For years, Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) was the golden rule of digital marketing.
Optimise keywords. Earn backlinks. Climb the rankings.
But the way people find answers is now changing at lightning speed.
Google isn’t just serving links anymore. Voice assistants answer on the spot. AI tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity rewrite the rules entirely.
So, is SEO dead? Not quite. But it’s no longer the only game in town.
Welcome to the rise of Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO) and Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).
SEO: The Foundation (But Not the Future Alone)
SEO still matters – it’s the long game.
- ✅ Proven, long-term results
- ✅ Consistent traffic
- ❌ Takes time and ongoing upkeep
SEO is about authority and trust in the eyes of Google. But if SEO is your only strategy, you’re playing yesterday’s game.
AEO: Optimising for Answers
Enter Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO).
Instead of sending users to your site, Google increasingly gives them the answer directly in search results. Think:
-
Featured snippets
-
AI Overviews
-
Voice searches
Here, concise, clear and credible content wins.
- ✅ Instant visibility
- ✅ Great for mobile and voice
- ❌ But often zero-click (users don’t land on your site)
If SEO builds the door, AEO puts your answer right in the hallway.
GEO: Optimising for AI
Then comes the newest player: Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO).
AI engines like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity don’t just show links – they summarise the web. Your content is either understood and cited… or completely invisible.
- ✅ Huge first-mover advantage – those who start early built authority
- ✅ Builds AI trust signals
- ❌ Still tough to track and optimise
With GEO, the question isn’t can people find you? It’s can AI explain you?
The New Search Playbook
If you’re still only playing the SEO game, you’re missing half the field.
The smart strategy blends all three:
-
SEO → Build authority and credibility
-
AEO → Win snippets and voice searches
-
GEO → Get cited and surfaced by AI
SEO isn’t dead – it’s just no longer king. The crown is shared.
And the brands that adapt fastest? They’ll own the next era of search.
We all know the 5-second rule - the amount of time a piece of food can be on the ground and still safe to eat - but [...]
It’s time to finish the end of financial year (EOFY) with a bang! An EOFY sale is a great strategy to boost your sales (especially when things [...]
This year is flying by, isn’t it? Over the past fortnight we’ve been sending out our client Audience Intelligence Reports for Q1 of 2024 (January to March). The [...]
Yep, we did too! Kia’s recent campaign promoting the launch of their new ute is an example of brand awareness done right. The campaign made its introduction [...]
Everyone is avoiding the 'R' word at the moment, but there’s no doubt Australia is in the middle of an economic downturn. If you’re noticing a dip [...]
Colour psychology plays an integral role in marketing your business. If you’ve never heard of colour psychology before, it’s the study of how different colours can affect [...]
Our rebrand has given us the opportunity to start from scratch. New look, new feel. One thing we were lacking as Aston Social was our own content [...]
Email marketing is one of the most direct marketing campaigns to build meaningful connection with your audience or customers, and it's important that you have a set [...]
Social Media Fan Acquisition Having a social media presence is one thing, but if you've got no-one to talk to then it's pretty pointless! Knowing how to [...]
We’ve identified 25 of the best social media marketing agencies in Melbourne that have demonstrated their ability to help businesses optimize their time and achieve impressive results. [...]
We all know the 5-second rule - the amount of time a piece of food can be on the ground and still safe to eat - but [...]
It’s time to finish the end of financial year (EOFY) with a bang! An EOFY sale is a great strategy to boost your sales (especially when things [...]
This year is flying by, isn’t it? Over the past fortnight we’ve been sending out our client Audience Intelligence Reports for Q1 of 2024 (January to March). The [...]
Yep, we did too! Kia’s recent campaign promoting the launch of their new ute is an example of brand awareness done right. The campaign made its introduction [...]
Everyone is avoiding the 'R' word at the moment, but there’s no doubt Australia is in the middle of an economic downturn. If you’re noticing a dip [...]
Colour psychology plays an integral role in marketing your business. If you’ve never heard of colour psychology before, it’s the study of how different colours can affect [...]
Our rebrand has given us the opportunity to start from scratch. New look, new feel. One thing we were lacking as Aston Social was our own content [...]
Email marketing is one of the most direct marketing campaigns to build meaningful connection with your audience or customers, and it's important that you have a set [...]
Social Media Fan Acquisition Having a social media presence is one thing, but if you've got no-one to talk to then it's pretty pointless! Knowing how to [...]
We’ve identified 25 of the best social media marketing agencies in Melbourne that have demonstrated their ability to help businesses optimize their time and achieve impressive results. [...]
