What Is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO)?
Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) is the practice of structuring content so search engines can extract it directly into featured snippets, direct-answer boxes, and voice search responses. It predates the generative-AI wave and focuses narrowly on structured, extractable answers rather than the broader set of tools GEO covers.
How does AEO differ from GEO?
AEO is the older, narrower term, aimed at winning a specific SERP feature like a featured snippet by formatting a clear question-and-answer pair on the page. GEO is the newer, broader term covering visibility across generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Gemini, not just Google's own answer boxes.
In practice the tactics overlap heavily: a direct answer near the top of a page, question-form headings, and FAQPage structured data serve both goals at once.
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