SEO, SEA and GEO are three different ways to be found, with very different time horizons. This chapter compares them and explains why SEO remains the foundation of GEO.
What you will learn
- The difference between the three, in plain words
- Which one to pick for your situation
- How to split a first budget
Lesson outline
- 1SEO, SEA and GEO: what is the difference?
- 2How do you split your first budget between SEO, SEA and GEO?
- 3Hands-on exercise
- 4Key takeaways
SEO, SEA and GEO: what is the difference?
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) improves a site's natural ranking in search engines like Google. SEA (Search Engine Advertising) means paying to appear in the results. GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) optimizes a business's visibility in search engines and assistants built on artificial intelligence.
The real difference between the three is time. SEA delivers fast results, but they stop the day you stop paying. SEO and GEO are slower, but what you build keeps working.
| SEO | SEA | GEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goal | Rank in Google's natural results | Appear in results through paid advertising | Be mentioned or recommended by ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and others |
| Horizon | Medium / long term | Short term | Medium / long term |
| If you stop | Results can last over time | Visibility stops with the budget | The credibility you earned stays, but must be maintained |
SEO is the foundation of GEO
An AI must first be able to discover, access, understand and evaluate the information on the Web. Good SEO practices make each of those steps easier. GEO does not replace SEO: it builds on its foundations. To compare the three approaches in detail, read our article SEO, GEO and SEA: which strategy to choose.
How do you split your first budget between SEO, SEA and GEO?
Your first budget depends on your urgency and the state of your site: advertising if you need customers now, SEO and GEO to build what will last.
| Your situation | Priority | Why |
|---|---|---|
| You need customers this month | SEA (Google Ads, ChatGPT Ads) | Advertising delivers fast results, but stops with the budget |
| Your site is not yet found on Google | Technical SEO and content | Without an SEO base, GEO has little to build on |
| Your site is well structured, but AIs do not cite you | GEO: mentions, reviews, citable content | The factor that weighs the most is what is said about you on the web |
| Small budget and a horizon of several months | SEO and GEO foundations | Content, Google profile and reviews mostly cost time |
| Launching a new service | SEA, plus a dedicated page for the service | Advertising brings traffic while the page gains ranking |
A qualitative guide from Oriana Solutions, to adapt to your situation.
Key takeaways from chapter 2
- 1SEA is fast but stops with the budget.
- 2SEO and GEO are slower, but last.
- 3SEO is the foundation of GEO: you work on them together.
Find your situation in the table above, then write in one sentence your priority for the next 90 days (SEA, SEO or GEO) and why.
