GEO?
But:
👉 When should I start?


📞 Your Next Step

If you want to know:

  • Are you only doing SEO right now?

  • Can AI understand and recommend your business?

  • Where should AEO and GEO start?

👉 Contact NEWPAGES (Evan)
📱 WhatsApp: 017-243 1461

You’ll receive:

  • ✅ Free SEO / AEO / GEO structure audit

  • ✅ AI Search visibility assessment

  • ✅ Professional advice on whether upgrading makes sense

In the AI Search era, being recommended matters more than being seen.