AIO vs GEO vs AEO (simple breakdown)

These three terms overlap a lot, but they serve slightly different purposes:

AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
→ Focus: Direct answers to questions
→ Platforms: Voice assistants, snippets, AI answers

GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
→ Focus: Being included in AI-generated responses
→ Platforms: ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews

AIO (AI Search Optimization)
→ Focus: Broad strategy for visibility across all AI systems
→ Platforms: Everything AI-driven search touches

If SEO was “ranking pages,” these are about becoming part of the AI answer layer of the internet.