SEO vs AEO vs GEO: What Should a Small Business Fix First?

I am a virtual assistant and operations specialist in the Philippines, and this site runs on WordPress with Yoast SEO. Before writing this, I read what Google and OpenAI document about AI search and checked my own site against it. This post covers what SEO, AEO, and GEO mean, what the evidence says, and the order I would fix things in.

What do SEO, AEO, and GEO mean?

There is no settled definition. Agencies use the three terms in different ways, so treat this table as a working guide.

Term	What it aims for	Where it shows up	What you measure
SEO (search engine optimization)	Rank a page so people click through	Google and Bing results	Rankings, clicks, organic traffic
AEO (answer engine optimization)	Have your text used as the direct answer	Featured snippets, voice answers, AI Overviews	Snippet wins, impressions
GEO (generative engine optimization)	Be cited inside an AI-written answer	ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude	Citations, brand mentions, referral visits

Google takes a blunter view. In its guide to generative AI search, Google says that from its perspective, optimizing for generative AI search is still SEO. It also tells site owners to review its advice on evaluating third-party SEO advice before paying for AEO or GEO services.

How much traffic do AI search tools send?

Small, and growing. SE Ranking analyzed 101,574 websites from January 2025 through April 2026. AI search engines sent 0.32% of all website traffic in 2026, up from 0.24% in 2025 and 0.02% in 2024. Organic search sent 42.75%, so it still sent about 134 times more visits. ChatGPT accounted for 74.78% of the AI referrals.

Two cautions. This is one dataset from sites that use Google Analytics, so your numbers will differ. It also counts clicks only. Someone can read an AI answer that mentions you and never visit your site.

What does Google say you can skip?

Google’s guide for generative AI search, last updated July 10, 2026, lists several tactics you can ignore for Google Search:

• llms.txt and other special AI files. Google says Search does not use them. Keeping one neither helps nor harms your visibility.
• Breaking content into small chunks for AI to read.
• Rewriting content in a special way just for AI systems.
• Seeking inauthentic mentions across the web.
• Overfocusing on structured data. It is not required, and there is no special schema for AI features.

Other systems may treat these files differently, but the usage data is thin. Ahrefs server logs from 137,000 domains, reported by PPC Land in July 2026, found that 97% of llms.txt files received zero requests in May 2026. SEO audit tools made the most requests, not AI assistants.

Which AI crawlers should you allow?

Robots.txt is where you control AI crawlers. OpenAI documents separate bots for separate jobs, and each setting is independent of the others.

Bot	What it does	If you block it
OAI-SearchBot (OpenAI)	Surfaces sites in ChatGPT’s search features	Your site will not be shown in ChatGPT search answers, though it can still appear as a navigational link
GPTBot (OpenAI)	Crawls content that may be used to train OpenAI’s models	Signals that your content should not be used for training
ChatGPT-User (OpenAI)	Fetches a page when a person asks ChatGPT about it	OpenAI says robots.txt rules may not apply, because a user triggered the visit

For Google, robots.txt rules for Googlebot are the control for Search, including its AI features. Google-Extended is a separate control for some of Google’s other AI systems. Whether to allow GPTBot is a business decision about training, not an SEO one. Blocking a search bot is the choice that can cost you visibility.

What did I find when I checked jasperfabe.com?

I checked three items.

Item	What I found	Action
robots.txt	Allows all crawlers except the WordPress admin area, and lists the sitemap. No AI bot is blocked.	None
Sitemap	Listed in robots.txt as sitemap_index.xml.	Confirm it is submitted in Search Console
llms.txt	Exists, generated by Yoast SEO. It listed two blog posts and a few pages, and none of my newer posts.	Low priority, since Google says it ignores the file

Nothing here needed urgent work. That is the usual result when the basics are already in place, and it is why I would not start with AI-specific files. This check covers public files only. Search Console data is private, so I leave it out.

What should a small business fix first?

Work through these steps in order.

