Quick answer: Choose an AI SEO agency by judging four things: whether they can clearly explain their GEO and AEO approach, whether they report on AI citations and not just rankings, whether they show real results for businesses like yours, and whether their scope and pricing are transparent. Start with a paid audit before any long contract, and walk away from anyone guaranteeing rankings or AI citations.
Start with what AI SEO actually requires
Choosing well starts with knowing what the job now involves. AI SEO is no longer just rankings; it is getting your brand understood, trusted, and cited across both traditional search and AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity, and Gemini. That means the right agency has to be fluent in several disciplines at once: technical SEO, content built for extraction, GEO, AEO, and authority building.
If an agency talks only about keywords and backlinks, they are describing the SEO of five years ago. The brands winning visibility today are cited in AI answers because they have built genuine authority signals, and that is the capability you are really shopping for.
The four things that actually matter
Cut through the sales pitches by focusing on four signals. First, can they explain their approach to GEO and AEO in plain language? A real practitioner can describe how they earn AI citations without hiding behind jargon. Second, do they report on AI visibility, citations, and share of voice, not just keyword positions? What gets measured reveals what they actually work on.
Third, can they show evidence of results for businesses like yours, ideally in your category or a comparable one? Generic case studies are easy to fake; relevant, specific ones are not. Fourth, are their scope and pricing transparent, so you know exactly what you are paying for each month? These four together separate credible agencies from confident talkers.
- They can explain GEO and AEO clearly, without jargon as a smokescreen.
- They report on AI citations and share of voice, not just rankings.
- They show relevant, specific results for businesses like yours.
- Their scope and pricing are transparent and easy to understand.
Questions to ask before you sign
The vetting conversation tells you almost everything. Ask how they would get your brand cited in AI answers, and listen for a concrete process rather than vague reassurance. Ask what they would do in the first ninety days, and whether they begin with an audit. Ask exactly how they report progress and how often.
Then ask the uncomfortable questions. Who actually does the work, the person in the meeting or an unnamed junior team? What happens if results are slow? And can you see a client in your industry you could speak to? Honest agencies welcome these; evasive ones deflect.
- How specifically would you get us cited in AI answers?
- What does the first ninety days look like, and do you start with an audit?
- How and how often will you report progress, and on what metrics?
- Who does the actual work, and can I speak to a client like me?
Red flags to walk away from
Some signals should end the conversation. The biggest is any guarantee of specific rankings or AI citations. Nobody controls Google’s or an LLM’s output, so a guarantee is either naive or dishonest. Be equally wary of secrecy about methods, because legitimate work survives explanation, and of prices far below market, which almost always mean automated, low-effort output.
Other warning signs include long lock-in contracts with no early review, reporting that only ever shows good news, and a refusal to name the people doing the work. Any one of these is a reason to pause; two together is a reason to leave.
- Guaranteed rankings or guaranteed AI citations.
- Secrecy about methods or unwillingness to explain the approach.
- Prices far below market, signalling automated, low-value work.
- Long lock-ins with no early review and only-good-news reporting.
Match the agency to your situation
The best agency for a large enterprise is rarely the best for a local business, and vice versa. A small local company needs focus, responsiveness, and value; a competitive B2B brand needs depth across GEO, AEO, and authority building, plus the capacity to coordinate complex programmes. Matching the agency to your stage prevents both overpaying for scale you do not need and underbuying for a fight you cannot win alone.
The table below maps common situations to what you should prioritise when choosing.
| Your situation | Prioritise | Be cautious of |
|---|---|---|
| Local / small business | Focus, responsiveness, fair pricing | Agencies built only for enterprise scale |
| Growing B2B / SaaS | Depth in GEO, AEO, content, authority | Generalists who only talk rankings |
| Enterprise / competitive | Programme coordination, PR-grade citations | Boutiques without the capacity to deliver |
How to run a fair comparison
Once you have a shortlist, compare candidates on the same terms so you are judging substance rather than sales polish. Give each agency the same brief and the same questions, and score their answers side by side. The agency with the slickest deck is not necessarily the one doing the best work, and a structured comparison keeps you honest about the difference.
Pay particular attention to how each one diagnoses your situation rather than how they describe themselves. A strong agency will ask sharp questions about your business, your customers, and your current visibility before proposing anything. One that launches straight into a generic package has not understood your problem and is unlikely to solve it well.
Finally, weigh communication as heavily as capability. You will be working with these people for months, and an agency that explains things clearly during the sales process will almost always report clearly once engaged. Clarity now is the best available predictor of clarity later.
- Give every candidate the same brief and questions, then score them side by side.
- Favour agencies that diagnose your situation before pitching a package.
- Treat clear communication now as a predictor of clear reporting later.
- Do not let a polished deck outweigh substance and relevant evidence.
Why a paid audit beats a long contract first
The single best way to choose is to start small. A paid audit lets you see how an agency thinks, how clearly they communicate, and whether their roadmap makes sense, all before you commit to anything ongoing. It is a low-risk test of the relationship, not just the deliverable.
At MarGen this is deliberately how we begin. The audit answers whether we are the right fit and gives you a roadmap you own either way. If we are not the right partner for your situation, you will know quickly and cheaply, which is exactly how choosing an agency should work.
See MarGen’s AI SEO Packages
MarGen runs AI SEO as one connected programme — the Synaptic Authority Engine — across three retainer tiers: Foundation (£1,950/mo), Authority (£5,950/mo) and Dominance (from £12,950/mo), each starting with a free audit. See the full packages and pricing breakdown, or book your free AI Visibility Audit to find the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I pick a local agency or one that works remotely?
Location matters less than capability and communication. For most AI SEO work, the right skills and clear reporting outweigh being nearby, though local market knowledge can help for local SEO.
How important are case studies?
Very, but only relevant ones. Look for specific, verifiable results in your category or a comparable one, rather than generic claims that could apply to anyone.
Is a bigger agency always better?
No. Bigger means more capacity but sometimes less attention. Match the agency’s size to the complexity of your needs rather than assuming scale equals quality.
What contract length is reasonable?
Expect a minimum term because results compound, but insist on an early review point and clear exit terms. Avoid long lock-ins with no checkpoints.
What is the safest way to start?
Begin with a paid audit. It tests how the agency thinks and communicates at low risk before you commit to an ongoing engagement.
Should I choose a specialist AI SEO agency or a generalist?
If AI visibility matters to your category, favour an agency that can show specific GEO and AEO work rather than a generalist who has added AI to a slide. The discipline of earning citations in AI answers is different from classic ranking work, and it is still new enough that genuine experience is rare. Ask any generalist to walk you through a real example of getting a client cited in an AI answer. If they cannot, treat the AI claims as marketing.
Key Takeaways
- Judge agencies on GEO/AEO clarity, AI-citation reporting, relevant results, and transparent pricing.
- Use the vetting conversation to hear a concrete process, not reassurance.
- Walk away from guarantees, secrecy, and prices far below market.
- Match the agency’s strengths to your stage and competitive pressure.
- Start with a paid audit before any long contract.
About the Author
Leeroy Powell is the founder of MarGen, an AI visibility agency that engineers GEO, AEO, and AI citation authority for B2B SaaS, financial services, legal, healthcare, and premium e-commerce brands. He writes about how search is changing as AI answer engines reshape how customers find and trust businesses.