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:
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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:
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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.
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