GEO, AEO, AISO? Here’s the new lingo marketers need to know according to Fractl survey
From SEO to GEO, here’s how marketers are redefining visibility in the AI search era
The way brands show up in search is changing fast, and marketers are steering that shift. As generative AI becomes part of the discovery process, the traditional SEO playbook is getting a rewrite. Keywords and backlinks are still part of the mix, but a growing list of acronyms—GEO, AEO, AISO—now define how visibility works in this new landscape.
Fractl recently analyzed how marketers are adapting, tracking how terms are used across surveys, job listings, search data, LinkedIn, and Reddit. Their findings show which acronyms are gaining ground, which ones confuse more than clarify, and how the language you choose can shape your team’s credibility and strategy.
This article breaks down what the data reveals and how marketers can use it to communicate more clearly and make smarter decisions across hiring, messaging, and campaign planning.
Short on time?
Here’s a table of contents for quick access:
- GEO is winning mindshare, but SEO remains the baseline
- From clarity to credibility: how acronyms perform across platforms
- AISO takes the lead in job listings
- What marketers should know: how to choose the right term
Patrecia Meliana
GEO is winning mindshare, but SEO remains the baseline
Among 342 marketers surveyed, GEO (generative engine optimization) emerged as the most recognized AI-era search term, with 84% of respondents saying they know it. When forced to choose one term they actually use, 42% picked GEO, making it the most popular label in day-to-day work.
That said, marketers are not abandoning SEO. In fact, 14% still use “SEO” to describe this evolving work, especially in cross-functional settings. The term remains a familiar anchor, with AI-focused acronyms layered on top.
AEO (answer engine optimization) and AISEO (artificial intelligence search engine optimization) are also well established, with 61 and 60% recognition, respectively. These terms tend to describe specific tasks or campaign types within broader GenAI strategies.
“GEO has emerged as the label of choice in the evolving AI search paradigm,” said Danny Goodwin, editor at Search Engine Land. “But SEO remains as important as ever. The job has evolved, not disappeared.”
This reflects a pattern in the data. GEO is the mental model. AISEO and AEO are how practitioners describe the work. SEO is the term that still makes sense to executives and clients.
Patrecia Meliana
How acronyms perform across platforms
Language shapes perception, especially on social platforms. Fractl found that certain terms perform far better depending on the audience and medium. On Reddit, AISEO leads with a 95.8% positive sentiment score, indicating strong resonance among technical marketers. On LinkedIn, SEO content receives 90.4% positive sentiment, suggesting it still holds emotional weight in broader professional circles.
Newer terms like AISO (AI search optimization) are also gaining ground. AISO scores 90.9% positivity on LinkedIn, although sentiment drops sharply on Reddit to just 46.8%. This split signals a useful distinction: LinkedIn is the place to introduce new terminology, while Reddit is where those terms get stress-tested.
Fractl also looked at search trends. ASO (answer search optimization) had the highest quarter-over-quarter lift in Google search volume, up 152% in Q4. It may be gaining attention, but because ASO is also widely known as "app store optimization," it needs careful handling to avoid confusion.
If you're trying to build awareness, terms like GEO and ASO are gaining attention. For implementation and conversation depth, AEO and AISO are more effective. And if you are optimizing for platform performance, use terms like LLMO or SXO to spark social reach.
Patrecia Meliana
AISO takes the lead in job listings
Hiring data confirms that AISO is not just a trend—it is the dominant label companies use to staff AI-powered search roles. Fractl found over 11,000 job listings referencing AISO, outpacing SEO, GEO, AEO, and LLMO combined.
That does not mean SEO is out of the picture. It still appears in thousands of listings and remains a core requirement. However, adding AI to the job description is increasingly common, and AISO helps signal that evolution.
GEO and SGE, on the other hand, appear more often in project or initiative names rather than job titles. Marketers may be using these terms for storytelling and client education, not role definitions.
“AISO is a rebrand of classic SEO skills,” said Goodwin. “But it also reflects new expectations. You need to understand content, UX, and now, how AI generates answers.”
What marketers should know
The acronym chaos can be overwhelming, but the solution is simple: choose based on audience and objective. Here is a breakdown.
- Use GEO when educating stakeholders or creating top-of-funnel content. It is widely recognized but still benefits from a tight definition.
- Use AISO or AEO when naming playbooks, team functions, or job roles. These terms carry weight with practitioners and hiring platforms.
- Use SEO when working across departments or with executives. It remains the most understood label, especially when framed as “SEO with AI.”
- Avoid niche or inside-baseball acronyms like LLMAO or SGE unless your audience is highly technical. They have limited recognition and may confuse more than clarify.
Whatever term you choose, define it in plain language and use it consistently across channels. Revisit your choices annually to keep pace with evolving usage.
Language is not just a branding issue. It is a strategy alignment tool. The terms you adopt will shape how your team talks about the work, how clients perceive it, and how effectively you scale programs.
Fractl’s research shows that the industry is not aligned on terminology, and that is okay. What matters is that you pick a label that fits, define it clearly, and stick with it.
“Don’t call it confusion. Call it evolution,” said Goodwin. “This is a new mode of discovery with different expectations, surfaces, and outcomes.”
Marketers do not need perfect consensus to act. They just need clarity, consistency, and the confidence to name the work they are already doing.
