Selecting the right Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) agency can accelerate your visibility in AI search results—or waste months of budget on tactics that don't work. The AEO market in 2026 includes established SEO agencies adding services, specialized boutiques, and newcomers making claims they can't support.
This buyer's guide gives you the evaluation framework to separate genuine AEO expertise from marketing hype.
Not every SEO agency understands AEO. Look for these foundational criteria when evaluating potential partners.
The agency should show clear understanding of how AI platforms select and cite sources. This includes:
Ask for specific examples of how they've helped clients appear in AI-generated answers—not just traditional featured snippets.
AEO relies heavily on schema markup. Your agency needs strong technical capability to implement:
Agencies without hands-on structured data experience will struggle with AEO execution.
AEO isn't isolated from content strategy. Look for agencies that connect:
Agencies treating AEO as a technical add-on rather than strategic discipline typically underperform.
AI search measurement is harder than traditional SEO tracking. Your agency should have:
If they can't explain how they'll measure results, they can't manage improvement.
Use these questions during your evaluation conversations to assess genuine expertise.
"What's your process for identifying AEO opportunities?" Strong answer: Describes systematic approach to query analysis, competitor citation assessment, and content gap identification for answer-format queries. Weak answer: Vague references to "looking at featured snippets" or "optimizing content."
"How do you measure AEO success?" Strong answer: Specific metrics including featured snippet capture rates, AI Overview citation tracking, voice search testing, and brand mention monitoring in AI platforms. Weak answer: General traffic metrics or ranking improvements without answer-specific measurement.
"Can you show results from previous AEO campaigns?" Strong answer: Case studies with before/after featured snippet data, AI citation examples, and business impact metrics. Weak answer: Generic SEO results rebranded as AEO or no specific answer engine metrics.
"How do you approach schema markup implementation?" Strong answer: Details technical process, testing methodology, and ongoing schema maintenance. Weak answer: "We use plugins" or unclear about hands-on implementation.
"What's your view on the relationship between SEO and AEO?" Strong answer: Explains complementary relationship—SEO builds foundation, AEO layers answer optimization. Weak answer: Positions AEO as replacement for SEO or treats them as identical.
These warning signs indicate agencies to eliminate from consideration.
No agency can guarantee your brand will be cited by ChatGPT or appear in Google AI Overviews. AI platform behavior is unpredictable and outside any agency's control. Guarantees signal either inexperience or dishonesty.
If pricing feels tied to hours instead of deliverables and outcomes, proceed with caution. Quality AEO agencies define clear deliverables: schema implementation, content optimization batches, ongoing monitoring reports.
Agencies without clear plans to measure AEO-specific results can't demonstrate value. If they can't explain exactly how they'll track progress, they're flying blind.
AEO requires content strategy integration, not just technical implementation. Agencies focused only on schema markup without content strategy understanding miss the bigger picture.
Agencies that suddenly added "AEO services" without demonstrated experience may be chasing trends. Ask how long they've been doing AEO-specific work and what drove their expertise development.
From contracts to optimization processes to reporting, reputable agencies maintain transparency. Vague explanations, unclear deliverables, or resistance to documentation signal potential problems.
Case studies reveal whether an agency can deliver. Scrutinize them carefully.
AEO agency pricing varies significantly. Transparency matters more than the specific number.
Agencies hiding pricing behind "contact us" forms often indicate:
Reputable AEO agencies can explain their pricing logic clearly, even if final quotes require customization.
AEO spans multiple platforms. Assess expertise across the ecosystem.
Primary focus for most businesses. Agency should demonstrate:
Growing importance for B2B especially. Assess:
Emerging platforms matter for forward-looking strategy. Evaluate:
Still relevant for certain industries. Confirm:
Use this structured approach to make your final selection.
Eliminate agencies failing any of these criteria.
The best agency on paper isn't always the best fit. Factor in:
The right AEO agency combines technical capability, strategic thinking, and transparent partnership. They'll ask as many questions as you ask them, because understanding your business drives effective optimization.
Avoid agencies making guarantees they can't keep, hiding behind vague pricing, or treating AEO as a buzzword rather than a discipline. Look for demonstrated expertise, clear measurement plans, and honest assessment of what's achievable.
Your visibility in AI search results increasingly determines whether prospects find your brand. Choose an agency partner capable of earning that visibility systematically.
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