If you follow SEO news, you’ve probably noticed this pattern:
Every year, new SEO terms appear.
SEO, Local SEO, AEO, GEO, LLMO, SXO, Entity SEO…
Naturally, business owners ask:
“Do we need to do all of this separately?”
The honest answer: No.
Most of these are new names for the same core work.
Let me explain everything using one simple example:
👉 “Restaurant in Chennai”
1. SEO – Search Engine Optimization (The Base of Everything)
What SEO means:
Helping your business appear when someone searches on Google.
Example:
A user searches:
“restaurant in Chennai”
SEO success looks like:
- Your restaurant website appears in search results
- Your Google Business Profile shows up in Maps
- Users can click, call, or get directions
How this happens:
- Proper website content
- Optimized Google Business Profile
- Reviews and local relevance
👉 SEO is the foundation. Without it, nothing else works.
2. Local SEO – The Real Money Maker
Local SEO is SEO with location intent.
Example searches:
- “restaurant near me”
- “best restaurant in Chennai”
- “family restaurant in T. Nagar”
Local SEO focuses on:
- Google Maps rankings
- Google Business Profile Optimization
- Reviews
- Distance + relevance + trust
👉 If you’re a local business, Local SEO matters more than global rankings.
3. AEO – Answer Engine Optimization
This is an old concept with a new name.
What AEO means:
Helping Google directly answer user questions.
Example questions:
- “Which restaurant in Chennai is best for a family dinner?”
- “Do they serve vegetarian food?”
- “Is this restaurant open on Sunday?”
Where answers come from:
- Google Business Profile
- Website FAQs
- Reviews
- Menu pages
👉 If your business answers clearly, Google prefers you.
4. GEO – Generative Engine Optimization (AI Search)
This term became popular because of AI.
What GEO means:
Helping AI tools generate answers using your business data.
Example:
A user asks an AI tool:
“Suggest a good restaurant in Chennai for dinner.”
Why AI mentions some restaurants and ignores others:
- Strong Google presence
- Consistent business information
- Reviews mentioning food, location, and experience
- Clear website content
👉 AI does not replace Local SEO. It depends on it, as in the above image, the map is the answer for any nearby terms
5. LLMO – Large Language Model Optimization
This sounds technical, but it’s very practical.
What LLMO means:
Making your business trustworthy in AI systems.
Restaurant example:
Your restaurant has:
- Same name, address, phone everywhere
- Google Maps, website, Swiggy, Zomato consistency
- Reviews talking about “restaurant in Chennai”, “good food”, “family dining”
👉 AI confidently understands:
Restaurant name + Chennai + cuisine + reputation
This trust is what LLMO is about.
6. Entity SEO – Extremely Important (But Quiet)
This is not hype.
What it means:
Google understands who you are, not just what keyword you target.
Restaurant entity example:
- Business name
- Location: Chennai
- Type: Restaurant
- Cuisine: South Indian / Chinese / Multi-cuisine
- Brand reputation
👉 When Google understands the entity, rankings become stable and long-term.
7. SXO – Search Experience Optimization
SEO + User Experience.
Restaurant example:
- Website loads fast
- Click-to-call works
- Directions open correctly
- Menu is easy to find
👉 Ranking without good experience = lost customers.
8. E-E-A-T – Experience, Expertise, Authority, Trust
Very important for real businesses.
Restaurant signals:
- Real photos
- Owner replies to reviews
- Authentic customer feedback
- Clear business details
👉 Trust always beats tricks.
9. Voice Search Optimization
Often ignored, but very real.
Voice searches sound like:
- “Good restaurant in Chennai near me”
- “Is this restaurant open now?”
Optimization basics:
- Accurate timings
- Conversational content
- Clear services
10. Zero-Click Optimization (Today’s Reality)
Many users never visit your website.
They directly:
- Call
- Navigate
- Message
- Book a table
👉 Success today is actions, not just traffic.
The Simple Explanation
You can explain everything like this:
SEO helps Google find your restaurant
Local SEO helps Maps rank it
AEO helps Google answer questions
GEO & LLMO help AI trust and recommend it
Entity & Trust keep rankings stable
Same work. Multiple benefits.
Final Honest Opinion
New terms will keep coming.
Google will keep doing the same thing:
👉 Ranking real, trusted, locally relevant businesses.
If your business is strong on:
- Google Business Profile
- Reviews
- Local content
- Consistency
You’re already winning —
no matter what the trend is called next year.
See you in the next useful post
If you need help with your Google Business Profile, contact me, and we will work together to improve your marketing work.