AEO vs SEO is a difference in goal: SEO (search engine optimization) ranks your pages so people click through to your site, while AEO (answer engine optimization) gets your brand named or cited inside the answer an AI system writes, whether or not anyone clicks.
The two overlap more than the acronyms suggest. Google says its AI features are built on its core Search ranking systems, so a page that cannot be crawled or ranked is unlikely to be cited. The differences are in emphasis and measurement. SEO tracks rankings, traffic and conversions. AEO tracks mentions, citations and share of answers across engines, and it leans harder on third-party sources such as reviews, directories and press coverage.
Most businesses need both. EliteAEO's independent rankings of AEO providers check whether each agency measures AI visibility, not just search rankings.