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Amol Ghemud Published: February 17, 2026
Summary
Before hiring an AI marketing agency, ask 10 key questions to ensure they have real GEO expertise, not just rebranded SEO.
A strong agency should prove AI citation results on platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, Google Gemini, and Claude. They should clearly explain their entity optimization process, schema markup implementation, AI crawler configuration, content structure for citations, and how they measure results such as citation frequency and AI referral traffic.
They must also set realistic timelines of 3 to 6 months and show how GEO integrates with SEO and paid media. If an agency cannot provide proof, technical depth, and cross-platform strategy, they are likely repackaging traditional SEO rather than delivering true AI visibility.
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Before hiring an AI marketing agency, ask these 10 questions to separate genuine GEO expertise from rebranded SEO services. The right agency should demonstrate AI citation results, multi-platform monitoring capabilities, experience with entity optimization, and a clear measurement framework.
The AI marketing space attracted many bandwagon jumpers in early 2026. The moment ChatGPT Ads launched, every SEO agency added “AI Visibility” to their service page. Most of them are running the same SEO playbook with a new label. That’s not GEO. That’s marketing.
These 10 questions help you identify agencies with real expertise. We’re going to answer each one transparently from upGrowth’s perspective too, because we believe the best way to evaluate agencies is to see how they’d respond.
Question 1: How Long Have You Been Doing GEO Specifically?
This separates early movers from bandwagon jumpers. If an agency started offering GEO after ChatGPT Ads launched in February 2026, it has no track record. They’re learning on your dime.
At upGrowth, we began developing AI visibility strategies more than 12 months before ChatGPT Ads launched. We saw the signals: AI search growing, conversational queries increasing, and OpenAI’s monetization trajectory. We built the GEO service based on real execution with real clients, not on a trending keyword.
A good answer: “We’ve been running GEO programs for [X] months/years and here’s what we’ve learned.” A bad answer: “We recently expanded into AI marketing.”
Question 2: Can You Show AI Citation Results for Current Clients?
This is the proof question. Anyone can talk about the GEO theory. Ask them to show you screenshots or reports of client brands being cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude for relevant queries.
Not traffic reports. Not ranking reports. Actual AI citation evidence: “Here’s our client being recommended by ChatGPT when someone asks about [category].”
If they can’t show this, they haven’t done it. Simple as that.
Question 3: Which AI Platforms Do You Monitor and Optimize For?
A serious GEO agency monitors and optimizes across all major platforms: ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude. Each platform has different training data, crawling patterns, and citation behaviors.
If an agency only focuses on ChatGPT, they’re covering one platform out of four. Your buyers might use Perplexity for research and Gemini through Google’s ecosystem. Cross-platform optimization is essential for comprehensive AI visibility.
Ask them to explain how their approach differs across platforms. If they can’t articulate the differences, they’re treating “AI” as a monolith rather than an ecosystem of distinct engines.
Question 4: What Is Your Entity Optimization Process?
Entity optimization is the GEO-specific capability that separates real GEO from repackaged SEO. It’s about building your brand’s identity across the platforms and AI engines used for verification: Organization schema, LinkedIn, Crunchbase, Google Business Profile, SameAs linking, and industry directories.
If an agency can’t walk you through their entity optimization process step by step, they’re probably doing content-only optimization. Content without an entity foundation is an incomplete GEO.
Ask for specifics: what platforms do they build entity presence on? How do they handle SameAs linking? What schema types do they implement? How do they verify entity consistency across platforms?
Question 5: How Do You Measure GEO Results?
SEO metrics (rankings, organic traffic, click-through rate) don’t fully capture GEO performance. A GEO agency should measure: AI citation frequency across platforms, citation accuracy, AI referral traffic, competitive citation share, and branded search volume changes.
If the agency’s reporting is just “we published 6 articles, and your Domain Rating went up,” that’s SEO reporting, not GEO reporting.
Ask to see a sample report. The format tells you whether they actually monitor AI visibility or just track traditional SEO metrics with an AI label.
Question 6: What’s Your Content Approach for AI Citation?
