_____ CHOOSING A GEO AGENCY

The way people search for information online is changing dramatically, and partnering with a GEO agency helps ensure your brand is cited inside AI-generated answers.

For decades, search engine optimisation (SEO) has been the foundation of search marketing, helping businesses rank higher in Google and other traditional search engines. But the rise of generative AI search engines, from Google’s AI Overview to Perplexity AI, has fundamentally reshaped how people find and consume information.

Instead of being presented with a list of links, users now receive curated, conversational answers directly from AI models. This shift reduces the number of clicks to websites but increases the importance of being referenced and cited inside AI-generated responses.

GEO is a new strategy focused on making your brand more visible and trusted, so that you’re referenced in generative AI answers. As with traditional SEO, working with the right agency can make the difference between dominating the new search landscape and being left behind.

At Reboot Online, we have years of experimentation under our belts, and we’ve developed proven methodologies to help brands gain visibility inside generative search results.

We’ll explain everything you need to know to confidently choose a GEO agency that will future-proof your digital visibility.

What is generative engine optimisation?

Generative engine optimisation, or GEO, is the process of optimising your brand’s digital presence so that AI-powered search engines select your content, data, or brand mentions when generating answers.

To put it simply:

• In SEO, the goal is to rank on Google’s first page.
• In GEO, the goal is to be included in AI’s answer to the search query.

Traditional SEO is here to stay, but ranking number one on Google isn’t enough to guarantee visibility in AI search.

This shift means GEO is less about chasing rankings and more about ensuring your brand becomes part of trusted, authoritative knowledge ecosystems.

Why GEO matters right now

Generative AI search is not a future concept; it’s already here.

Here are three reasons GEO can’t be ignored:

Search is shifting from links to answers

The traditional SERP offers readers ten links. Generative search removes friction by synthesising information into one unified response.

Visibility happens inside AI results

You don’t just want to be in the top 10 links, you want to be at the head of the page as part of the AI conversation.

Early adopters gain an advantage

Just like in the early days of SEO, the brands that invest in GEO first will establish authority that compounds over time.

What this looks like in the results

AI Overviews (AIO) is now available in over 200 countries and more than 40 languages. Instead of listing 10 results for a given query, it pulls information from a small number of sources and places that answer at the top of the SERP. If your brand isn’t referenced there, your brand’s visibility is limited.

GEO helps you earn those citations by pairing expert, structured content with the basics done well - for example, schema markup, internal links, and fast, reliable pages.

You can already see this shift in practice. Alongside AIO, platforms like Perplexity and Bing Copilot are also delivering direct answers with cited sources. This also reduces clicks to traditional listings, which is why earning AI citations matters.

The role of a GEO agency

So, where does a generative engine optimisation agency fit into all of this?

Working with a GEO agency is a strategic partnership that will help your brand:

• Translate SEO strategies into AI-optimised strategies.
• Adapt your content and technical setups so that AI engines can understand, trust, and make use of your information.
• Monitor your visibility across multiple generative platforms.
• Stay ahead of algorithm shifts and industry changes.

The right GEO agency acts as both a strategist and a navigator, guiding you through this fast-moving search transformation.

Choosing a GEO agency: Essential criteria for success

1. Proven SEO foundations

Generative Engine Optimisation builds on SEO; it doesn’t replace it.

If any agency doesn’t have a strong history of delivering SEO results, they won’t have the technical or content expertise required to boost your brand’s visibility with GEO.

We have earned over 23,000 keyword rankings for our Hyper Relevancy Project content, with the average page ranking for 264 keywords.

We know how to gain clients’ authority with data-led, evergreen content and technical optimisation, such as schema markup - both key cornerstones of an effective GEO strategy.

Look for agencies with a proven track record of ranking improvements and evidence of technical SEO expertise, including schema markup.

2. Multi-platform generative search expertise

Generative search is fragmented, and each platform works differently. A good GEO agency must understand more than just how to feature in Google’s AI Overview.

Expertise across multiple AI search platforms will enable your brand to reach a wider base of customers. Further, as generative search is constantly evolving, there may be learning opportunities from one platform that can be applied to another.

