The landscape of search has evolved, with traditional links giving way to summarized answers. With the rise of Google AI Snapshots, ChatGPT, and Perplexity as the primary means of finding information, traditional SEO is no longer enough. To remain visible, search engine optimization (SEO) is essential.
However, not all agencies are prepared for this shift. Choosing the right partner means going beyond simple keyword tracking and focusing on relevance engineering.
This guide explains how to identify an agency with expertise in GEO, such as Twaino, to ensure the long-term success of your digital presence.
1. Why do traditional SEO agencies struggle with local SEO?
Most traditional agencies focus on optimizing pages for specific keywords. While this remains important, AI models process information differently. They break down single queries into multiple sub-queries and synthesize responses from fragmented passages.
A traditional SEO agency may miss the mark for the following reasons:
- It prioritizes URL ranking over citation sharing;
- It is optimized for humans, but ignores how AI models analyze semantic units;
- She lacks the technical expertise needed to understand search-enhanced information generation.
2. What are the key skills of a qualified SEO partner?
A true SEO agency doesn’t just create AI-generated content. It builds relevance at the architectural level. When evaluating a qualified SEO partner, look for these three skills:
2.1. An in-depth understanding of information seeking (IS)
Your agency should explain how AI systems collect and categorize content. This step includes:
- Vector search and integration: Your content is no longer treated as text, but converted into mathematical vectors. The goal is to semantically position your brand within a multidimensional space so that it is the result that most closely matches search intent;
- An expansion of queries: Generative engines don’t process a single query in isolation. They break it down into about ten sub-queries (query fan-out). Your agency must structure your data to respond to this cascade of hidden intents;
- A niche authority: AI prioritizes sources it identifies as trustworthy entities. Your partner must develop E-E-A-T signals to establish your brand as a go-to authority in your specific niche.
2.2. Technical Mastery of Fragment-Based Optimization
AI models rarely cite an entire page; instead, they cite fragments or excerpted passages. An agency specializing in geolocation restructures your content into dense, extractable semantic units that are easy for machines to interpret and use to formulate a response.
2.3. The Multiplatform Strategy
Google’s monopoly on search engines is a thing of the past. A forward-thinking agency no longer settles for optimizing for a single algorithm; instead, it tailors your content to the technical characteristics of each generative engine:
- Perplexity AI (factual expertise): Here, the priority is on direct citation. Your partner must optimize your content so that it serves as a reference source (authoritative source), ensuring that your brand appears in the footnotes of the generated responses;
- ChatGPT & Claude (conversational context): These models prioritize fluidity and personality. Your partner must focus on your brand’s tone and semantic clarity so that the AI can converse naturally while incorporating your selling points;
- Google AI Overviews (Ecosystem Relevance): To dominate Google’s summaries, a flawless data structure is required. The goal is to integrate seamlessly into the Google ecosystem to appear as the default summary result.
3. How to Evaluate a GEO Agency: 10 Essential Questions to Ask
Here are some specific questions to ask during your qualification calls with prospective agencies:
- What is your proprietary methodology for getting a brand mentioned by AI systems?
- How do you distinguish between entity optimization and keyword optimization?
- How do you handle AI-generated hallucinations regarding a client’s brand?
- What role do third-party mentions play in your strategy?
- How do you optimize content at the paragraph level for RAG?
- What tools do you use to monitor visibility on ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini?
- Can you share case studies with actual GEO metrics?
- How do you handle the differences between Google AI Mode and Perplexity?
- How often do you publish short-form content versus long-form SEO content?
- How do you integrate GEO into your existing SEO strategy without disrupting it?
4. Twaino: the expert SEO agency to help you prepare for your transition to GEO
Before investing in an advanced GEO strategy, you need a solid foundation in SEO. That’s exactly where Twaino excels.
Twaino is a Paris-based SEO agency founded by Alexandre Marotel, an expert in organic search engine optimization. Its positioning is clear and uncompromising: 100% SEO, with no distractions. Twaino is not a full-service agency that does a little bit of everything, but rather one with expertise focused on what drives sustainable organic visibility.
It stands out by bridging the gap between creative content and the technical requirements of AI. Rather than scrambling to keep up with every update, the agency focuses on Relevance Engineering through three key areas:
- Audit capabilities: Twaino does more than just check meta tags; the agency simulates how LLMs interpret your brand;
- Entity mapping: Twaino ensures that your brand is recognized as a trusted entity on the web;
- Data-driven insights: Using advanced monitoring, Twaino measures your share of voice in AI-generated responses.
In short: The choice of your GEO partner will determine your future visibility
AI-generated search isn’t just a trend to watch from afar. It’s the reality for millions of users who get their answers without ever clicking on a link. Your brand is either in that answer or it’s invisible.
