LLM SEO vs GEO vs AEO vs LLMO
By Maxim Koylo
The AI search field has too many names. LLM SEO, GEO, AEO, LLMO, AI SEO: it can feel like a committee tried to name the same sandwich five times. The practical work is more consistent than the terminology makes it look.
Direct answer
LLM SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLMO are overlapping labels for optimizing content so AI systems can understand, summarize, cite, and recommend it. Use LLM SEO when talking to SEO teams, GEO when reporting generated-answer visibility, AEO when the work is answer formatting, and LLMO when the discussion is model-specific.
Which term should you use?
- Use LLM SEO in most SaaS and marketing contexts because it connects the work to existing SEO ownership.
- Use GEO when reporting share of voice, citations, or generated-answer visibility.
- Use AEO when the work is mostly direct answers, FAQs, snippets, and support content.
- Use LLMO when the conversation is technical, model-specific, or focused on entity understanding.
Concrete examples
A checklist that verifies headings, schema, proof, and answer blocks is an LLM SEO audit checklist. A report that tracks citation share in Perplexity is closer to GEO. A FAQ rewrite for a support article is AEO. A product entity cleanup for model understanding is LLMO.
In a proposal, do not waste two pages defending the acronym. Pick the label your audience already understands, define it once, and move on to the work. Acronym debates are where momentum goes to sit in a meeting room with no windows.
Naming guide by use case
- Blog title: use the query people actually search, usually LLM SEO or GEO.
- Client report: use AI search visibility or GEO if leadership cares about answer share.
- Internal backlog: use LLM SEO so the work stays attached to pages, metadata, and content briefs.
- Support docs: use AEO for answer formatting tasks.
FAQ
Are LLM SEO and GEO the same thing?
They overlap heavily. GEO emphasizes generated answer engines, while LLM SEO keeps the work connected to SEO teams, pages, and search demand.
Is AEO outdated?
No. AEO is still useful for direct answers and FAQ content. It is just narrower than full AI search optimization.
What term is safest for a SaaS team?
Use LLM SEO in most cases. It is literal, understandable, and close enough to existing SEO ownership.
Whatever label you use, the page still needs to be clear enough for AI systems to parse. Start with the LLM SEO audit.