How to choose a GEO agency: a checklist

What does a GEO agency do?

A GEO agency is a team that builds a strategy for getting a brand cited as a source in the answers of generative engines such as ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Copilot, adapts content and technical infrastructure accordingly, and measures the outcome. Because GEO (generative engine optimisation) is a relatively new field, the service is defined very differently from one agency to the next. Some agencies offer only content writing as GEO, others only structured data implementation.

This ambiguity makes it harder to choose the right agency. The checklist below is designed so you can compare proposals against the same criteria. For general agency selection criteria, see our article on what to know when choosing a digital marketing agency; here we focus on points specific to GEO.

What criteria should you use to choose a GEO agency?

How does the agency define GEO?

In the first meeting, ask the agency to define GEO in its own words. A good definition covers which surfaces it includes, how it relates to SEO and AEO, and what will be measured. A narrow answer such as "we write content for AI" or a vague one such as "we do everything" shows that the service has not matured yet.

Is the measurement method clear?

There is no rankings report in GEO. You should see that the agency builds a set of questions specific to your category, runs those questions through different engines at regular intervals and records brand mentions, the context of those mentions and the sources shown. An agency that cannot explain its measurement method cannot show you results either.

Is its SEO foundation strong?

Many generative search experiences draw on classic search indexes. A team that does not understand technical SEO, crawlability, indexing and content architecture cannot build the ground GEO stands on. Ask about the agency's SEO experience and how it connects that experience to GEO work.

Does it have a plan for third-party mentions?

Generative engines largely learn about brands from what is written on other sites. The agency should have a realistic, policy-compliant plan for building visibility not only on your site but also in industry publications, directories and relevant platforms. A plan that suggests bought links or fake reviews is a red flag.

Is it competent in entity information and structured data?

Writing the brand name, address, services and founders consistently everywhere, implementing structured data correctly and tidying up directory listings are core GEO tasks. The agency should be able to explain, with concrete examples, what it does in this area and which tools it uses to audit it.

Does it know your sector?

In fields such as health, finance and law, content has to meet both regulations and high expectations of trust. A team that knows your sector's terminology, the questions your customers ask and the legal limits produces more accurate content and avoids risky claims.

Can it work across languages and markets?

If you serve customers abroad, the same question produces different answers in different languages and countries. The agency needs to be able to produce content in your target markets' languages and to split measurement by language and country.

Does it audit technical access?

Technical matters such as robots.txt rules, firewall settings, server-rendered content and page speed determine whether AI crawlers can read your site. A good GEO agency starts with this audit.

Is reporting transparent?

The report should show which questions were asked, in which engines, on which date, and the raw results. Reports that offer only summary charts and do not share raw data cannot be verified.

Who owns the data and accounts?

Analytics accounts, Search Console, business profiles, directory listings and the content produced should be in the brand's name. The contract should state clearly that these assets stay with you if you part ways with the agency.

Are the team and communication structure clear?

Find out who will work on the project, whether strategy and delivery sit in the same team, and how often you will meet. If the people you meet during the sales process differ from the team that will do the work, it is important to know that from the start.

Does it think alongside other channels?

GEO is not a channel run in isolation. It should work within the same data and messaging framework as classic SEO, AEO, content marketing, digital PR and paid advertising. An approach that manages channels separately leads to inconsistent brand information.

How does it use AI in content production?

AI tools can save time at the research and drafting stage, but the content generative engines find worth citing usually contains original information, experience and clear definitions. Ask the agency how content is produced, whether it goes through expert review and how facts are verified. Unreviewed, mass-produced text weakens both brand trust and search visibility.

Which promises are red flags?

• Guarantees of rankings or mentions: No agency can control which brand appears in an AI model's answer. Google also explicitly warns against SEO services that promise rankings. The same principle applies to GEO.
• Claims of a "special relationship": Be sceptical of agencies claiming a special arrangement with OpenAI, Google or another provider that influences organic answers.
• A secret method: An agency that will not explain its method and says "that's our secret" is not letting you audit its work.
• Mass content production: Producing large numbers of low-quality pages in a short time conflicts with search engines' spam policies and damages brand trust.
• Just one file or tag: Selling llms.txt or structured data implementation as the whole GEO service is selling only a small part of the job.
• Reporting without measurement: Reports that simply say "visibility has improved" without showing what was asked and what was found.

What questions should you ask at proposal stage?

When you meet agencies, ask the following questions and request the answers in writing:

1. 1.How do you define GEO, and where does it differ from SEO and AEO work?
2. 2.Which set of questions will you measure for our category, and how will that set be built?
3. 3.Which engines will you measure, how often and in which languages?
4. 4.Which technical and content tasks will you do in the first months, and in what order?
5. 5.Which routes will you use for third-party mentions, and which will you not use?
6. 6.Which raw data will you share in reports?
7. 7.Who will work on the project and how often will we meet?
8. 8.When the contract ends, who keeps the content, accounts and data?

How do you finalise your choice of agency?

Ask the agencies on your shortlist for a short preliminary assessment of the current state of your site and brand. Whether that assessment is concrete, whether it is based on your data and which priorities it sets show the agency's way of working better than the proposal does. Then starting with an initial period limited in time, with written goals and a measurement method, reduces the risk for both sides. At the end of that period, review the measurement results, the work done and the priorities for the next period together.

We explain our GEO approach, measurement method and work steps on our GEO service page. If you would like to talk about how your brand appears in AI answers today, you can reach us via our contact page.