SEO improves a website’s visibility across search. AEO focuses on giving direct, useful answers. GEO describes visibility in generative AI results. The terms are different, but the dependable work overlaps: original content, clear structure, accurate business information and sound technical SEO.
People now search in several ways. They may scan a conventional results page, read a Google AI response or ask ChatGPT to compare options. A small business does not need three unrelated websites for those journeys. It needs one trustworthy source that explains the business properly.
Google’s 2026 guidance is refreshingly plain: its generative AI features still rely on core Search systems. There is no special word count, secret file or separate schema type that replaces useful, crawlable content.
What do SEO, AEO and GEO mean?
| Term | Main purpose | Typical work |
|---|---|---|
| SEO | Earn relevant visibility in organic search | Crawl access, page intent, content, internal links and site experience |
| AEO | Make clear answers easy to find and understand | Question-led headings, concise answers, accurate facts and helpful structure |
| GEO | Support visibility in generative search experiences | Original information, consistent entities, reliable sources and technical accessibility |
From Google’s point of view, work for generative search is still SEO. Other answer engines have their own crawling and retrieval systems, but they benefit from many of the same basics.
What actually helps a small business?
- Give every page a clear purpose. A service page should explain that service, who it suits, where it is available and what happens next.
- Answer the question early. A short answer near the beginning helps readers decide whether to continue. The fuller explanation can follow.
- Add what only you know. Your process, service boundaries, genuine examples and practical judgement are more useful than a generic summary of other websites.
- Keep business details consistent. Use the same name, location or service area, contact details and core offer across the website and important profiles.
- Make the information accessible. Important copy should appear as readable page text, with sensible headings and crawlable internal links.
- Measure useful outcomes. Review relevant visibility, visits and enquiries rather than celebrating an isolated mention with no business value.
Does AEO require short, fragmented copy?
No. A direct opening answer is useful, but every paragraph does not need to be reduced to a tiny “AI-ready” chunk. Google explicitly says there is no ideal page length and no requirement to split content into small pieces for generative search.
Write at the length the subject deserves. A simple definition may need a few lines. A decision involving cost, ownership or risk deserves more context. Clear headings help people move through either.
Do you need an llms.txt file or special AI schema?
Not for Google Search. Its official guidance says there is no special AI markup or schema type required, and Google does not use llms.txt to improve visibility. Structured data remains useful where it accurately describes visible content and supports recognised search features, but it is not an AI citation switch.
Other services may publish their own controls. For ChatGPT search, for example, the relevant crawler is OAI-SearchBot. That is separate from GPTBot, which concerns model training.
A sensible AEO checklist for 2026
- Choose a genuine customer question that belongs within your expertise.
- Use a specific page title and one clear main heading.
- Give the direct answer before the detailed explanation.
- Include first-hand knowledge, clear limits and verifiable sources where needed.
- Link to relevant services and related guidance using descriptive text.
- Show who published the article and when it was reviewed.
- Check crawl access, indexing, canonical links and the mobile experience.
- Update a page when the information changes, not merely to make the date look fresh.
A useful test: if the page disappeared from search tomorrow, would it still help a real prospective client make a better decision? If yes, the SEO and AEO work is probably built on the right foundation.
Our SEO and AI search service begins with the same priorities: a clear site, useful information and technical foundations that can be checked. Refined, without the theatre.
Sources: Google Search Central: optimising for generative AI features; Google Search Central: helpful, reliable, people-first content; OpenAI: crawler and user-agent guidance.