GEO content is structurally different from traditional SEO content. Ask the agency to explain their content formatting standards. They should include: canonical answers (20-50 words) at the start of every section, question-based headings, an informational rather than promotional tone, specific data rather than vague claims, and FAQ sections with schema markup.
If their content approach sounds identical to standard SEO content creation, that’s what it is.
Question 7: How Do You Handle Schema Markup?
Schema markup is the technical backbone of GEO. The agency should implement and maintain: an organization schema, an Article schema with author and date fields, an FAQ schema for all question-based content, a Product/Service schema on relevant pages, and a How-to schema for process content.
Ask them how they validate schema implementations. Google’s Rich Results Test is the minimum. Ask them about handling schema across CMS platforms, dynamic pages, and site redesigns. Technical depth here indicates whether they have a GEO-capable developer or are just adding basic plugin-generated markup.
Question 8: What’s Your AI Crawler Configuration Process?
This question tests technical GEO knowledge. The agency should immediately mention robots.txt configuration for specific AI crawlers: OAI-SearchBot (ChatGPT), Google-Extended (Gemini), PerplexityBot, and ClaudeBot.
They should also mention checking CMS plugins and security configurations that might block AI bots, verifying crawler access through server logs, and setting up UTM tracking for AI referral traffic.
If they look confused by this question, they haven’t done hands-on GEO implementation.
Question 9: What’s Your Typical Client Timeline for Results?
Honest agencies set realistic expectations. GEO takes 2-3 months for initial citations and 3-6 months for meaningful, consistent visibility. Anyone promising AI citations in 30 days is either lying or doesn’t understand how AI engines work.
Ask what factors affect the timeline in their experience. They should mention: existing domain authority, content depth, competitive landscape, and technical readiness. These are the real variables. If they give a one-size-fits-all answer, they lack hands-on experience.
Question 10: How Does Your GEO Work Integrate with SEO and Paid Media?
GEO doesn’t exist in isolation. It reinforces SEO and prepares for ChatGPT Ads. The agency should explain how its GEO work connects to your broader marketing strategy.
Do they share insights between the GEO and SEO teams? Can they handle both channels? How will they prepare you for ChatGPT Ads when they reach India? How does GEO data inform your paid media strategy?
An agency that treats GEO as a standalone service without connecting it to your overall marketing ecosystem is optimizing in a vacuum. The best results come from integrated approaches where each channel reinforces the others.
How upGrowth Answers These Questions
We’ve been transparent about our answers throughout this piece. Here’s the summary.
We started GEO work 12+ months before ChatGPT Ads launched. We can show AI citation results for current clients. We monitor and optimize across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude. Our entity optimization process covers 8+ platforms with SameAs linking. We measure citation frequency, accuracy, referral traffic, and competitive share. Our content follows documented GEO standards. We implement and validate all major schema types. We configure AI crawlers as standard practice. Our typical timeline is 3-6 months for meaningful results. And our GEO work integrates with our SEO and performance marketing teams.
If another agency can answer all 10 questions with equal depth and evidence, they’re worth talking to. If they can’t, they’re selling something they haven’t built yet.
What to Do Next
If you’re evaluating agencies for AI marketing, start by understanding your own position. Get an AI Visibility Audit from upGrowth so you know what you’re working with before any agency conversation. An informed buyer makes better hiring decisions.
FAQs
1. Should I Hire a GEO-Only Agency or a Full-Service Marketing Agency?
It depends on your existing team. If you already have strong SEO and paid media partners, a GEO-specialist agency can fill the gap. If you’re looking for an integrated approach where GEO, SEO, and paid work together, a full-service agency with genuine GEO expertise (verified by these 10 questions) is more efficient.
2. What Red Flags Should I Watch For?
Guaranteed AI citations within a specific timeframe. Inability to show actual citation results. Reporting that looks identical to SEO reports. No mention of entity optimization. Single-platform focus (ChatGPT only). And any agency that started offering GEO services in February 2026 or later without prior AI visibility work.
3. How Many Agencies Should I Evaluate?
Talk to 2-3 agencies. Use these 10 questions as a consistent evaluation framework, so you’re comparing apples to apples. The differences in responses will be obvious. Real expertise is specific and evidence-based. Repackaged services are vague and theoretical.
