Why brands must not ignore AEO and GEO.

Think of them as the campfire you didn’t notice crackling in the distance. Ignore it, and it’s a wildfire. Pay attention, and you’ve got warmth, light, and, maybe, even marshmallows. But let’s step away from the flames for a second.

Albert Einstein once said, “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” That’s essentially the challenge AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) throw at brands. Forget keyword stuffing and SEO gymnastics. The machines (and the humans behind them) now want crisp, conversational answers. If your content can’t do that, you don’t just lose ranking… you disappear!

What are AEO and GEO, really?

AEO makes your content the go-to answer for search engines and voice assistants. GEO makes sure your brand shows up in AI-generated answers from tools such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, or Google’s AI overviews

In other words, SEO helps(/ed?) people find your brand. AEO and GEO help your brand speak.

Why Does It Matter?

People don’t want ten links anymore. They want one trustworthy answer. And often, it’s AI deciding who gets to speak on your behalf. If You’re not optimized for AEO and GEO, your brand risks becoming invisible, no matter how beautiful your website or how surreal your social media post.

Where to Start: A Simple Guide

Start Small.

You don’t need a PhD playbook. Start with five customer questions. Not industry jargon, not consultant speak. Real questions. Then, write five answers like you’d say them out loud. Short. Natural. Useful. See how they surface across platforms. Small wins add up faster than you think. Refine, repeat, expand.

Build It Like An Answer Sheet

1. Write your headings as concise questions.
2. Break things into bullets (like this!)
3. Keep your answers sharp. No wordy detours!

If your answer is something an AI assistant could read at the dinner table, you’re winning.

Keep Testing! Keep Measuring!

Use ChatGPT, Gemini, or Perplexity to ask customer questions and monitor AI citations to see where your content appears. If you don’t show up, that’s your cue to refine your content.

Your Key Takeaway

AEO and GEO aren’t scary acronyms. They’re simply the next stage of making your brand useful, visible, and memorable. Or to put it back in campfire terms: you can either get consumed by the fire, or you can tame it into a fire everyone gathers around. Just remember to bring the marshmallows.

Author details:

Name: Prakash Ragupathi
Designation: Account director