Guide to AI Search Terminology for Healthcare Marketers: SEO, GEO, AIO, AEO & SXO Explained

How to create content for human readers and AI search engines

You’ve seen the alphabet soup: SEO. GEO. AIO. AEO. SXO. LMNOP (just kidding).

Each one promises the latest way to get your content seen. And for healthcare marketers with a million priorities (and limited internal resources), it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

Before you cry into your coffee: You don’t need to chase every acronym. Because these aren’t 5 different strategies. They’re 5 ways of looking at one goal:

Helping your audience find, understand, and act on your content.

Let’s break down what you need to know, how to adapt, and why your human-first approach to content is already working in your favor.

The way people search for healthcare info is changing — fast

Patients and caregivers don’t just ask Google anymore. They ask voice assistants. They type questions into ChatGPT. They search TikTok for “What happens during an endoscopy?” or Reddit for “Is this side effect normal?”

The fundamentals of good SEO haven’t changed. Clear, trustworthy content still matters — maybe more than ever.

What’s changed is the context: The same content now needs to perform across more platforms, in more formats, for more types of search.

And that’s where a few key acronyms come in.

5 acronyms to know — and what they mean for your content

1. What is SEO? Search engine optimization

Yeah, you know this one. But it’s worth revisiting with fresh eyes. SEO remains foundational, especially for traditional search. And it quietly powers visibility in AI-driven tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google’s search generative experience (SGE — yet another acronym).

When your content is optimized for search, you structure information so search engines can interpret and rank it. This:

• Supports visibility for patient and caregiver queries in Google and Bing
• Strengthens trust signals that help AI tools decide what to surface

→ Read more on SEO in healthcare

2. What is GEO? Generative engine optimization

GEO is all about making your content easier for AI tools to understand and cite when generating answers — even if the user never clicks through to your site. Being cited as a trusted source builds brand recognition over time.

To structure your content for generative engines:

• Organize information with clear headings and semantic structure.
• Use natural language that mirrors how people ask health-related questions.
• Add FAQs and Q&As to encourage inclusion in AI-generated responses.

Example: In Perplexity, the answers to this mammogram query come from FAQs on the source websites — like this tip from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

→Explore GEO for healthcare marketers

3. What is AIO? AI optimization

AIO is about building trust. Large language models like ChatGPT and Perplexity decide which content to surface based on credibility signals, not just keywords. When your content is optimized for AI, it becomes more likely to be cited in generative responses.

That trust isn’t just built on what you say. It’s also about who else is talking about you.

To optimize your content for AI:

• Establish credibility through expert bylines, citations, review dates, and schema.
• Reinforce authority with accurate, consistent information across your entire digital footprint.
• Earn mentions through digital PR efforts that boost third-party validation and visibility.

Example: Google’s AI Mode selects the “top cancer centers in New York state” using data from third-party rankings like U.S. News & World Report and designations by the National Cancer Institute (NCI).

→ Read more: 7 ways to grow brand mentions

4. What is AEO? Answer engine optimization

AEO focuses on helping your content show up in zero-click environments — like voice assistants, featured snippets, and quick answer boxes. These tools want short, scannable content that gives people exactly what they need, instantly.

To optimize your content for answer engines:

• Lead with answers by putting the most helpful information at the top of the page.
• Use structured markup like schema to signal FAQs and how-to content.
• Write for spoken questions that people might ask their phone or smart speaker.

→ Learn how AI is changing patient search behavior

5. What is SXO? Search experience optimization

SXO is where discovery meets action. So … how is that different from UX?

SXO takes the principles of good user experience and connects them directly to search visibility. It’s where being genuinely helpful to people — with clear, intuitive design and content — gets rewarded by search engines and AI tools.

To optimize for search experience:

• Support user journeys with intuitive navigation, strong CTAs, and plain language.
• Create engagement pathways that turn visits into next steps (like appointment bookings).
• Build satisfaction signals that reinforce your authority in search and AI rankings.

Example: ChatGPT easily explains how to schedule an appointment with a doctor at UMass Memorial Health* because UMass Memorial’s Find a Doctor page is structured for user experience. It includes all of the information a patient (and ChatGPT) needs, including a phone number and physicians sorted by specialty.

What do all these acronyms mean for you?

If you’re already writing content that:

• Is structured for clarity and relevance
• Mirrors how people ask health questions
• Includes expert review and trustworthy sourcing
• Leads with answers and supports spoken queries
• Delivers a seamless, helpful user experience

… then you’re already on the path.

These changes in search aren’t asking you to game the system. They’re rewarding what good healthcare content has always done best — helping people feel seen, supported, and informed.

Quick checklist: Is your content AI-ready?

• Clear, concise structure (with headers and bullets)
• Author bylines and expert review
• Schema markup and metadata
• FAQ or Q&A format where helpful
• Citations and internal links
• Patient-first language and tone
• Consistent mentions on third-party websites

Save this. Share it with your team. Use it during your next content review.

*Aha Media Group client