Choosing the right GEO agency means choosing a partner that understands how LLMs work, is constantly experimenting, and measures real results—not vanity metrics.
Start by laying a solid foundation with a trusted SEO agency like Twaino, which builds the technical and semantic foundation essential to any GEO strategy.
Then scale up your operations with partners specializing in AI experimentation, cross-platform monitoring, and citation engineering.
Now is the time to act, before your competitors take control of the conversations that shape your future customers’ decisions.
FAQ: All your questions about choosing a GEO agency
What is the difference between GEO and AEO (Answer Engine Optimization)?
GEO and AEO are often used interchangeably, but there is a subtle difference. Historically, AEO focused on featured snippets and voice search results.
GEO refers to the set of techniques used to appear in the responses generated by LLMs such as ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
In practice, by 2025–2026, the two terms will converge. What matters is the substance of the method, not the acronym chosen.
Does my website need to rank well on Google first before I start doing GEO?
Yes, to a large extent. Studies show that websites that rank highly on Google are more likely to be cited in AI Overviews. Good SEO rankings improve your chances of being included in generative responses.
That said, GEO and SEO are not sequential. Some content may be cited by Perplexity or ChatGPT without appearing on Google’s first page, particularly due to strong topical authority. The ideal approach is to work on both simultaneously.
How long does it take to see results with a GEO strategy?
The first improvements in search rankings can appear within 60 to 90 days with a well-structured strategy. This is faster than traditional SEO (6 to 12 months), as LLMs continuously crawl new sources.
Please note: Results depend on your industry, the competition, and the quality of your existing SEO foundation. Any agency that promises guaranteed results by a specific date should raise a red flag.
Should you choose a different agency for SEO and for GEO?
Not necessarily. Ideally, you want an agency that has a comprehensive understanding of both disciplines, as they are deeply intertwined. SEO fuels GEO: a clean site architecture, structured content, and subject-matter authority are prerequisites for AI-driven visibility.
If your current SEO agency doesn’t yet offer true GEO expertise, you might consider a complementary partnership: keep your SEO agency for the technical foundation and work with a GEO specialist for the AI-driven lead generation layer.
How do you measure the ROI of a GEO strategy?
AI platforms do not provide data equivalent to Google Search Console. The most reliable approaches are:
- Track referral traffic from ChatGPT and Perplexity using Google Analytics 4;
- Use specialized GEO monitoring tools (AI citation trackers);
- Measure how often your brand appears in test queries on each platform;
- Analyze the quality and accuracy of the generated text to detect hallucinations;
- Mitigate AI traffic spikes through targeted content initiatives.
How important is structured data for GEO?
Structured data plays a crucial role. It provides generative models with machine-readable context about your identity, your products, and your expertise. Without schema markup, an LLM must infer this information from the text, which carries a higher risk of error.
Is it in the best interest of small and medium-sized businesses to invest in GEO?
Absolutely. For an SME specializing in a niche market, being cited as a reference in AI-generated responses can provide a significant competitive advantage over larger but less well-structured competitors.
The key is to focus on a specific topic area, create targeted content, and build mentions on a few trusted third-party sources within your industry.
Should we create different content for each AI platform?
Not necessarily different content, but a tailored strategy. Perplexity prefers sources that include the question in their title. Google AI Overviews prioritizes pages that rank well organically. ChatGPT relies on the perceived authority of the source.
The recommended approach: Create a solid, well-structured foundation of content for RAG (standalone response units, clear Hn headings, factual data), then adapt it for distribution across relevant channels.
How can I prevent AI from generating inaccurate information about my brand?
Hallucinations occur when LLMs lack reliable information or encounter conflicting data. To prevent them:
- Ensure that your information is consistent across all platforms (website, social media, Wikipedia, Wikidata).
- Create dedicated pages with accurate, factual information about your company.
- Implement a comprehensive and up-to-date organizational chart.
- Regularly monitor how AI platforms respond to your brand-related queries.
- Proactively correct third-party sources that contain inaccurate information.
What kind of budget should you set aside for a GEO strategy with a specialized agency?
Budgets vary depending on the size of the company and the competitiveness of the industry. As a general guide:
- SMEs in niche markets: starting at €1,000 to €3,000 per month for a basic SEO + GEO strategy.
- SMEs in a competitive market: €3,000 to €10,000 per month for a comprehensive package including monitoring.
- Large enterprise: €10,000/month and up for projects involving advanced simulation and analytics.
What matters more than the total budget is the quality of the return on investment. AI-driven traffic with a 14% conversion rate more than justifies investments that seemed unaffordable in the era of traditional SEO.