The agency built for both worlds: classic search and generative answers.
For two decades, "search" meant Google. Optimizing for Google was the only game.
In 2026, buyers ask ChatGPT, Perplexity, Claude, Gemini, Bing Copilot and Google AI Overviews — each with different rules for what gets cited.
Mature playbooks for keyword research, content, link building. Operationally manual. Most haven't touched a single GEO/AEO project.
Build agents and integrations. Bill by the hour or by the project. No expertise in search behavior or distribution.
Three tiers ($5k / $7.5k / $10k+ per month) with optional GEO/AEO add-on (+$2k–$4k/mo). Six-month minimum. Predictable MRR.
One-shot audits ($3–8k), custom AI agents for client teams ($5–20k setup), and citation tracking subscription ($500–$2k/mo).
Brief Agent · Audit Agent · Outreach Agent · Reporting Agent · Refresh Agent · Schema Agent · Internal Linking Agent · Citation Tracker. Built on the same Claude Code SDK stack we use elsewhere.
No standardized playbook. No dominant agency. The category is being named in real time. First-movers will own the language.
Most are 10+ year operations with old stacks and trained staff. They'll bolt on "AI" as marketing, not as ops. Quality differential will be obvious.
Top-tier agencies (Animalz, Siege, Embarque) charge $15–50k/mo. Cheap shops charge $500–3k. A $5–12k tier with both disciplines and AI ops doesn't exist yet.
Claude Code SDK, MCP, vector stores, headless browsers — production-grade. Two engineers can ship what would have taken a 10-person team in 2024.
GEO/AEO is being measured as a separate market for the first time in 2026. Early estimates put it at $2–5B by 2028, growing >100% YoY. There is no public market leader yet — the slot is open.
| Player | Classic SEO | GEO / AEO | AI ops | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TheSeo | ● Strong | ● Strong | ● Strong | $5–12k/mo |
| Animalz / Siege Media | ● Strong | ○ Emerging | ○ Light | $15–50k/mo |
| Local mid-market agencies | ● Mixed | ○ None | ○ None | $3–10k/mo |
| Freelancer / starter shops | ● Variable | ○ None | ○ Hacky | $0.5–3k/mo |
| Pure-AI consultancies | ○ None | ● Adjacent | ● Strong | $200–400/hr |
We're the only row in the matrix with three full-strength columns at the mid-market price point.
Pre-existing demand (left) + the technical depth to deliver it differently (right).
Target net retention >110% via tier upgrades + GEO add-ons.
First paying retainer. SOPs documented. Service menu validated.
Brief Agent + Reporting Agent in production. First GEO Audit sold.
Agent stack complete. GEO retainer add-on launched. Client dashboard live.
Hiring plan. Verticalization. Possible Citation Tracker spin-off as SaaS.
Looking for early advisors, intro-makers, and friends-and-family who want to back something with a real pipeline and a real differentiator from day one.