As AI answer engines reshape search, a new category of provider has appeared: the GEO agency. But "generative engine optimisation services" is a young field, and quality varies wildly. This guide explains what a genuine GEO agency does, the questions to ask, and how to choose a partner that will actually grow your visibility in AI.
What does a GEO agency actually do?
A real GEO agency provides generative engine optimisation services: it structures and writes your content so AI answer engines cite your brand, strengthens your entity so models recognise and trust you, and measures your citation share across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. The strongest agencies pair this with traditional SEO, because the two share a foundation.
Signs of a strong GEO agency
- They measure citations. They can show how they track your presence across AI engines, not just Google rankings.
- They combine GEO and SEO. They treat them as one strategy rather than selling GEO as a bolt-on.
- They focus on entities. They start by making who you are unmistakable to machines, see LLM SEO.
- They write for citation. Their content is factual, structured, and sourced, not keyword-stuffed.
- They're honest about timelines. AI visibility compounds; it isn't an overnight switch.
Red flags to avoid
Be cautious of anyone who guarantees a specific AI placement (no one controls model outputs), who can't explain how they measure results, who treats GEO as a magic trick rather than disciplined content and authority work, or who ignores your traditional SEO entirely. These are signs of a provider riding the hype rather than doing the work.
No one can guarantee an AI will cite you. A good GEO agency improves the odds, measures the results, and compounds them over time.
Questions to ask before you sign
- How do you measure AI citations and visibility, and how will you report it?
- How do you combine GEO with traditional SEO?
- How do you define and strengthen our brand entity?
- Which engines do you optimise for, and how do approaches differ between them?
- What do realistic results look like over three, six, and twelve months?
GEO agency or consultancy?
For most businesses, a focused consultancy that delivers SEO and GEO together is more efficient than juggling separate providers. Kay & Co. is a UK SEO and GEO consultancy that does exactly this, measuring your AI visibility, finding the gaps, and building one strategy that wins on Google and in AI. If you're evaluating generative engine optimisation services, those are the standards to hold any partner to.
Frequently asked questions
A GEO agency provides generative engine optimisation services: it structures and writes your content so AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini cite your brand, and it measures your citation share across those engines. The best ones combine GEO with traditional SEO.
Ask how they measure AI citations, how they combine GEO with SEO, how they define and strengthen your entity, which engines they optimise for, and what realistic results look like. Be wary of anyone promising guaranteed placements.
Ideally one partner that does both. SEO and GEO share a content foundation, so a consultancy like Kay & Co. that delivers them together is more efficient than running two separate providers.