For Curious Minds
Generative Engine Optimization is a discipline focused on getting AI models to cite your brand as an authoritative answer, whereas SEO targets website rankings on results pages. This distinction is critical because success in GEO is measured by direct influence and recommendation within a conversational context, not just visibility and clicks. A true GEO strategy builds your brand's authority directly into the AI's knowledge base. You should evaluate an agency's expertise based on its approach to these core differences.
Primary Goal: GEO aims for direct brand citation and recommendation in AI responses, while SEO aims for high rankings and organic traffic.
Core Method: GEO is built on entity optimization across verified platforms, while SEO is primarily focused on keyword-driven content and backlinks.
Measurement: GEO tracks metrics like AI citation frequency across platforms like ChatGPT, while SEO relies on rankings and click-through rates.
Recognizing this separation is the first step in finding a partner who can deliver meaningful results in this new landscape.
Entity optimization is the process of building a consistent, verifiable, and authoritative identity for your brand across the web so that AI models recognize you as a trusted source. It goes beyond content by establishing who you are, what you do, and why you are credible. This foundational work is what allows your content to be trusted and cited by AI. A proper entity optimization process involves several key actions. You must ensure consistency across your Google Business Profile, LinkedIn company page, and industry databases like Crunchbase. It also requires implementing technical elements like Organization schema and SameAs linking to connect these profiles into a cohesive digital identity. Without this strong entity foundation, your content lacks the authority needed for AI platforms like Gemini to recommend it. Explore the full article to see how this process directly impacts your AI visibility.
You should heavily favor an agency with a multi-platform strategy, because your audience does not use a single AI engine for every task. Focusing only on ChatGPT leaves you invisible on other key platforms where your buyers are conducting research, like Perplexity for detailed inquiries or Gemini within the Google ecosystem. An expert agency understands that each platform has distinct training data, crawling patterns, and citation behaviors. Your evaluation should press for an explanation of how their strategy adapts for each engine. An agency unable to articulate these differences is likely applying a one-size-fits-all approach that will fail to achieve comprehensive AI visibility. True expertise requires a nuanced, cross-platform plan that maximizes your presence wherever your customers are asking questions. This guide offers more insight into what a robust multi-platform approach looks like.
You must move past traditional reports and request direct, undeniable proof of GEO performance. The most crucial piece of evidence is actual screenshots or screen recordings showing their clients' brands being cited and recommended by major AI platforms for relevant commercial queries. Do not accept traffic reports or keyword rankings as substitutes. Your request for proof should be very specific. Ask to see examples of their clients being cited by ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Claude. This is the only way to verify they can achieve the core goal of GEO, which is earning citations. An agency that hesitates or cannot provide this evidence has likely not achieved these results. An agency with real expertise, like upGrowth, will be prepared to show you these exact outcomes. Our complete list of questions will help you uncover this proof during your evaluation process.
An agency's pre-launch experience signals proactive strategic development versus reactive trend-chasing, which is a powerful indicator of true expertise. Firms that began building GEO services before the ChatGPT Ads launch, like upGrowth, were not just responding to a new product release; they were interpreting market signals and building a methodology from the ground up. This demonstrates a deeper, more foundational understanding of how AI models work. These early movers have a significant head start, having spent over 12 months testing, learning, and refining their approach on real clients before the market became crowded. When you encounter an agency with this history, it shows they are practitioners who built a service based on execution, not just a new keyword on their website. Digging into an agency's origin story for GEO is a key theme we explore further in the article.
A structured evaluation process is essential to separate genuine GEO providers from those simply repackaging SEO. Your process should focus on validating their technical capabilities and strategic depth beyond content creation. A strong B2B evaluation plan includes these steps. First, ask for a detailed walkthrough of their entity optimization process, including the specific schema types they implement and the platforms they use for verification. Next, request a demonstration of their multi-platform monitoring tools for ChatGPT, Gemini, and others. Then, scrutinize a sample report, ensuring it highlights GEO metrics like competitive citation share, not just organic traffic. Finally, verify their experience, confirming they were active in GEO before the early 2026 bandwagon. This systematic approach ensures you partner with an agency that has the foundational expertise required for success.
