Ask how they measure AI visibility, what they do beyond standard SEO and how they report. Specific answers beat relabelled SEO.
To choose an AI SEO agency, ask how they’ll measure your visibility in AI answers, what work they’ll do that’s different from standard SEO, and how they’ll report on it. A good agency gives specific answers with examples. A weak one relabels the same keyword and link package with “AI” on the front.
Lots of agencies now sell AI SEO, GEO or AEO. Some have changed how they work. Many have only changed their service page. The difference matters because the work that gets a business recommended in ChatGPT, Gemini or Google’s AI Overviews overlaps with SEO, but it isn’t identical.
This guide gives you the questions that separate the two, the red flags to watch for, and what reporting you should expect once you sign.
What AI SEO should include
AI SEO is the work of making your business visible and recommended in AI-generated answers, as well as in normal search results. If you want the background first, our guide to what AI SEO is covers it. In practice, a proper AI SEO service should include:
- AI visibility tracking: regular checks on whether you’re mentioned or cited for the questions your buyers ask, across the main assistants.
- Entity and brand work: making sure AI systems understand who you are, what you do and where, with consistent details across your site and the web.
- Answer-first content: pages that answer real buyer questions clearly enough to be quoted.
- Third party mentions: digital PR, reviews and listings on the sites AI tools rely on.
- Technical access: checking that AI crawlers can reach your site and that structured data is in place.
Good AI SEO still includes classic SEO. Google’s AI features draw on its search index, so rankings still matter. The question is whether the agency does both, or only the old half.
Questions worth asking before you sign
Use these on any call with an agency. Listen for specifics: named tools, real examples, clear numbers.
- How will you measure our visibility in AI answers today? They should describe a baseline: which prompts, which assistants, how often, and how they record mentions and citations.
- Which buyer questions would you track for us? A good answer sounds like your customers. A weak answer is a list of keywords.
- What will you do in the first 90 days? Expect a sequence: audit, quick fixes, content, mentions. Vague answers about “optimising for AI” are a warning.
- Can you show a client who now appears in AI answers who didn’t before? Ask for the before and after, not just a logo.
- How do you build third party mentions? AI assistants lean on other sites to decide who to recommend. Ask how they earn coverage, reviews and listings.
- Who will do the work? Ask who writes the content, who handles technical fixes and how much senior time you get.
- How does this connect to leads? Visibility is the means. Enquiries are the point.
If you’re unsure whether you need a separate GEO specialist at all, our post on GEO agencies versus SEO agencies walks through when one team can cover both.
Red flags that suggest relabelled SEO
Watch for these on proposals and calls:
- No AI baseline. If they can’t tell you where you stand in AI answers now, they can’t show progress later.
- Guaranteed placements. Nobody controls what ChatGPT or Google’s AI says. Promises of guaranteed citations are a warning sign.
- Keyword rankings as the only report. Rankings still matter, but they don’t tell you whether you’re being recommended.
- AI-written content at volume. Publishing hundreds of generic articles rarely earns citations. AI tools quote sources that add something.
- No mention of reviews, PR or listings. On-site work alone rarely changes who gets recommended.
What reporting to expect
A monthly AI SEO report should show three things: visibility, the work done, and the business result.
| Area | What you should see |
|---|---|
| AI visibility | Mentions and citations for your tracked buyer questions, by assistant, against the baseline |
| Search visibility | Rankings and clicks for priority pages, including whether you appear in AI Overviews |
| Work completed | Pages published or improved, mentions earned, technical fixes made |
| Business result | Enquiries and leads from organic and AI referral traffic |
| Next steps | What’s planned for next month and why |
You can test an agency’s thinking before you hire by asking for an example report. If you’d like a starting point, an AI SEO audit shows what a proper baseline looks like, and our free AI visibility check gives you a quick read on where you stand.
How to compare agencies side by side
Ask every agency on your shortlist the same questions and score the answers. Weight the ones that matter most to you: proof of AI visibility gains, a clear first 90 days and reporting that ties to leads. The agency with the most specific answers usually does the best work.
If you’d like to put us through the same questions, our AI SEO agency team is happy to answer them. Book a free strategy session and we’ll show you where you stand in AI search today.
Related reading: our guides to red flags when hiring an SEO agency and what a good SEO agency report shows.
Common questions
How do I choose an AI SEO agency?
Ask how they’ll measure your visibility in AI answers, what they’ll do differently from standard SEO, and how they’ll report on it. Choose the agency that gives specific answers, real examples and reporting tied to leads.
What should an AI SEO agency do in the first 90 days?
Set a baseline for your visibility in AI answers, audit your site and brand mentions, fix technical access and quick wins, then start on answer-first content and third party mentions.
Can an agency guarantee my business appears in ChatGPT?
No. Nobody controls what AI assistants say. An agency can improve the signals AI tools rely on and track the results, but a guaranteed citation is a warning sign.
Do I need separate agencies for SEO and AI SEO?
Usually not. Most of the work overlaps, and AI features often draw on search results. One team that covers both is often simpler, as long as it tracks AI visibility properly.
