AEO grew out of the featured-snippet and voice-search era and leans toward concise, direct answers. GEO is the newer label for the same instinct applied to generative engines that synthesize rather than excerpt. Most teams are behind on it: in an Acquia-commissioned Researchscape survey of 516 US and UK marketers, fielded July 2025 and published that September, 62% had watched search clicks decline, yet only 20% had begun implementing an AEO strategy.
Do not staff AEO and GEO as separate budgets. The underlying work, reachable and clearly-answered content, is shared. See the full guide for how the terms relate.