SEO vs AEO vs GEO: How Search Is Changing (Explained From My SEO Experience)

After spending more than 18 years in digital marketing, I’ve witnessed multiple shifts in how consumers search, discover, and trust information online. But the shift we are experiencing right now — driven by AI, zero-click search, and conversational engines — is the biggest change since the rise of Google itself.

When I started, SEO was the foundation of digital visibility. Over the years, I saw brands go from keyword stuffing to semantic search, from backlinks to E-E-A-T, and now from search engines to answer engines and AI engines.

This evolution has introduced two powerful frameworks alongside traditional SEO:

• AEO (Answer Engine Optimisation)
• GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)

And today, brands must leverage all three to stay ahead.

Below is my breakdown of SEO, AEO, and GEO — written from real experience, real projects, and real team learnings over nearly two decades in the field.

SEO – Search Engine Optimisation (The Foundation That Still Drives Business)

What SEO Means

SEO remains the bedrock of all digital visibility. It’s about ranking your website on Google organically through keyword research, content optimisation, backlinks, and technical hygiene.

A Real Example from My Team

A while back, Rohan — one of the younger SEOs in my team — was working on a local gym client. He created geo-focused landing pages and strengthened their local SEO. Within months, they were ranking in the top 3 for “24-hour gym in Andheri”.

The client literally told us:

“People are walking in and saying they found us on Google.”

Even after 18 years, this kind of feedback is what keeps SEO relevant.

Why SEO Still Matters

• Builds long-term brand authority
• Drives stable organic traffic
• Supports both AEO and GEO frameworks

Senior-Level Insight

Over the years I’ve learned:
“SEO is not a campaign; it’s a system.”

It performs when processes are long-term, consistent, and technically strong.

How to Strengthen SEO Today

• Prioritise keyword clusters, not scattered keywords
• Refresh old content every quarter
• Ensure technical SEO is error-free — something I always insist on during audits

SEO vs AEO vs GEO: My Strategic Advice After 18+ Years

Here’s how I explain it to clients and teams:

• SEO = Get found on Google
• AEO = Get selected as the answer
• GEO = Get recommended by AI

None of these replace each other. They complement each other.

A Team Moment That Summed It Up

During an internal workshop, one of my senior managers said:

“If you’re not visible in AI answers, you’re invisible to the next generation of searchers.”

That statement captures the future of digital presence.

What Brands Should Prioritise (Based on My Experience)

• Local Businesses: SEO + AEO for maximum discovery
• Publishers & Blogs: AEO + GEO to capture zero-click and AI traffic
• Tech, Finance, Education & Healthcare: GEO + SEO for authority and AI visibility
• E-commerce; SEO for rankings, AEO for FAQs, GEO for appearing in AI buyer guides.

(From Someone Who’s Seen Search Evolve for Two Decades)

In 18+ years, I’ve seen trends come and go. But this shift — from search engines to answer engines to AI engines — is transformational.

To stay relevant, brands must adopt SEO + AEO + GEO together.

This is not the future.
This is already happening.