The verdict in three sentences
For a funded B2B software company in San Francisco, SEO captures comparison and integration searches at the moment a buyer opens a browser, while AEO/GEO works on the shortlist that AI assistants like ChatGPT produce when an IT lead asks “which tools fit our need?”. The right split depends on your funding stage, how mature your category is and how much your security and compliance pages weigh in deals. Both are managed against real pipeline (demos, qualified opportunities), with Search Console on one side and a dated record of AI answers on the other.
How your buyers research in 2026
In a typical buying committee, the operations lead looks for a solution, the CIO checks security and the CFO compares prices. Each takes a different path.
On Google, the profitable queries are still very precise: “[competitor] alternative”, “[your category] for Snowflake”, “SOC 2 [category] software”, “[category] pricing”. With AI assistants like ChatGPT, the questions sound more like a request for advice: “which financial reconciliation tools suit a 300-person scale-up?”, “which vendor has a native NetSuite integration and ISO 27001 certification?”.
In both cases, what the assistant or Google picks up comes from your pages: product, integrations, security, pricing, case studies. A certification should appear only if it is actually held (SOC 2 Type II, ISO 27001), and a case study only if the customer has agreed to be named. An invented customer or an unauthorized logo will sooner or later surface in an answer, and in a due diligence review.
SEO or AEO/GEO: the comparison for a Bay Area SaaS company
| Dimension | SEO | AEO/GEO | What it changes for a scale-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Target | Comparison, integration and pricing queries | Shortlists and descriptions produced by AI assistants | AEO reaches the buyer earlier in their thinking |
| Time to effect | 4 to 8 months on contested queries | 2 to 5 months to correct a description, longer to be cited | Plan on a two-quarter horizon |
| Market budget (2026 ballpark) | $6,000 to $25,000 a month | Diagnostic $5,000 to $15,000, monitoring $3,000 to $10,000 a month | AEO is still cheaper; the market is young |
| Metrics | Clicks, sign-ups, sourced demos | Share of answers naming the product, accuracy | Both tie back to the CRM |
| Risk | Volume content unrelated to the product | Outdated facts (pricing, integrations) repeated by the assistant | A stale pricing page costs deals |
| Third-party dependence | Links and mentions | Reviews, comparisons, public documentation | Software review sites weigh in both |
These ranges come from typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages in the Bay Area; spreads remain large. At Kolonell, this work is priced on quote.
Which split fits your situation?
| Situation | Indicative split | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
| Seed, existing category | 70% SEO, 30% AEO | You need to capture “alternative to” queries |
| Series A or B, brand known to analysts | 50% SEO, 50% AEO | AI shortlists repeat brands that are already cited |
| New category | 30% SEO, 70% AEO | Few Google queries exist yet |
| Regulated content (fintech, health) | Compliance review before anything else | An inaccurate claim costs more than a delay |
| Budget under $5,000 a month | AEO diagnostic, then SEO on 10 key pages | Concentrate rather than spread |
| Fundraise under way | Priority to security, customer and team pages | Investors read the same pages as buyers |
Measure against pipeline, not vanity
On the SEO side, Search Console gives impressions and clicks by page; analytics and the CRM then tie those visits to booked demos and opportunities. A report that stops at positions will not satisfy a board.
On the AEO side, the measure is a dated record: the same 40 to 60 buyer questions asked every month to AI assistants like ChatGPT, with answers archived. You track the share of answers naming your product, the share naming competitors, accuracy (pricing, integrations, certifications) and the sources cited. A “how did you hear about us?” field on the demo form completes the picture.
A diagnostic covers, in broad terms, the state of the pages that matter for sales, the consistency of public information, a first record of answers and a proposed split. It also flags compliance points: CCPA/CPRA for California residents' data, CAN-SPAM for email, and accessibility targeted at WCAG 2.1 or 2.2 AA given how frequent ADA suits are. This is not legal advice.
No serious provider promises a ranking or a recommendation by an AI assistant.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Illustrative example: Fogline Systems, a fictional Series B data operations software company, has $160,000 a year. Split: SEO at $9,000 a month, or $108,000; AEO with a $10,000 diagnostic and $3,500 a month of monitoring, or $52,000.
The baseline record across 50 questions names Fogline in 6 answers (12%) and its main competitor in 31 (62%). With an assumed annual contract value of $40,000 (assumption), the investment is covered by 4 new customers (4 × 40,000 = $160,000). Leadership therefore tracks two numbers every quarter: the share of answers naming Fogline and the sourced opportunities in the CRM.
FAQ
Is SEO outdated for a SaaS company in 2026?
No. Comparison and integration queries still generate demos, and ranking pages also serve as sources for AI assistants. A budget of $6,000 to $25,000 a month remains common in the Bay Area.
How much does an AEO diagnostic cost in San Francisco?
As a 2026 ballpark, $5,000 to $15,000 depending on the number of questions, segments and competitors tracked. Kolonell prices this work on quote.
Should we publish a pricing page?
It is a commercial choice, but a clear page, even with “starting at”, keeps an assistant from repeating an outdated price. Update it every time your price list changes.
Do our certifications help in AI answers?
A certification actually held and documented on a dedicated page helps an assistant answer security questions. Announcing an in-progress SOC 2 as achieved is a commercial and legal risk.
When should we judge results?
Allow two quarters: 4 to 8 months for SEO, and at least 3 monthly records to read a reliable AEO trend.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. We compare what Google and AI assistants like ChatGPT say today about your product against your competitors, and propose a budget split tied to your pipeline. Request a diagnostic quote: reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
