Being the answer, not the tenth blue link
More buying research now happens inside AI assistants, where there is no page two and usually no page one — just an answer, citing a handful of sources. Getting into that handful is a specific, learnable problem.
Why this is a different problem
Traditional SEO competes for a position in a list. AI search competes to be the source a model quotes when it composes an answer.
The mechanics differ in ways that matter:
AI systems cite passages, not pages. A model retrieves the chunk of text that answers the question and attributes it. So a page where the answer is buried in paragraph nine, or spread across a narrative, is far less citable than one where the answer is stated completely in a single self-contained passage.
Queries are longer and conversational. People type “best CRM” into Google and ask an AI assistant “what CRM should a 12-person agency use if we already use Google Workspace and don’t want to pay per seat.” The content that answers the second is structured differently.
Third-party consensus carries disproportionate weight. Models synthesise across sources. A business mentioned consistently on Reddit, review platforms, industry publications and its own site is described confidently; one that only describes itself is described tentatively or not at all. This is the single largest difference from traditional SEO, and the hardest thing for most businesses to accept, because it can’t be fixed on your own website.
Entity clarity decides whether you’re mentioned at all. If a model can’t confidently establish what your company is, what it does and where, you won’t be surfaced for queries you’d otherwise fit — because the safe behaviour is omission.
What we do
Content structure for extraction
- Rewriting key pages so the answer to each question is complete within one passage
- Question-led heading structures matching conversational query patterns
- Definitions, comparison tables, step sequences and specification blocks — the formats models quote most readily
- Front-loading conclusions rather than building to them
Entity and authority signals
- Consistent entity description across your site, schema, social profiles, directories and third-party listings
- Organization, Person, Service and Product schema implemented properly
- Author entities with real credentials, because models weight attributed expertise
sameAslinking to tie your profiles into one confirmed entity
Off-site presence
- Getting your business genuinely represented where models retrieve from: industry publications, review platforms, relevant communities, comparison sites, Wikipedia-adjacent reference sources where legitimately warranted
- Original data and research, which is the most citable asset type there is
- Expert commentary and attributed quotes
Measurement
- Tracking citations and mentions across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini and Google AI Overviews for your priority queries
- Monitoring how AI systems currently describe your business, which is frequently wrong in ways worth correcting
- Referral tracking, including the self-reported “how did you find us” field, since AI referrals often arrive without a trackable referrer
The honest caveats
This discipline is young and moving quickly. Anyone presenting a settled methodology is overstating what’s known. What we can say with confidence is that the fundamentals — clear structure, extractable answers, verifiable facts, consistent entity signals, and genuine third-party presence — are rewarded across every system currently in use, and are unlikely to stop being rewarded.
We also won’t promise citation volumes. Nobody can currently measure AI search traffic with the precision of organic search reporting, and any agency quoting a guaranteed number is measuring something else.
Pricing
| From | |
|---|---|
| AI visibility audit | $500 |
| GEO content optimisation (per page) | $120 |
| AI SEO retainer | $700/month |
| Added to an existing SEO retainer | $300/month |
FAQ
What is GEO (generative engine optimisation)?
Generative engine optimisation, also called AI SEO or answer engine optimisation, is the practice of making content more likely to be retrieved and cited by AI systems such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude and Google AI Overviews when they compose answers. It focuses on extractable passage-level answers, clear entity signals, verifiable facts, and consistent third-party representation — rather than on ranking position in a results list.
How is AI SEO different from traditional SEO?
Traditional SEO competes for a ranking position; AI SEO competes to be quoted inside a generated answer. AI systems cite passages rather than whole pages, so answer placement and self-contained structure matter more. Conversational query patterns differ from typed search queries. And third-party consensus across review sites, forums and publications carries far more weight, because models synthesise across sources rather than ranking one.
How much does AI SEO cost?
An AI visibility audit — showing how AI assistants currently describe your business and which queries you’re absent from — starts at $500. Ongoing AI SEO retainers start at $700 per month, or $300 per month added to an existing SEO retainer. Per-page GEO optimisation is available from $120.
Can you guarantee my business will appear in ChatGPT answers?
No, and we’d distrust anyone who does. AI systems don’t expose a ranking mechanism, their retrieval behaviour changes frequently, and results vary by phrasing and by user. What we can do is implement the factors that demonstrably correlate with citation across every current system, track how your visibility changes, and tell you honestly what’s working.
How do I know if AI search is sending me traffic?
Imperfectly, which is an honest answer. Some AI referrals carry a referrer you can see in analytics; many don’t. The most reliable signal available is a “how did you find us?” field on your contact form with an explicit AI assistant option. We set that up as standard, alongside direct citation tracking that monitors whether you appear for your priority queries.
Should I do AI SEO instead of traditional SEO?
No — alongside it. The two overlap substantially: both reward clear structure, genuine authority and real expertise. AI systems also frequently retrieve from search results, so traditional ranking still feeds AI visibility. Treat AI SEO as an additional layer on a sound SEO foundation, not a replacement for one.
Related
AI SEO builds on on-page SEO and technical SEO, and is fed by SEO content writing. Third-party presence overlaps heavily with link building and content marketing.
Tell us what you need.
You’ll get a scope, a price and a timeline within one working day — no call required unless you want one.