If I hear one more agency promise to "rank your site for AI" without explaining how they handle structured data, I’m going to lose it. That’s a joke. I’ve spent a decade in the B2B SaaS trenches, and I’ve seen enough "innovative" agencies to know that 90% of them are just repackaging basic SEO as "Answer Engine Optimization" (AEO) to jack up their retainers.
When you’re interviewing partners—whether you’re looking at boutique shops like Marketing Experts' Hub or established content powerhouses like Minuttia—you need to stop asking "Can you get us into AI Overviews?" and start asking the technical questions that actually move the needle. Here is how you vet an agency that isn't just blowing smoke.
Defining AEO: It’s Not Just "SEO, But Faster"
Let’s be clear: AEO (Answer Engine Optimization) isn't a new religion; it’s the evolution of information retrieval. While Traditional SERP results are about rank position, AEO is about being the primary citation for a generative response. If Google AI Overviews (AIO) or Perplexity decides you’re the authoritative source for a query, you win the trust signal. If they don't, you’re invisible.
The difference between AEO, SEO, and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) is subtle but critical:
- SEO: Focuses on blue links and domain authority. AEO: Focuses on "entity extraction" and factual conciseness. GEO: Focuses on how LLMs synthesize your content into a conversational output.
The Core AEO Discovery Questions You Need to Ask
Don't let them hide behind buzzwords. If they mention "AI-powered content" without talking about schema, run. Use this checklist during your next discovery call.
1. "What is your specific citation strategy for LLMs?"
This is the litmus test. If they say "we write high-quality content," thank them for their time and hang up. You need to know how they plan to optimize for *citations*. How are they structuring the technical data so an LLM understands your site is the factual authority? Are they using JSON-LD? Are they optimizing for specific "answer blocks" that AI models prefer?
2. "How do you track AEO success vs. traditional traffic?"
If their reporting approach relies solely on Search Console's "Clicks" and "Impressions" for traditional keywords, they aren't doing AEO. You need to ask how they track "Share of Voice" within AI Overviews. Do they have a way to monitor when your brand is cited in a response? If they can’t show you a sample report that distinguishes between a traditional link click and a generative citation, they don't have the tooling to prove their worth.
3. "Where does our structured data sit in your priority list?"
AI models crave structure. If you aren't using robust schema markup, the LLM is just guessing at your content. Ask the agency: "How are you mapping our entity graph to the way models like Gemini or GPT-4 consume data?" If they look confused, it’s a red flag. They should be talking about Article, FAQ, and Product schema as bare minimums.
The Vendor Comparison: What to Expect
I’ve worked with teams like Minuttia, who understand the heavy lifting of content-led growth, and I’ve seen the reports from various "AI-specialized" boutiques. Here is a breakdown of what I expect https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/10-best-answer-engine-optimization-aeo-agencies-2026-nick-malekos-tkzqf/ to see from a competent partner versus an agency that is likely just faking it.
Feature The "Hyped" Agency The High-Performance Partner Reporting Monthly traffic graphs (mostly fluff). Entity citation tracking & AIO appearance rates. Strategy "We write long-form AI content." Structured data, entity mapping, & data-backed precision. Visibility Ranking for broad keywords. Visibility in chatbot-driven discovery.Why "AI-Powered" Means Nothing Without Distribution
I see a lot of people bragging on LinkedIn about their "AI-first content strategy." Let’s be real: producing 100 AI articles a month is a fast way to get buried by Google’s helpful content filters. AEO isn't about volume; it’s about precision.
When you ask your agency about their distribution, look for these three things:
Authority Signals: Are they building high-relevance backlinks from sites the LLM trusts as "sources of truth"? Conversational Context: Does the content answer the "Why" and "How" rather than just the "What"? Entity Co-occurrence: Are they connecting your brand name to the specific problem space in a way that models build a mental map of your expertise?Reporting Approach: Demand Transparency
If I don't see a "Citation Report" in a discovery call, I assume they are hiding their lack of tracking capability. Ask them: "Can you show me a client report that shows where they were cited in an AI Overview?"
If they claim it's "impossible to track," that’s a joke. It’s difficult, yes, but not impossible. Tools exist to monitor these outputs. Any agency worth their salt should be able to show you a delta between their starting point and their current state of generative visibility.
Final Thoughts: Cut the Fluff
Choosing an AEO agency is high-stakes because the search landscape is shifting under our feet. Don't be wooed by flashy presentations or a high follower count on LinkedIn. Dig into the technical weeds. Ask about structured data. Ask about entity mapping. Ask for proof that they aren't just pumping out AI-generated junk that will get penalized in six months.
The agencies that survive the next two years of "AI Search" are the ones who treat LLMs like databases that need to be fed clean, structured, and authoritative information. Everyone else is just chasing ghosts.
Do your due diligence. Ask the hard questions. And if they use the word "synergy" more than once? Walk out.