The short answer
SEO earns visibility in search results. AEO (answer engine optimisation) makes sure your site answers buyer questions clearly. GEO (generative engine optimisation) focuses on how AI-generated answers represent and cite your business. Most of the foundations are shared, so most businesses should pay for SEO first and treat AEO and GEO as one optional add-on, not two extra services.
What each covers
| Work | SEO | AEO | GEO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical fixes and crawlability | Core | Relies on it | Relies on it |
| Keyword-to-page planning | Core | Feeds it | Feeds it |
| Buyer-question research | Partly | Core | Partly |
| Direct answer content | Partly | Core | Supports |
| Original, citable evidence | Helps | Supports | Core |
| Prompt tracking and citation log | No | No | Core |
Where the overlap is
Clear pages, good structure, accurate business information and useful answers help all three. That is why basic AI-search readiness is already part of our SEO plan, and why selling "SEO", "AEO" and "GEO" as three full-price services usually means paying for the same work more than once.
What to pay for
- SEO: £199 a month (3-month minimum). The foundation.
- AI search add-on (AEO and GEO together): £79 a month, charged once, only alongside SEO. Adds answer-focused improvements, a fixed prompt set and a mention, citation and referral log. Together: £278 a month.
- One-off diagnostic: £129 if you only want a check. Included free when you start SEO plus the add-on.
A sample buyer-question map (hypothetical)
| Buyer question | Owning page | Discipline |
|---|---|---|
| How much does an accountant cost for a limited company? | Pricing page | AEO and SEO |
| Do I need an accountant for self-assessment? | Self-assessment page | AEO |
| Which accountants specialise in contractors? | Contractor accounts page and cases | GEO and SEO |
| accountant near me | Home page and Business Profile | SEO |
How to decide
- If your site has technical or content problems, start with SEO only.
- If SEO is in place and buyers ask detailed questions before they buy, add the AI add-on.
- If you only want to know where you stand, buy the diagnostic first.
Your next step
Use the AI answer-readiness worksheet, read how to become useful evidence in AI search, or compare AEO and GEO.