You've decided Answer Engine Optimization matters for your business. Now comes the harder decision: which agency to trust with your AI search visibility. The AEO agency landscape in 2026 includes genuine specialists, traditional SEO agencies adding services, and opportunists making claims they can't deliver.
This guide provides the decision framework you need to select an AEO partner that actually drives results—not just reports activity.
AEO agencies typically fall into distinct categories, each with different strengths and limitations:
Standalone AEO specialists:
SEO agencies with AEO services:
AI search agencies (GEO/AEO combined):
Marketing agencies offering AEO:
The AEO market is consolidating. Many agencies that rushed to offer "AEO services" after ChatGPT's rise are now merging, pivoting, or quietly discontinuing services they couldn't effectively deliver.
What this means for your selection:
AEO requires hands-on technical capability. Evaluate specifically:
Schema markup implementation:
Technical audit capability:
Red flag: Agencies that outsource all technical work or rely entirely on plugins without custom implementation capability.
AEO success depends on content structured for AI extraction. Assess:
Answer format expertise:
Content creation quality:
Red flag: Agencies that can audit content but lack capability to actually create or restructure it.
Different AI platforms have different citation behaviors. Quality agencies understand these differences:
| Platform | Citation Behavior | Optimization Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Google AI Overviews | Web-first, recency-weighted | Traditional SEO + answer structure |
| ChatGPT | Parametric + search | Entity authority + citation presence |
| Perplexity | Citation-heavy, verification-focused | Academic tone + data backing |
| Claude | Parametric knowledge | Training data presence |
Assessment approach: Ask how they'd approach optimization differently for each platform. Generic answers indicate surface-level understanding.
AEO measurement is harder than traditional SEO. Evaluate their measurement infrastructure:
What they should track:
What they should provide:
Red flag: Agencies that only report traditional SEO metrics and don't have AEO-specific measurement capability.
Any agency claiming AEO replaces traditional SEO doesn't understand either discipline. AEO builds on SEO foundations—domain authority, topical relevance, technical health. Agencies positioning AEO as replacement are either inexperienced or misleading.
What quality agencies say instead: "AEO extends your SEO investment by optimizing for AI citation alongside traditional ranking."
Citation counts and visibility metrics matter, but conversions prove value. Be skeptical of agencies showing only:
What to look for: Case studies showing citation improvements connected to business outcomes—leads, sales, pipeline influence.
Agencies optimizing only for ChatGPT or only for Google AI Overviews miss the multi-platform reality of AI search. Users interact with multiple AI platforms. Your visibility strategy should reflect this.
Assessment question: "How would your approach differ if my priority were Perplexity visibility versus Google AI Overviews?"
If an agency can't explain exactly how they'll measure AEO success before you sign, they can't optimize performance after you sign.
Warning signs:
Quality agencies understand that citations without conversions are vanity metrics. Look for:
Strong agencies demonstrate knowledge across the AI search ecosystem:
Transparent agencies publish detailed case studies. Look for:
Generic reporting indicates generic service. Quality partners:
"What specific deliverables will I receive each month?" Good answer: Detailed list including content pieces, technical implementations, visibility reports, competitive analysis. Weak answer: Vague references to "optimization work" or hour counts.
"What's your timeline for seeing initial results?" Good answer: Realistic 3-6 month timeline with milestone expectations. Weak answer: Promises of fast results or inability to give timeline.
"How many clients does each AEO specialist handle?" Good answer: Reasonable ratio (5-10 clients per specialist) indicating focused attention. Weak answer: Evasion or ratios suggesting spread-thin resources.
"What's included in the pricing versus charged additionally?" Good answer: Clear scope with defined additional costs. Weak answer: Ambiguous scope with surprise charges likely.
"How do you measure ROI for your AEO services?" Good answer: Specific metrics tied to business outcomes with methodology. Weak answer: Generic traffic or visibility metrics without conversion context.
"How do you approach schema implementation for a site using [your CMS]?" Good answer: Specific technical approach for your platform. Weak answer: Generic response indicating unfamiliarity with your stack.
"What tools do you use to monitor AI citations?" Good answer: Specific toolset with explanation of capabilities and limitations. Weak answer: Vague tool references or claims of proprietary tech without explanation.
Retainer model (most common):
Project-based model:
Performance-based model:
Contract length:
Performance clauses:
Scope flexibility:
Score each finalist agency (1-5) on these criteria:
| Criterion | Weight | Score | Weighted |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical expertise demonstrated | 20% | _ | _ |
| Content optimization capability | 20% | _ | _ |
| Case studies with metrics | 20% | _ | _ |
| Measurement infrastructure | 15% | _ | _ |
| Cultural/communication fit | 15% | _ | _ |
| Pricing alignment | 10% | _ | _ |
Total possible: 5.0 | Your threshold: Recommend 4.0+ for primary consideration.
Before full engagement, consider a trial project:
Good trial project options:
Trial evaluation criteria:
AEO is ongoing, not one-time. Consider:
Selecting an AEO agency requires rigorous evaluation beyond traditional agency vetting:
Understand your options - Standalone specialists, SEO agencies, AI search agencies, and marketing agencies offer different tradeoffs
Verify core competencies - Technical implementation, content optimization, platform knowledge, and measurement capability are all required
Watch for red flags - "AEO replaces SEO" messaging, no case studies with conversion data, single-platform focus, missing measurement frameworks
Seek green flags - Conversion-focused positioning, multi-platform expertise, published case studies, custom analytics
Ask specific questions - Vague answers to technical and measurement questions indicate shallow expertise
Negotiate smart contracts - Balance commitment length with performance provisions and scope flexibility
Consider trial projects - Small engagements before full commitment reduce risk
The right AEO agency accelerates your AI visibility while connecting citations to business outcomes. The wrong agency wastes budget on activity that doesn't convert. This framework helps you identify the difference.
Ready to evaluate AEO agencies? Our team provides transparent case studies, custom measurement dashboards, and conversion-focused optimization across all major AI platforms. Schedule a consultation to discuss whether we're the right AEO partner for your business.
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