SEO vs AEO: What's the Difference and Why You Need Both
By SEO & AEO PRO Team | December 18, 2025 | 7 min read
🎯 Key Takeaways
- SEO optimizes for search engine rankings (Google, Bing)
- AEO optimizes for AI answer engines (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude)
- Both are essential - 73% of searches happen in AI, 27% in traditional search
- Synergy exists - good SEO practices support AEO and vice versa
- Different metrics - SEO tracks rankings, AEO tracks citations
The Two Realities of Modern Search
The internet now operates in two parallel realities. If you're only optimizing for one, you're invisible to half your potential audience.
Detailed Comparison: SEO vs AEO
| Aspect | SEO | AEO |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank on page 1 | Be cited as the answer |
| Platforms | Google, Bing, Yahoo | ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity |
| Success Metric | Rankings, CTR, Traffic | Citations, Mentions, Authority |
Why You Need Both SEO and AEO
- Complete Market Coverage - Reach users in both traditional and AI search
- Future-Proofing - AI search is growing exponentially
- Synergistic Benefits - Schema and structure help both
- Competitive Advantage - Most competitors only do SEO