First, clarify what you are buying
A GEO tool measures and explains your visibility in AI answers; it does not write your content. A GEO agency executes: it produces the content, runs the PR actions and fixes the signals the tool identified. The two are complementary, and confusing them leads to wrong expectations on both sides.
Tool selection criteria
- Measurement method how many times each query is replayed, how response variance is handled, whether measurement runs without conversation history.
- Analysis depth first answer only, or full multi-turn conversation with inflection-point detection.
- Coverage which AI engines, which markets, which languages.
- Steering does the tool merely report, or does it let you prioritize actions and track their effect cycle after cycle?
- Data hosting, per-client compartmentalization, GDPR compliance.
How a GEO agency works
GEO agencies generally work on a quote basis: the scope (number of brands, markets, languages, content to produce) varies too much from one client to another for a public price grid. The quote should specify deliverables, the agreed measurement method and tracking indicators. Be wary of any quantified result promise: nobody controls what an AI model will answer.
Indicators that let you measure the work
Whether you choose a tool, an agency or both, demand measurable, replayable indicators:
- Visibility rate the share of simulated conversations where your brand appears.
- Conversational share of voice your presence relative to competitors across a set of scenarios.
- Recommendation rate the share of conversations where the AI explicitly recommends your brand.
- Perception the sentiment and strength of the recommendation, from a mere mention to an emphatic endorsement.
- Cited sources the pages and media the AI draws on to talk about you — and therefore the ones to work on.
These indicators must be measured on repeated samples, not on isolated screenshots. That is the condition for any provider — tool or agency — to be assessable on facts.
Frequently asked questions
Should I choose a GEO tool or a GEO agency?
They answer different needs: the tool measures and prioritizes, the agency executes. Many organizations combine both — the tool serving as a neutral measurement reference to assess the agency's work.
Why do GEO agencies work on a quote basis?
Because scope varies widely: number of brands, markets, languages, content to produce. The quote should specify deliverables, measurement method and tracking indicators.
Which indicators should I require to track a GEO provider?
Visibility rate, conversational share of voice, recommendation rate, perception and cited sources — measured on repeated samples, not isolated examples.