Search Engine Optimization (SEO) used to be easier.
Companies did not have to worry about all the content on their websites being perfect. They just needed to rank for their important keywords.
Today you need even better content and you still need great Link Building. Powerful backlinks still signal to Search Engines and AI tools which content is important.
→ The foundation. Slow to build, but compounds.
→ Clear measurability. You can track the full funnel.
→ Pitch to finance: "It's an asset, not an expense."
AEO = Answer Engine Optimization
→ Getting into AI answer boxes on Google.
→ Faster payback, but harder to attribute.
→ Pitch to finance: "Cheaper traffic on high-intent queries. Harder to measure, but it's working."
GEO = Generative Engine Optimization
→ Getting recommended by ChatGPT, Grok, Perplexity, etc.
→ Almost no measurability yet. No click data. No conversion path.
→ Pitch to finance: "Early bet. Can't measure it yet. But if AI sends people to competitors and not us, we're behind."
The question isn't which one to pick.
It's how to allocate resources across all three — based on where you are and what you can measure.
SEO is still the engine.
AEO is the next layer.
GEO is the bet you place now so you're not catching up later.
History Notes about Google and SEO:
Google transformed the SEO industry, with PageRank. This was created by Larry Page and Sergey Brin when they were at Stanford University (beginning in1996).
Most people do not understand what PageRank is and how it is based on Citation Theory or Citation Analysis.
I broke down the exact step-by-step process I'd use to grow the organic revenue of this e-bikes brand.
— Keval Shah (@SEOKeval) February 13, 2026
It'll be the most informative 12-minutes of your day:
(Or you can save it for later) pic.twitter.com/4pNHHlQD68
