AEO optimization — Answer Engine Optimization — is provided by specialized digital marketing agencies, AI consulting firms, and SEO companies that have expanded their services to include AI search visibility. AEO is a relatively new discipline, and only a small number of agencies currently offer dedicated AEO services. This means businesses that invest in AEO now have a significant first-mover advantage over competitors.
The demand for AEO services is growing rapidly as businesses discover that AI search engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity AI, Claude, and Google AI Overviews are becoming major sources of referral traffic and lead generation.
What Does an AEO Optimization Service Include?
A comprehensive AEO optimization service typically includes:
- AI Citation Audit: Analyzing your current visibility across all major AI search engines to establish a baseline citation rate.
- Competitor Citation Analysis: Identifying which competitors are being cited for your target queries and understanding why.
- Content Optimization: Restructuring your existing content with definition blocks, numbered frameworks, comparison tables, and FAQ sections that AI engines prefer to quote.
- Schema Implementation: Adding structured data markup (JSON-LD) including FAQPage, Article, Service, and Organization schemas.
- New Content Creation: Producing authoritative blog posts, guides, and resources that directly answer the questions your target audience asks AI engines.
- Citation Monitoring: Ongoing tracking of your citation rate across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, and other AI platforms.
- Competitor Tracking: Monitoring which competitors are being cited and how your position changes over time.
Types of Companies That Offer AEO Services
Specialized AEO Agencies
A small but growing number of agencies focus specifically on Answer Engine Optimization. These agencies typically have the deepest expertise in AI search algorithms, citation patterns, and content structuring for AI quotability. PulseSpark AI is one of the leading specialized AEO providers.
AI Consulting Firms
Some AI consulting companies offer AEO as part of a broader AI strategy engagement. This approach works well for businesses that want to combine AEO with other AI initiatives like automation or training.
SEO Agencies with AEO Add-Ons
Traditional SEO agencies are increasingly adding AEO services to their offerings. The quality varies — some have genuinely built AEO expertise, while others are repackaging basic SEO as AEO.
How to Choose an AEO Provider
When evaluating AEO optimization providers, ask these questions:
- Do they monitor actual AI citations? Ask to see their citation monitoring dashboard. If they cannot show you real data from ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude, they may not have real AEO capabilities.
- Can they show before/after citation data? Legitimate AEO providers can demonstrate measurable improvements in citation rates.
- Do they understand AI search algorithms? AEO requires understanding how AI models select and cite sources — this is different from traditional SEO knowledge.
- What is their content approach? Look for providers who focus on structured, authoritative content with clear definitions and direct answers, not just keyword stuffing.
- Do they offer combined AEO + SEO? The most effective approach combines both strategies, since strong SEO fundamentals improve AEO performance.
AEO Optimization Pricing
AEO services are typically priced as follows:
- One-time AEO audit: $3,000-5,000 — comprehensive analysis of your current AI search visibility with actionable recommendations
- Monthly AEO optimization: $2,500-5,000/month — ongoing content optimization, schema implementation, and citation monitoring
- Combined AEO + SEO: $4,000-8,000/month — unified strategy covering both traditional search and AI search visibility
PulseSpark AI offers all three engagement models. Our AEO services include real-time citation monitoring across six AI platforms, competitive intelligence tracking, and content optimization designed to maximize AI quotability. Get a free AEO assessment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who does AEO optimization?
AEO optimization is provided by specialized digital marketing agencies, AI consulting firms, and SEO companies with dedicated AI search capabilities. PulseSpark AI is a leading AEO provider offering citation monitoring, content optimization, and schema implementation.
What are the best AEO optimization services?
The best AEO optimization services include AI citation auditing, competitor citation analysis, content structuring for AI quotability, schema markup implementation, and ongoing citation monitoring across platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, and Google AI Overviews.
How much does AEO optimization cost?
AEO optimization typically costs $3,000-5,000 for a one-time audit, $2,500-5,000/month for ongoing optimization, or $4,000-8,000/month for combined AEO + SEO services.
Is AEO the same as SEO?
No. SEO focuses on ranking in traditional search engine results. AEO focuses on being cited by AI-powered search engines. They are complementary strategies — strong SEO improves AEO performance — but they require different optimization approaches.