To measure GEO effectively, you must shift your focus from website-centric metrics to conversation-centric metrics that reflect your brand's influence within AI platforms. Work with your agency to create a dashboard dedicated to GEO-specific key performance indicators, establishing a new source of truth for AI visibility. Your framework should prioritize the following metrics.
AI Citation Frequency: How often your brand is mentioned across ChatGPT, Perplexity, and other key platforms for target queries.
Citation Accuracy: The quality and correctness of the information presented when your brand is cited.
AI Referral Traffic: Clicks from links within AI-generated answers, which represent high-intent users.
Competitive Citation Share: Your brand's share of citations versus competitors for a defined set of queries.
This approach frames success around shaping the AI conversation, giving you a far more accurate picture of performance than traditional SEO reports. The full article provides more detail on building this kind of measurement plan.
Your GEO strategy must remain agile and centered on building foundational brand authority rather than chasing short-term algorithmic loopholes. As AI models evolve, a strong and consistent entity profile becomes your most durable asset. An expert agency plays the critical role of a strategic navigator in this dynamic environment. Their job is to provide continuous, active monitoring of all major platforms like Gemini and Perplexity, identifying shifts in citation behavior or data sourcing. This allows them to adapt your entity and content strategies proactively, not reactively. This ongoing optimization ensures your visibility is future-proofed against the inevitable changes in the AI ecosystem. Choosing a partner with this forward-looking perspective is crucial for long-term success, a topic explored in greater depth within the guide.
A successful GEO strategy fundamentally shapes your market narrative by positioning your brand as the definitive answer to your customers' most pressing questions. When an AI model like Claude or ChatGPT repeatedly cites you as the expert or recommends your solution, it does more than just create visibility; it builds deep-seated authority. This is far more powerful than appearing as a blue link on a results page. You are no longer just an option, you become the trusted, AI-validated solution. Over time, this consistent reinforcement cements your leadership position in the minds of your audience. GEO is a long-term play on brand perception, allowing you to directly influence the story the world's most advanced information systems tell about you. The full text offers more on how to leverage this powerful capability.
The most common mistake is accepting traditional SEO metrics, like rankings and organic traffic, as proof of GEO success. This is a costly error because it means you are paying for an AI service but measuring it with outdated standards, which allows an agency to hide a lack of actual GEO results. To avoid this pitfall, you must demand AI-native evidence of performance. Do not let the conversation be dominated by SEO jargon. Instead, make your evaluation criteria specific to generative engines. Ask for a sample report and verify that it tracks GEO-specific metrics like AI citation frequency and competitive citation share. More importantly, ask for direct proof in the form of screenshots showing their clients being cited by platforms like ChatGPT. This simple requirement will quickly separate the real experts from the pretenders.
An agency focused on SEO metrics like Domain Rating and rankings is neglecting the most critical aspect of GEO: direct influence and recommendation within AI-powered conversations. This focus creates a massive blind spot, as high organic rankings no longer guarantee visibility where users are starting their journey. This can lead to significant problems for your brand. While you celebrate a top Google ranking, your competitors could be completely owning the conversation on ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude. You will be invisible to a growing segment of high-intent users who receive their answers directly from an AI. This means you are not just losing traffic but are being written out of the narrative in your own market. The rest of this guide explains how to find an agency that understands this crucial difference.
Many agencies struggle to explain their platform-specific approaches because they are applying a one-size-fits-all SEO content methodology to GEO. They treat 'AI' as a monolith, lacking a deeper understanding of each engine's distinct training data, update cycles, and citation behaviors. This inability reveals a superficial, tactical approach rather than a true strategic command of the generative engine ecosystem. An expert knows that optimizing for ChatGPT is different from optimizing for Gemini, which is integrated with Google's knowledge graph. A shallow answer to this question is a clear red flag that the agency is learning on your dime and does not possess the nuanced expertise required to execute a sophisticated, multi-platform GEO strategy. The full article provides more questions designed to expose this lack of depth.
Amol has helped catalyse business growth with his strategic & data-driven methodologies. With a decade of experience in the field of marketing, he has donned multiple hats, from channel optimization, data analytics and creative brand positioning to growth engineering and sales.
