AIO vs GEO with Dale Bertrand: The Battle of SEO Terminology
AIO vs GEO with Dale Bertrand: The Battle of SEO Terminology
Everyone in SEO has an opinion on what to call AI search optimization. GEO. AEO. AIO. LLMO. Some say it is just SEO with a new name. Others say it changes everything. Alphametic founder Matt Capala sat down with SEO expert Dale Bertrand to cut through the noise and answer the question every marketer is asking: does the label matter, and what should you actually be doing about it?
If you are new to the terminology, start with Alphametic’s AI SEO Glossary, which defines GEO, AEO, LLMO, and other key terms in plain language. Then come back here for the strategic debate.
What Is SEO vs. GEO? A Quick Breakdown
SEO is the practice of making your content visible in traditional search results. You target keywords, build authority through links, and structure pages so Google can understand and rank them. The measure of success is a ranked position and the traffic it brings.
GEO applies similar principles to AI-powered search. Instead of earning a ranked link, the goal is to get your brand cited, quoted, or mentioned inside AI-generated answers on platforms like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. The measure of success shifts from rankings and clicks to citations and share of AI-generated answers.
Where SEO centers on quality backlinks, meta tags, and keyword optimization, GEO adds a layer focused on LLM citation signals, brand mention density, structured data and JSON-LD, and writing in a conversational content format with clear entity definitions.
| SEO | GEO | |
| Goal | Rank in traditional search results | Get cited in AI-generated answers |
| Output | A ranked blue link on a SERP | A citation or mention in an AI answer |
| Success Metric | Rankings, organic traffic, CTR | Citations, brand mentions, share of AI answers |
| Core Tactics | Keywords, backlinks, technical SEO, E-E-A-T | Same as SEO plus entity clarity, structured content, third-party citations |
| Platforms | Google, Bing, Yahoo | Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Copilot |
GEO, AEO, AIO, LLMO: Making Sense of the Acronyms
Four terms are circulating in the industry right now. They overlap, but each has a different emphasis.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
GEO is about appearing inside AI-generated answers. The goal is to get your brand cited or mentioned when users ask AI platforms questions related to your industry, products, or services. It is the broadest and most commonly used term for AI search optimization.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
AEO focuses on getting your content surfaced as a direct answer, whether in a featured snippet, a voice response, or an AI-generated result. It is narrower than GEO: AEO is about answer extraction, making sure a specific piece of your content can be lifted and served directly in response to a specific question. Tactically, this means using question-focused headings, chunking content into digestible sections, implementing HowTo schema markup, and optimizing for direct answer boxes and zero-click results.
AIO (AI Optimization)
AIO is the most expansive term. It covers not just AI search but also agentic AI workflows, where AI systems complete tasks on a user’s behalf rather than just answering questions. For most marketers focused on search visibility today, GEO and AEO cover the practical work. AIO becomes relevant as AI agents become more prominent.
LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization)
LLMO refers specifically to making your content part of what an AI language model draws on when generating any response, not just in a search context. It is the most technical of the four terms and matters most for brands that want to shape how AI models represent them across all AI-generated content, not just search results.
What Dale Bertrand Says About the Terminology Debate
In his interview with Alphametic’s Matt Capala, Dale Bertrand weighed in on which terms he finds most useful and why.
“Thinking about it as answer engine optimization helps you as a brand to think about what questions your customers are asking and what answers you want to publish on your website.” — Dale Bertrand
Bertrand prefers GEO because AI search engines operate fundamentally differently than a ranking-based search engine. He also finds AEO useful as a strategic frame: when you think of search as a question-and-answer system, it becomes clearer what your content needs to do. Instead of optimizing for keywords, you are mapping your content to the specific questions your customers are actually asking and making sure your site has a clear, citable answer to each one.
Enhancing Your AI Search Optimization Strategy with Alphametic
At Alphametic, we help brands build search visibility that works across both traditional and AI-driven platforms. Whether your goal is to rank on Google, get cited in AI Overviews, or show up when customers ask ChatGPT about your category, the strategy starts with the same place: strong content, clear entity signals, and the right technical foundation.
If you want to understand where your current SEO stands or are ready to start adding a GEO layer, contact us today.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between GEO, AEO, AIO, and LLMO?
These are all terms about optimizing for AI-driven search, they just emphasize different things.
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- GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) focuses on getting your brand cited or mentioned inside AI generated answers on platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
- AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) targets direct answer extraction, like featured snippets and voice responses.
- AIO (AI Optimization) is a broader umbrella that also accounts for agentic AI workflows.
- LLMO (Large Language Model Optimization) refers specifically to making content part of what a model references when generating responses.
Is AI search optimization different from SEO?
Mostly no. AI search indexes specific snippets rather than full pages and synthesizes answers from multiple sources, so content needs to answer granular questions clearly. The consensus among experts is that GEO builds on SEO rather than replacing it. 80% of GEO is traditional SEO practices: quality content, technical health, and E-E-A-T signals remain the foundation. The additional 20% is making your brand clearly defined as an entity across the web and earning third-party citations so AI platforms can identify and surface you as a source.
How do SEO experts refer to AI optimization?
There is no consensus term. While Dale Bertrand prefers GEO, Moz references Rand Fishkin’s view that it is still SEO: Search Everywhere Optimization. Lily Ray, VP of SEO Strategy at Amsive, uses GEO but frames it as an evolution of existing practice. Carolyn Shelby, Principal CEO of Yoast, argues in Search Engine Journal that GEO will not stick as a term. Rob Garner of Search Engine Land doesn’t think any one term will stick at all. Ultimately, labels matter less than the work itself.
Is GEO replacing SEO?
No. GEO builds on traditional SEO rather than replacing it. The core practices, quality content, technical health, credible backlinks, and E-E-A-T signals, apply equally to traditional search and AI-driven platforms. What GEO adds is a focus on earning citations and making your brand entity clearly recognizable so AI systems can surface you as a source. If your SEO foundation is strong, GEO is an incremental layer, not a rebuild.
Is SEO dead or evolving in 2026?
SEO is evolving. Google processes billions of searches daily, and organic search remains one of the largest drivers of web traffic. What has shifted is where results appear. AI Overviews and conversational answers are capturing more of the page. Brands that build genuine authority and well-structured content will continue to perform across both traditional and AI-powered search in 2026.
Matthew Capala is a seasoned digital marketing executive, founder/CEO of Alphametic, a Miami-based digital marketing agency, author of “The Psychology of a Website,” dynamic speaker, and entrepreneur.
