AI search optimization agencies - those that specialize in getting businesses cited in ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Perplexity - are a new category, and the market has not yet separated credible specialists from rebranded SEO firms using AEO as a marketing term.
The Five Questions to Ask Before Signing
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Can you show me businesses you currently have cited in ChatGPT or Perplexity for specific queries? A credible AEO agency can demonstrate citations for clients.
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How do you measure citation frequency and which engines do you report on? Citation measurement requires a monitoring system. Reporting should cover ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Gemini separately, since only 11% of citations overlap across engines.
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What does your robots.txt and crawler access audit process look like? A foundational AEO requirement is ensuring AI crawlers have access to your site. An agency that cannot describe their crawler access audit process has not done the basic infrastructure work.
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What off-site entity signals do you build? An agency working only on-site is ignoring the off-site consensus requirement. Ask specifically: do you build Clutch/G2 profiles, pursue local media mentions, and recommend Wikidata entries?
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What is your content structure framework? A real AEO content framework includes: answer-first paragraph structure, FAQ schema implementation, one-claim-per-paragraph discipline, and pillar + spoke architecture for semantic authority.
The Red Flags
Reporting only on impressions and rankings without citation data. Claiming to optimize for "AI algorithms" generically. No mention of off-site entity building. Promising guaranteed AI citations within a specific timeframe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does an AI search optimization agency do? A legitimate AI search optimization agency: audits and resolves crawler access issues, structures content for AI extraction, builds off-site entity signals, monitors citation frequency across engines, and reports on citation-linked traffic and lead generation.
How much does AI search optimization cost? AEO-specific services typically range from $900-$2,500+ per month depending on scope. GoodFirms' 2026 SEO Pricing Report identified GEO/AEO as the fastest-growing add-on service, with an average separate cost of $900+ per month.
How do I know if an AEO agency is actually producing results? Require monthly citation sampling reports: screenshots or logged queries showing your business named in AI responses to specific target queries.