The three acronyms in a nutshell
| Low | What it does |
|---|---|
| AEO | Get quoted in a direct response |
| GEO | Let yourself be recommended as a choice |
| AIO | Be understood by AI (the foundation) |
They are often used interchangeably, but each has its own role within your search strategy.
How they work together: the funnel
The three layers form a funnel. At the bottom lies AIO, your foundation: make sure that AI can say something about your brand at all. Inconsistent company info or missing Google-bedrijfsprofiel makes it impossible to describe you correctly, so consistent vermeldingen count heavily here. Above that comes GEO: give AI reasons to recommend you with transparent prices, fair comparisons and a strong contentstrategie. The spearhead is AEO: short, sharp answers that end up in an AI Overview.
The core
Most companies start at the top of the funnel and wonder why AI isn't quoting them, while the foundation is missing. AI can't recommend you if it doesn't know you exist. So start at the bottom, at AIO, and build up.
Why you need all three
If you only work on AEO without AIO, you will not appear anywhere because AI does not know you. If you work on GEO without building trust, you will not be chosen. The full approach of AI visibility covers the three layers together, and you track progress by measuring your AI visibility.