How do I evaluate GEO agencies? There's so many now and I can't tell who actually knows what they're doing

I’ve helped 15+ companies evaluate GEO agencies. Here’s my framework:

The 5 Must-Have Questions:

Proposal Red Flags:

• Guarantees specific citation rates (impossible to guarantee)
• No mention of baseline audit
• Pricing seems identical to SEO services
• No measurement methodology included
• Can’t explain their approach in detail

Proposal Green Flags:

• Detailed audit included or clearly scoped
• Platform-specific strategies
• Clear measurement framework
• Realistic timeline expectations
• Team members identified with relevant expertise

Having worked agency-side, let me share the inside perspective:

Why many agencies are “pivoting to GEO”:

• SEO is commoditized and competitive
• GEO is new, higher margins possible
• Client demand is increasing
• Agencies NEED to offer this to stay relevant

The result:

Many agencies are rebranding SEO services as GEO without fundamentally changing their approach. They’re learning as they go (and charging clients for their learning).

How to spot genuine GEO expertise:

1. Ask about their own AI visibility

   • A real GEO agency should be visible in AI for relevant queries
   • Ask: “If I ask ChatGPT about GEO agencies, will you appear?”

2. Request specific methodology

   • Not just “we’ll optimize your content”
   • HOW? What specific techniques for AI citation?

3. Check their content

   • Are they publishing thought leadership on GEO?
   • Is their own content AI-optimized?

4. Ask about tools

   • What monitoring tools do they use?
   • How do they track AI citations at scale?

The honest truth:

There are maybe 20-30 agencies with genuine GEO expertise right now. Everyone else is figuring it out.

Client-side perspective - we’ve worked with 2 GEO agencies in the past year:

Agency 1 (bad experience):

• Promised quick results
• Mostly did traditional SEO work
• Couldn’t show AI citation improvements
• Blamed algorithm changes
• Parted ways after 4 months

Agency 2 (good experience):

• Set realistic 6-month expectations
• Clear baseline audit
• Monthly reports with AI citation data
• Specific platform strategies (different for ChatGPT vs Perplexity)
• Visible improvement by month 4

What Agency 2 did differently:

1. Honest about what they didn’t know - GEO is evolving, they were upfront
2. Data-driven reporting - Used Am I Cited for objective measurement
3. Platform-specific strategies - Not one-size-fits-all
4. Content collaboration - Worked WITH our team, not in isolation
5. Adaptive approach - Changed tactics based on what was working

My advice:

Find an agency that’s honest about the uncertainty in this field. Anyone guaranteeing results is probably lying.

Let’s talk pricing benchmarks:

GEO Agency Pricing Tiers (2025-2026):

What impacts pricing:

• Site size (more content = more work)
• Number of platforms tracked
• Content creation included or not
• Competitive intensity
• International/multi-language

Pricing red flags:

• Suspiciously cheap ($1-2K/month for full service) - You’re getting SEO relabeled
• Suspiciously expensive without justification - Make them explain the value
• Long-term contracts required upfront - Good agencies are confident in results

For your budget ($5-10K):

You should expect:

• Comprehensive audit
• Multi-platform strategy
• Monthly reporting with AI citation data
• Content optimization recommendations
• Some level of implementation support

I’ve been both in-house AND agency-side for GEO. Here’s what I wish clients asked:

Questions that reveal real expertise:

1. “What’s your process for identifying which content to prioritize for AI optimization?”

2. “How do you handle the difference between ChatGPT (training data) and Perplexity (live search)?”

3. “Can you show me an example of content before/after your optimization?”

4. “How do you stay current as AI platforms evolve?”

5. “What happens if our AI visibility doesn’t improve after 3 months?”

What the answers reveal:

• Q1: Do they have a methodology or just wing it?
• Q2: Do they understand platform differences?
• Q3: Can they show actual work, not just talk?
• Q4: Are they invested in learning?
• Q5: How do they handle accountability?

The pilot project approach:

Before committing to 6+ months, do a 60-90 day pilot on a specific topic cluster. This lets you evaluate:

• Communication style
• Quality of work
• Actual results
• Team fit

Most good agencies will agree to this. Agencies demanding long contracts upfront are a red flag.

Alternative perspective: consider the hybrid approach.

What we did:

Instead of full outsource to GEO agency:

1. Hired 1 GEO specialist in-house - $90-120K/year
2. Used agency for strategic consulting - $3K/month
3. Built internal capabilities - Long-term asset

Why this worked for us:

• In-house person learned our business deeply
• Agency provided expertise and frameworks
• Faster feedback loops on implementation
• Lower total cost than full agency outsource
• Built internal muscle for long-term

When to consider hybrid vs full agency:

The honest math:

$10K/month agency = $120K/year $100K salary + $3K/month consulting = $136K/year

Hybrid costs slightly more but builds internal capabilities.

This discussion has been incredibly valuable. Here’s my agency evaluation framework:

Evaluation Criteria:

1. Expertise validation

   • Can they answer platform-specific questions?
   • Do they have their own AI visibility?
   • Can they show real case studies?

2. Methodology clarity

   • Clear explanation of approach
   • Platform-specific strategies
   • Measurement framework included

3. Realistic expectations

   • Honest about timeline (6+ months for meaningful results)
   • No guarantees on specific citation rates
   • Acknowledgment of evolving landscape

4. Pricing alignment

   • Within $5-10K/month for mid-market full service
   • Clear deliverables for investment
   • Flexible engagement options

5. Cultural fit

   • Collaborative approach
   • Transparent communication
   • Willing to do pilot project

Questions I’ll ask every agency:

1. “How does your GEO approach differ from SEO?”
2. “Which platforms do you optimize for and why?”
3. “How do you measure success?”
4. “Can you show me a case study with before/after data?”
5. “What happens if results don’t materialize?”

Next steps:

• Narrow to 3 agencies based on initial calls
• Request detailed proposals from each
• Do 60-day pilot with top choice before long-term commitment

Thanks everyone for the insights.