What is the difference between AEO, GEO and AI SEO?

AEO focuses on being the answer a search feature or assistant lifts. GEO focuses on being cited or named inside answers written by tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. AI SEO is the technical and structural search work underneath both. For a law firm, they describe one body of work seen from three angles.

This answer belongs to

AI search for law firms: AEO, GEO and AI SEOAI search optimization for a law firm means publishing pages that answer prospective clients' questions clearly enough to rank in search results, be quoted in Google's AI Overviews, and be cited by assistants such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini.

Side by side

Term	Main goal	Where it shows	Example task
AEO	Be the quoted answer	Featured snippets, AI Overviews, AI Mode	Open a custody page with a two-sentence answer
GEO	Be a named or linked source	ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini answers	Make firm facts consistent across site and directories
AI SEO	Be reachable and readable	Everywhere search happens	Check robots.txt and snippet settings

Do you need all three?

You need the outcome, not three vendors. One well-built practice page, technically sound, answer-first, and specific to your state, serves all three goals. The AI search hub links every guide.

Keep reading

See your firm's new home page, free.

Fill out a short form and we design a new home page for your firm. New website builds are 20% off, content included, through December 31, 2026.

Claim your free homepage redesign Book a strategy call