Home / SEO, AEO and GEO explained
In plain words
SEO, AEO and GEO, explained simply
Customers find businesses in three ways today: a list of search results, a direct answer, and an AI assistant's recommendation. SEO, AEO and GEO are the work that makes your business appear correctly in each one.
Be in the list when people search Google.
Someone types "banquet hall in Kandy". Google shows a list of businesses and a map. SEO is the work that puts you in that list, near the top, with the right details.
Think of it as being on the right shelf in a library.
Be the direct answer, not just a link.
More searches now end with a short answer at the top of Google or from a voice assistant. AEO organises your facts so search engines can lift them straight into that answer.
Think of it as being the librarian's quick answer.
Be the name AI assistants recommend, described correctly.
People now ask ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity "which venue should I choose?". These tools write an answer and name a few businesses. GEO makes sure they know you, and get your facts right.
Think of it as being the name the expert recommends.
Side by side
How the three compare
| SEO | AEO | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Search engine optimisation | Answer engine optimisation | Generative engine optimisation |
| Where it shows | Google Search results and Google Maps | Answer boxes at the top of Google and voice assistants | AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity |
| What the customer sees | A list of businesses to compare | One short, direct answer | A written recommendation naming a few businesses |
| What we fix | Google Business Profile, location, keywords, pages | Clear question-and-answer content and structured data | Consistent facts across the web, a clear business page and structured data |
| Our package | Local SEO, LKR 65,000 | AI search plans, audit LKR 4,900, plans from LKR 120,000 a year | |
Why it matters now
The shortlist is getting shorter
A search page shows ten links. An answer box shows one. An AI assistant names only a few businesses.
If your facts are missing, out of date or different on different sites, you are simply left out of those shorter lists. The fix is the same for all three: correct, consistent, well-structured information about your business.
Questions
Quick answers
Do I need all three?
Most businesses benefit from all three because they use the same facts. Many start with Local SEO, then add AEO and GEO.
Is GEO the same as advertising on AI?
No. GEO is not paid placement. It improves the information AI assistants already read about you.
Can you guarantee AI will recommend me?
No one can. We improve what AI relies on and measure the result every month with the same set of questions.
Do you run social media campaigns as well?
No. We work at strategy level and focus on search, AI visibility, 360 tours, automation and digital planning.
Talk to a person, not a form.
Tell us about your business on WhatsApp. A person from our Colombo team replies.