GEO, AEO, LLMO: Separating Fact from Fiction & How to Win AI Search [MozCon 2025 Speaker Series]

Every few years, a shiny new acronym takes over the SEO industry. This time, it’s Generative Engine Optimization (GEO), and everyone’s talking about it like it’s the future of search.

But let’s take a breath.

The truth is, many of these “new” concepts related to GEO aren’t actually new. They’re evolutions reframing what good SEOs have done for years: 

• Creating helpful content
• Optimizing for intent
• Anticipating the user’s next question
• Improving technical performance
• Staying adaptable as search changes

What’s different is the surface-level behavior. While generative search is changing how and where people search and find information, it doesn’t mean the core principles of SEO are obsolete.

The problem is, very few folks are making that distinction clearly. 

One headline says SEO is dead, and another says GEO is the only thing that matters. Meanwhile, you’re stuck in the middle, wondering what to focus on, how to report results to stakeholders, and whether you need to start from scratch.