What's the difference between SEO and AEO?

Quick answer

SEO (Search Engine Optimization) aims to rank your pages in traditional search results so people click through to your site. AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) aims to get your content cited inside the answers AI assistants and AI search features generate. They overlap heavily, but AEO puts extra weight on direct, answer-first content, clear structure, factual specificity, and machine-readability so an AI can confidently quote you.