Search visibility
SEO, AEO and GEO
Quick answer
Three related jobs. SEO gets you ranked on Google. AEO (answer engine optimisation) gets you named when someone asks an AI for a recommendation. GEO (generative engine optimisation) shapes how those models describe you once they do. We do all three together, because they draw on the same foundations.
Why this matters now
A growing share of buying decisions start with a question to ChatGPT, Gemini or Perplexity rather than a search box. Those tools return three or four names, not ten blue links. If you are not among them you never enter the shortlist, and unlike a poor Google ranking there is nothing to see. No impression, no click, nothing in your analytics. Just an enquiry that went elsewhere.
The businesses being named right now are building a lead that compounds, because models tend to keep citing sources they already trust.
What we actually do
- Entity groundwork. Schema markup that states plainly who you are, what you sell and where you operate, with a consistent name, address and contact details everywhere they appear. Models weight consistency heavily, because it is the cheapest proof that you exist.
- Answer-shaped content. Pages built around the questions buyers actually type, with the answer in the first sentence. Language models quote answers. They cannot quote a brochure.
- Crawler access. An llms.txt file and a robots policy that explicitly welcomes GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot and the rest. Many sites block these by accident.
- Citation building. Getting you into the directories and listings that AI models draw on when asked to recommend a supplier in your sector.
- Technical SEO. Core Web Vitals, indexation, canonical hygiene, structured data. The unglamorous work that decides whether any of the above gets read.
- Measurement. Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools set up properly, plus periodic checks of what the major models say about you when asked directly.
Who it suits
UK businesses selling a considered purchase, where a buyer researches before they contact you. Professional services, B2B software, healthcare and care providers, specialist trades. If your customers ask around before choosing, this applies to you.
It suits you less if you sell on price alone, or if your customers find you by walking past.
What it costs
Most agencies bundle AEO and GEO into a monthly retainer. Published market rates run from roughly £1,500 to £12,000 a month depending on scope. We quote fixed prices per piece of work instead, so you can start with a one-off audit and technical fix rather than committing to a retainer before you have seen anything.
Expect six to twelve months before the effect is fully visible. Anyone promising faster is guessing.
Proof it works
Our own site is the reference build. It carries a full entity graph, an llms.txt, explicit AI-crawler permissions and scores 100 on desktop performance. We also built and ranked earnestcare.co.uk for a UK care provider, with a local SEO structure built around how families search when they are under pressure.
Common questions
What is the difference between SEO and AEO?
SEO improves where you appear in a list of search results. AEO, or answer engine optimisation, improves whether an AI assistant names you when a user asks it for a recommendation. SEO competes for a position on a page. AEO competes for a place in a shortlist of three or four, usually with no link for the user to compare against.
How long does AEO and GEO work take to show results?
Expect six to twelve months for the full effect. Technical groundwork such as schema, llms.txt and crawler access can be done in days and starts influencing how models describe you within weeks. Citation building, which is what genuinely moves the needle, takes months because it depends on third-party sites.
Can you tell me what AI models currently say about my business?
Yes, and it is usually the first thing we check. We ask the major models directly about your company and about suppliers in your sector, then record what comes back. Most owners are surprised by the answer, and it establishes a baseline to measure against later.