The AEO Agency for B2B Companies That Want to Win in AI Search

Ask about their methodology.

A legitimate AEO agency will talk about entity optimization, content structuring for AI extraction, content structure, and AI-referred pipeline attribution — not just “we’ll add schema markup and optimize your headings.”

Ask to see results tied to AI-specific metrics: ChatGPT-referred revenue, AI-sourced conversions, or share-of-voice data.

If their case studies only show traditional SEO metrics (rankings, traffic, backlinks), they’re doing SEO with an AEO label. Real AEO requires rethinking how content earns visibility in AI models. 

You should use one provider for both AEO and SEO.

AEO and SEO share the same underlying content, overlapping site architecture considerations, and the related brand signals. Running them separately creates coordination overhead, conflicting recommendations, and fragmented measurement.

A unified AEO + SEO strategy ensures your content is optimized for both channels simultaneously, ranking in Google and getting recommended in AI answers. Pipeline attribution spans the full organic discovery surface.

Splitting them across two agencies almost always results in one channel being treated as an afterthought or the two strategies competing and potentially cannibalizing one another.

AEO is a revenue channel, not a branding exercise.

The right AEO agency should drive measurable inbound leads and pipeline from AI search, not just “brand visibility.”

Strong AEO programs produce results like increased AI-referred conversions, growth in ChatGPT and Perplexity-sourced revenue, and improved recommendation rates in competitive category queries.

It’s not uncommon to see 10-20x growth in these metrics, but realistic benchmarks depend on your category and starting position

Expect to see early signals within 1-2 months and compounding results over 6-12 months as AI models build confidence in your brand as a trusted source.

AEO can produce results faster than traditional SEO because you’re not waiting to climb rankings against entrenched competitors.

Some strategies, like problem-space expansion and content restructuring for AI recommendation, can drive measurable increases in AI-referred conversions within 1-4 months.

Longer-term strategies like first-party data programs and comprehensive entity optimization build compounding advantages over 6-12 months.

The key variable is your starting position: if you already have strong content and domain authority, AEO can unlock AI visibility quickly by restructuring what you already have. If you’re starting from scratch, expect a longer ramp.

An AEO agency provides both strategy and execution — they’ll build the roadmap and do the work (content production, technical implementation, ongoing optimization, and reporting).

An AEO consultant typically provides strategic advisory and guidance while your internal team handles execution.

The right fit depends on your team’s capacity. If you have a strong content team that needs strategic direction, a consultant may be enough. If you need a full team of strategists, writers, and technical specialists to build and run your AEO program, an agency model is more practical. 

Optimist offers both AEO / SEO consulting (advisory) and full-service delivery. Just tell us about your situation and we can recommend the best fit.

Optimist offers AEO as a standalone service for companies that already have a strong SEO program in place.

That said, we recommend the integrated approach because AEO and SEO reinforce each other — the same content, site architecture, and authority signals drive performance in both channels. If your existing SEO agency is delivering results, we can layer AEO on top without disrupting what’s working.

We track AI-referred sessions, conversions, for all major AI surfaces — ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Google AI Overviews, and Claude.

We monitor share-of-voice (how often your brand appears and is recommended vs. competitors in category queries), recommendation quality, and the accuracy of how AI models describe your brand. Everything ties back to pipeline: AI-referred leads and revenue, not just visibility metrics.

Both.

Optimist offers advisory-only AEO engagements where we provide strategy and your team executes, and full-service engagements where we handle content production, optimization, and technical implementation.

Most AEO engagements include content work because optimizing for AI recommendation requires specific content structuring, entity optimization, and answer-first formatting that’s best handled by people who do it every day.

Optimist’s AEO clients range from growth-stage startups to companies above $500M ARR.

The deciding factor isn’t company size — it’s whether AI search is relevant to your buyers. If your target customers are using ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Gemini to research solutions in your category, AEO matters regardless of your ARR.

Yes. All of our engagements begin with a comprehensive review of SEO and AEO visibility, plus a strategic roadmap for improving visibility and pipeline.

After this process, you can choose to move forward with an advisory or full-service engagement, or you can take the roadmap to execute in-house or with another partner.