Don’t settle for an agency that promises results on only one platform, look for one that can optimise your brand across:

• Google AI Overview: Available in over 120 countries, this replaced Google’s earlier experiment ‘Search Generative Experience’.
• Perplexity AI: Boasting a rapidly growing user base, this is optimal for research-style queries.
• Bing Copilot: Powered by OpenAI, Copilot is integrated directly into Windows.
• ChatGPT Web Browser: Users ask questions, and ChatGPT searches the internet to collate the best response.

Niche AI search platforms are also emerging, offering sector-specific tools. The best GEO agencies will be those who are actively engaged with new developments in generative AI search.

3. Skill in content structuring for AI

Generative engines prefer structured, clear, and conversational content, so the best GEO agencies will have teams who are well-versed in adapting their content to this new model.

The best generative engine optimisation agencies will help you:

• Build FAQ-style content that directly answers readers’ questions.
• Create summarisable content blocks that AI can easily extract.
• Write in natural, conversational styles to match AI query inputs.

Our SEO content team works across formats, from statistics-led reports (like Digital PR statistics) and technical explainers (like our guide to generative AI) to lighter landing page copy. That range helps us to always match the brief, the audience, and the intent, keeping information clear, accurate, and easy for both readers and AI systems to understand.

4. Authority and trust-building

Generative engines prioritise content from trusted, authoritative sources. For your brand to perform well in AI search, you need to work with an agency with proven experience in developing clients’ online presence, building authority and legitimacy so that AI trusts your voice to use in its results.

The goal here is to be visible and to be credible enough that AI prefers citing your work.

Reboot has earned over 48,500 backlinks in the past few years, across 46 different countries, with an average DR of 64. This work helps strengthen awareness of our clients’ E-E-A-T (experience, expertise, authoritativeness, and trustworthiness) - all qualities recognised and preferred by generative search engines.

5. Adaptability and Innovation

AI search is evolving faster than any other digital channel. The GEO agency you partner with must constantly test, adapt, and innovate practices so that it can not only keep up with AI but also go beyond and anticipate its next move.

At Reboot, we are constantly experimenting - and this isn’t a new development either. In 2023, we ran an AI vs humans SEO content experiment and found that human-written pages consistently outperformed AI-written ones for depth and engagement. The study was widely cited by leading industry publications, including Moz, Ahrefs, and Search Engine Journal, establishing Reboot as an early voice in the AI conversation.

Earlier this year, we set out to discover whether AI responses can be influenced by strategically publishing content across third-party websites. This ongoing experimentation reflects our drive to understand and influence generative search at its core.

Key questions to ask a GEO agency

If your brand is ready to take a leap into the world of AI search, here’s our recommended checklist of questions to bring into any GEO agency pitch:

• What generative engines do you currently optimise for?
• How does GEO differ from traditional SEO in your processes?
• What’s your approach to entity optimisation and structured data?
• How do you adapt content for AI readability and summarisation?
• How do you build authority and trust signals for your clients?
• What tools do you use to monitor AI visibility?
• Can you show evidence of clients being cited in AI-generated results?
• How do you measure GEO success?
• How often do you update strategies as AI search evolves?
• Where do you see GEO going in the next one to three years, and how will you future-proof my brand?

The best GEO agencies won’t falter over these questions; they’ll reply with confidence and consideration. AI search is constantly adapting, so agencies are unlikely to be able to speak with complete certainty, but these questions will give them an opportunity to show their appetite for the new search landscape.

The future of GEO

Looking ahead: Future-proofing your search visibility

Choosing a GEO agency is about more than hiring a company that knows how to work within AI search right now. It’s about choosing a partner to guide you through one of the biggest shifts in digital history.

It’s important to look for an agency that has proven SEO foundations, demonstrates real results in generative engine visibility, and can provide transparent methodologies and innovative thinking.

Done right, GEO ensures your brand doesn’t just appear in search results; it becomes associated with the answers people trust.

Reboot Online is a GEO agency that blends deep SEO expertise with cutting-edge AI search experimentation. Our team specialises in helping brands gain visibility and authority inside generative answers across Google AI Overview, Bing Copilot, Perplexity AI, and beyond.

Get in touch today, and let’s future-proof your search strategy together.