Reference
AI Search Glossary
Clear definitions of GEO, AEO, AI discovery, and AI visibility terminology for business leaders.
Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO)
The discipline of ensuring AI platforms — ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Claude, Copilot, Meta AI and Siri — recommend your business when consumers ask who is the best in your sector. Unlike SEO which competes for position among many results, GEO positions you as the single recommendation.
Answer Engine Optimisation (AEO)
A closely related discipline to GEO focused on optimising content to appear as direct answers in AI-powered search results. AEO targets the structured answer format that AI systems use to respond to user queries, ensuring your business information is surfaced as the definitive response.
AI Discovery
The process by which AI systems find, evaluate, and surface businesses in response to user queries. AI discovery differs from traditional search discovery in that it relies on reasoning about authority and trust rather than keyword matching and link analysis.
AI Recommendation Systems
The underlying technology that powers how AI platforms decide which businesses to recommend. These systems evaluate entity recognition, authority signals, trust indicators, and contextual relevance to generate a single recommendation rather than a list of options.
AI Overview
An AI-generated summary that appears at the top of a Google search results page, replacing the traditional list of links with a direct answer. When present, 83% of sessions end without a click to any website.
Zero-Click Search
A search query where the user receives their answer directly from the AI summary without clicking through to any website. The rise of AI Overviews has dramatically increased zero-click rates.
Citation Architecture
The structured network of third-party mentions, references, and citations that AI models use to assess authority and trustworthiness when deciding which businesses to recommend.
Territorial Exclusivity
First Answer®'s model of accepting only one client per search intent per geographic territory. Competitors targeting the same search criteria in the same region are permanently declined.
First Answer Positioning
The strategic goal of being the first business named when an AI platform responds to a query about the best provider in a given sector and location.
AI Reasoning Model
The underlying large language model (LLM) that powers AI platforms. Unlike traditional search algorithms that match keywords, reasoning models evaluate authority, context, and confidence to generate recommendations.
E-E-A-T
Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness — Google's quality assessment framework. The signals that satisfy E-E-A-T for traditional search also influence AI recommendation probability.
Entity Recognition
The ability of AI models to identify and understand specific businesses, people, and organisations as distinct entities. Strong entity recognition increases the likelihood of being recommended.
AI Search Traffic
Website visits that originate from AI platforms rather than traditional search engines. AI search traffic grew 527% year-on-year and converts at 5x the rate of Google traffic.
Recommendation Probability
The statistical likelihood that an AI platform will name your business when responding to a relevant query. GEO systematically increases this probability across all seven major platforms.
Digital Authority
The cumulative strength of a business's online presence as perceived by AI models. Built through citations, structured content, third-party validation, and consistent entity signals.
AI-Mediated Commerce
The emerging model where consumer purchasing decisions are guided primarily by AI recommendations rather than traditional search, advertising, or word of mouth. McKinsey estimates £600B+ in UK revenue is at risk from this shift.