Three labels.
One budget.
SEO, AEO and GEO describe different goals for the same underlying work. The question is not which one to buy. It is which gap to close first.
Different goals,
overlapping work.
SEO (search engine optimization) improves your visibility in conventional Google search results: the ten blue links, the featured snippet, the local pack. The work includes page content, technical health, internal links, crawlability and indexing.
AEO (answer engine optimization) structures your content so search engines and AI systems can extract direct answers. The work focuses on answering specific buyer questions clearly, using structured data to identify entities, and organizing pages around decisions rather than keywords.
GEO (generative engine optimization) concerns visibility in AI-generated answers. It can include useful site content, clear business identity, accurate external facts and checking the sources actual answers use. It is not limited to directory or off-site work.
In practice, these overlap heavily. A service page rewrite that answers a buyer question (AEO) also improves its Google ranking potential (SEO). A corrected directory listing (GEO) also helps Google's local signals (SEO). The labels describe why you are doing the work, not three separate projects.
Start with the
gap you have.
For Google’s AI features, an eligible supporting page must be indexed and eligible for a search snippet. Other AI platforms have their own retrieval systems. Check crawl access and useful page content early, but do not assume Google indexing alone governs every assistant.
If your pages rank but do not answer buyer questions directly: AEO addresses this gap. Rewrite service pages so they name the specific service, answer the buyer's next question, and use structured data that identifies your business type and service area.
If your website answers questions but AI platforms do not name you: GEO strengthens the external evidence. Check what directories, review platforms and third-party sources say about your business. Correct wrong facts. Identify sources the AI answers already cite for your type of service.
If you are not sure which gap you have: a review checks all three. It runs the buyer questions on four AI platforms, checks Google Search Console for conventional search data, and identifies the specific website, entity and evidence gaps.
What to fix
in what order.
- Technical SEO: can Google crawl and index your pages? Fix genuine access errors first; this does not replace checking the actual answers on other platforms.
- Service page content (AEO): does each service page answer the buyer's question in their words? This is the highest-leverage content work for most local businesses.
- Structured data (AEO): does schema markup identify your business type, services and service area? This helps both Google features and AI systems classify you correctly.
- Google Business Profile: is the listing accurate, complete and categorized correctly? Keep profile facts up to date where the business is eligible; a correct profile does not guarantee a recommendation.
- External sources (GEO): are your facts consistent across directories, review platforms and industry listings? Inconsistencies weaken the case for naming you in AI answers.
- AI answer rechecks: measure the same buyer questions on the same platforms to see what changed.
This order is a general guide. Your specific gap may mean jumping to step 3 or 5 first. The review identifies where to start.
Scoped to the
question set.
In Singapore and Malaysia, Tendou does not sell "SEO," "AEO" or "GEO" as separate packages. Every engagement is scoped to a service, a market and a set of buyer questions. The work covers whatever those questions need: page content, structured data, technical fixes, directory corrections, and dated AI rechecks.
Cost depends on the website work required, the number of markets and the review cycle. A review is the starting point.
United States. Tendou US offers a separate managed monthly subscription for US small businesses. Steady is US$99 per month for one agreed work item; Accelerator is US$199 per month for up to five work items. Each plan covers one website and includes implementation, verification and reporting. Neither plan guarantees rankings or AI citations. US pricing does not apply to Singapore or Malaysia engagements.
What affects the cost in Singapore ↗
Malaysia service ↗
US subscription details ↗
US pricing comparison ↗
What this guide
does not promise.
This guide explains a general approach to prioritizing SEO, AEO and GEO work. It does not predict rankings, AI citations or enquiries for any business. AI answers change between checks and vary by platform. Google's ranking factors and AI features may change after this guide was written.
Go deeper.
What's holding
your business back?
A website that needs work. Customers who can't find you. A team running on spreadsheets and messages. Start there.