Comparison
SEO optimises for ranking a page in a results list. AEO optimises for being the extracted answer to a question. They share most underlying technical work — crawlability, structure, authority — and differ mainly in content shape and how success is measured.
When the first option wins
SEO is the priority when your buyers search in short fragments, when your category rarely triggers AI answers, and when transactional queries drive your revenue. Non-AI-Overview queries are becoming more valuable, not less.
When the second option wins
AEO is the priority when buyers ask full questions, when your sales cycle involves research before contact, and when your category is already producing AI answers that name competitors.
Verdict
Fund both from one budget rather than treating them as competing line items. The technical foundation is shared; only the content shape and measurement differ.
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