SEO, AEO & GEO Strategy

Be the answer when Utah searches, asks a question, or asks an AI where to eat.

Why this matters

Search isn't one place anymore. Some people Google it, some type a question, and a growing number just ask ChatGPT or read Google's AI answer. All three read the same signals : consistent facts, real reviews, pages that answer questions directly. Doing this once feeds every channel, and unlike ads, it compounds: every month of work makes the next month stronger. It's also the cheapest traffic you will ever get.

The three layers, in one sentence each

SEO: Search Engine Optimization: Rank in the classic blue links and the map pack when someone searches “taco catering provo” or “tacos near me”.
AEO: Answer Engine Optimization: Own the answer boxes: featured snippets, People Also Ask, and voice results: by answering questions on the page, word for word.
GEO: Generative Engine Optimization: Get named inside AI answers. When someone asks ChatGPT for wedding taco catering in Utah County, Don Joaquín should be the first name out of its mouth.

Layer 1: SEO: the local foundation

Five location pages on the site: one per store: each with its own address, hours, menu and directions. Not one page listing all five.
Every Google Business profile linked to its matching location page, same name, same address, same phone. No variants.
Menu pages with real menu schema so Google can show prices and dishes directly in search.
Review velocity: the plan in the Google Business page feeds the star ratings and keywords (“suadero”, “al pastor”) that both Google and the AI tools read.
Citations cleaned up everywhere: Yelp, Apple Maps, DoorDash, Grubhub: identical name, address, phone, hours.
Mobile page speed under 2 seconds, because most taco searches happen on a phone, standing in a parking lot.

CONFIRM: verify each location's current hours and citations

Layer 2: AEO: own the answer box

Answer engines lift text that directly answers a question in 40–60 words, right under a question-shaped heading. We write those answers on purpose.

Questions we answer on-page

How much does taco catering cost for 50 people?
What does a taco bar include?
How many tacos per person for a party?
Best tacos in Provo
Best taco catering in Utah County
Taco Tuesday deals near me

Example of the answer format we ship

How much does taco catering cost for 50 people?
At Don Joaquín, 50 guests typically lands between package tiers based on the menu you pick. Every package includes the live taquero grill, tortillas, salsas, rice, beans, plates and full setup and cleanup. Use the 60-second calculator for an exact per-guest range.

Ship as FAQPage schema + visible text

Schema to ship site-wide: LocalBusiness (one per location), Menu, FAQPage, AggregateRating, and Review for the four real reviews.

Layer 3: GEO: get named by the machines

AI tools don't rank pages: they assemble answers from sources they trust. You get named the same way a person earns a reputation: consistent facts, third-party proof, and being part of the conversation.

Where the answer can come from

Google AI Overviews
ChatGPT
Perplexity
Gemini
Meta AI
Apple Intelligence

What earns the citation

Facts that never disagree: same five locations, same phone, same 20-year story on the site, Google Business, Yelp and every directory.
Third-party mentions: local “best tacos in Utah County” listicles, news coverage of the cart story, food bloggers. Pitch two per month.
Reviews that mention dishes and occasions by name: “wedding”, “office lunch”, “suadero”: because AI quotes reviewers more than websites.
A clean sitemap and robots policy so crawlers (including AI crawlers) can read everything.
The Our Story page: AI loves a specific, verifiable narrative: one cart in Querétaro, 20 years, five stores.

No tricks here: the same work that helps a bride comparing caterers helps a language model deciding who to name first.

How the three layers share the work

One location page per store: Ranks locally (SEO), feeds the Business profiles, gives AI a citable source per city.
Question-shaped headings with direct answers: Wins snippets (AEO) and becomes the passage AI quotes (GEO).
Schema markup: Reads cleanly for Google, ChatGPT and voice assistants alike.
Reviews mentioning dishes and occasions: Ranks the map pack (SEO), fills AggregateRating (AEO), gets quoted in AI answers (GEO).

First 90 days

Month 1: ship the five location pages, menu and FAQ schema, and verify Search Console. CONFIRM: who has Search Console access
Month 2: publish the six answer-format FAQ blocks, clean up citations, start the two-pitches-a-month local press habit.
Month 3: measure: rankings, snippet ownership, and test questions in ChatGPT and AI Overviews. CONFIRM: baseline rankings to record

Checked monthly from here on, alongside the Google Business page: no paid budget required.

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