AI Search and SEO Glossary
AI Search Glossary:
GEO, AEO and the Terms Behind AI Visibility
Short, plain-English definitions of the terms you will hear when marketers talk about ranking in Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity and other answer engines. Each entry explains what the term means and why it matters for a local or small business, with links to the related MPH service where one exists.
Definitions
AI Search Terms, A to Z
Bookmark this page. We update it as the search engines and AI tools change.
GEO (Generative Engine Optimization)
The practice of making your business more likely to be named, cited or recommended inside AI-written answers from tools like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini. GEO focuses on entity clarity, consistent facts about your business across the web, structured content and citations, rather than page rankings alone.
AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)
Optimizing content so a search or AI engine can lift a direct answer from it. AEO targets featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, voice assistants and AI answers by using question-led headings, concise answers in the first sentence or two and FAQ schema.
AI SEO
An umbrella term for SEO adapted to AI-driven search. It combines traditional SEO with GEO and AEO tactics, and often includes using AI tools in the SEO workflow itself. At MPH we use it to describe the full program of ranking in classic results, AI Overviews and AI assistants.
Google AI Overviews
AI-generated summaries that appear at the top of some Google search results, with links to the sources the summary drew from. Being cited in an AI Overview requires content that directly answers the query and is trusted enough to be pulled as a source.
Google AI Mode
A conversational search experience in Google where the user asks questions in natural language and receives an AI-generated response with cited sources, and can ask follow-ups. It expands on AI Overviews and makes citations even more important.
Answer Engine
A search tool that returns a written answer instead of a list of links. ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Mode and voice assistants are answer engines. Traditional Google is a search engine that increasingly behaves like one.
Entity
A distinct, identifiable thing, such as a business, person, place or product, that search engines and AI models recognize and connect facts to. Entity optimization means making sure your business is clearly identified everywhere with the same name, address, services, people and relationships.
Entity Optimization
The work of strengthening how search engines and AI models understand your business as an entity: consistent NAP data, an Organization and LocalBusiness schema, a complete Google Business Profile, Wikipedia-style facts on your About page, sameAs links to your profiles, and mentions on trusted third-party sites.
AI Citation
When an AI answer links to or names a source for a claim. Earning citations is the GEO equivalent of earning a ranking. Citations tend to go to pages that state facts plainly, are well structured and come from sources the model treats as trustworthy.
LLM (Large Language Model)
The AI model behind tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Claude. LLMs are trained on large amounts of text and, when connected to search, can retrieve current web pages and summarize them. Understanding that they read structured, plainly written pages best is the basis of GEO.
RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation)
The method many AI search tools use: retrieve relevant web pages first, then generate an answer from them. If your page is retrievable (indexed, crawlable, relevant) and quotable (clear, structured), it can be used in the answer.
llms.txt
A proposed plain-text file at the root of a website that gives AI crawlers a concise guide to the site's most important pages and content. MPH publishes one at mphmarketing.com/llms.txt. It is a low-effort signal, not a ranking guarantee.
Schema Markup (Structured Data)
Code added to a page, usually JSON-LD, that labels what the content is: a business, a service, an FAQ, an article, a person. Schema helps search engines and AI systems understand pages without guessing, and powers rich results.
FAQ Schema
Structured data that marks up question and answer pairs on a page. It makes answers easy for engines to extract and is one of the most practical AEO tactics for service businesses.
Knowledge Graph
Google's database of entities and the relationships between them. When your business is in the Knowledge Graph with accurate facts, Google and the AI features built on it can describe and recommend you with confidence.
Knowledge Panel
The information box that appears on the right side of Google results for a recognized entity, showing its name, description, address, reviews and links. For local businesses it is powered largely by the Google Business Profile.
Zero-Click Search
A search where the user gets what they need on the results page, from an AI Overview, snippet, map pack or knowledge panel, without clicking a website. GEO and AEO accept this reality and aim to be the source that is shown.
Featured Snippet
A highlighted answer box at the top of Google results that quotes a short passage from a page. Winning snippets is a core AEO goal and often feeds AI Overviews too.
AI Visibility
How often and how favorably your brand appears in AI-generated answers for the queries that matter to you. It is measured by prompting AI tools with buyer questions and tracking mentions, citations and sentiment over time.
Prompt
The question or instruction a person types into an AI tool. GEO research starts with the prompts your customers actually use, such as "best local SEO agency in Metro Detroit," rather than only short keywords.
NAP Consistency
Name, Address and Phone number matching exactly across your website, Google Business Profile, directories and social profiles. Inconsistent NAP weakens entity confidence for both local SEO and AI answers.
E-E-A-T
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness and Trustworthiness, the qualities Google's quality guidelines look for. Author bylines, credentials, reviews and first-hand detail all help, and AI systems lean on the same signals when choosing sources.
Topical Authority
Being recognized as a reliable source on a subject because you cover it thoroughly and consistently. A site with deep, interlinked content on local SEO is more likely to be cited for local SEO questions than one with a single page.
ChatGPT Ads
Paid placements inside ChatGPT and similar assistants, an emerging channel alongside organic GEO. MPH offers campaign planning for it as the format matures.
FAQ
Common Questions About AI Search Terms
Want to know where your business shows up in AI answers?
We will run the prompts your customers use, show you who is being recommended and map out what it would take to be in the answer. Start with an AI Visibility Audit or our GEO services.