1. Confirm Google can crawl and index your key pages. Check robots.txt, your sitemap, and the Pages report in Search Console. Google says a page must be indexed and eligible to show with a snippet to appear in its AI features.
2. Check your generative AI setting in Search Console. Google’s guide says a site must be included in Search generative AI features in Search Console to be eligible, so confirm yours is.
3. Allow the search bots you want. Allow Googlebot and OAI-SearchBot so your pages can appear in Google and ChatGPT search. Decide on GPTBot separately, because it relates to model training, not search.
4. Put the answer first on key pages. Start each important page with a direct answer of 40 to 60 words, then use headings phrased as questions. Google does not require this format, but readers get the answer faster.
5. Add something only you can say. Use your own process, numbers, and examples. Google says unique, helpful content is likely to matter more over time than any other tip in its guide.
6. Measure every month. Check the Generative AI performance report in Search Console and AI referral sources in Google Analytics, and keep a short log of what changed.

FIG. 02: Keep the monthly check short and written down.

A monthly check like this is repetitive, rule-based work. That makes it a good fit for an automation and AI virtual assistant. Pulling the numbers into one sheet can use an API integration or a Zapier or Make workflow, and you can see everything I build on the services page. If you would rather hand the whole job to a person, read how to hire a virtual assistant in the Philippines.

Where do AI tools help, and where do they not?

AI tools can draft an answer block or a first outline quickly. Google’s guide warns against content that repeats what is already online or could easily be produced by a generative AI model, so the value comes from what you add. I cover that split in Can AI replace your virtual assistant?. For specific tools, see AI tools for business owners and coaches, and why you still need a virtual assistant.

What about product pages and Shopify stores?

Google says generative AI responses can include product listings and local business details, and it recommends keeping Merchant Center feeds and Business Profile information current. For a store, accurate product data matters as much as blog content. An e-commerce virtual assistant can keep listings and feeds consistent, and the Black Friday 2026 Shopify automation checklist covers what to set up before peak season.

Does structured data still matter?

Google says it is not required for AI features, and that no special schema exists for them. Google still recommends keeping markup you use matched to the visible text on the page, since it can help with rich result eligibility. This page carries FAQ and how-to markup that matches the text you can see. Treat it as housekeeping, not a growth lever.

Frequently asked questions

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

SEO aims to rank your pages in search results. AEO aims to have your text used as a direct answer, such as a featured snippet. GEO aims to get your content cited inside AI-written answers. The terms overlap, and Google says optimizing for its generative AI features is still SEO.

Is SEO still worth doing now that people use ChatGPT?

Yes. SE Ranking’s 2026 data from 101,574 sites shows organic search sent 42.75% of website traffic, while AI search engines sent 0.32%. Google also says its AI features rest on its normal search systems. AI traffic is growing, but search still sends far more visits.

Do I need an llms.txt file?

Not for Google. Google’s guide says Search does not use llms.txt and that keeping one neither helps nor harms. Ahrefs data reported in July 2026 found 97% of llms.txt files got no requests in May 2026. It is optional housekeeping, mainly useful for documentation sites.

Should I block AI crawlers like GPTBot?

Block GPTBot only if you do not want your content used for model training. Blocking OAI-SearchBot is different: OpenAI says sites opted out of it will not appear in ChatGPT search answers. Decide on each bot separately, and note that user-triggered fetches may not follow robots.txt.

Do I need schema markup to appear in AI answers?

No. Google says structured data is not required for generative AI search and that no special markup exists for it. If you use markup, keep it matched to the visible text, since it can still help with rich result eligibility. Clear, original content matters more, according to Google’s guide.

How do I know if AI tools send me traffic?

Look for visits from AI assistants such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Perplexity in Google Analytics, and use the Generative AI performance report in Search Console for Google’s AI features. Expect small numbers. A visit is only counted when someone clicks through from the answer.

Sources

• Google Search Central: Optimizing your website for generative AI features on Google Search
• Google Search Central: AI features and your website
• SE Ranking: AI traffic grew 16x from 2024 to 2026
• OpenAI: Overview of OpenAI Crawlers
• PPC Land: llms.txt adoption rises 8.8x but 97% of files get zero AI requests
• MO Agency: SEO vs AEO vs GEO definitions

Figures can change. The traffic shares come from one dataset (SE Ranking) and will not match every site. The jasperfabe.com checks reflect one site only.