When to Hire an AEO Expert (and What They Do)

When to Hire an AEO Expert (and What They Do)

As AI becomes the default way people find businesses, most companies are starting to realize: SEO alone isn’t cutting it anymore. But AEO isn’t just “new SEO.” It’s a new set of disciplines—blending structured content, semantic strategy, data compliance, and AI knowledge into one. That’s why businesses that want to stay competitive are turning to AEO experts.

So when should you hire one? And what do they actually do? Let’s walk through what an AEO expert brings to the table, when it makes sense to bring them in, and how to get the most value from the engagement.

What Is an AEO Expert?

An AEO expert helps your business show up in AI-powered answers instead of just traditional search results.

They focus on:

• Making your content machine-readable (structured data, schema, llms.txt)

• Optimizing your brand for inclusion in AI-generated summaries

• Building a citation trail across trusted sources

• Training or customizing AI agents using your own content

• Tracking AI visibility and zero-click performance

This role blends technical SEO, brand strategy, content optimization, and AI knowledge into one outcome: getting your business recommended by machines.

What Does an AEO Expert Actually Do?

Here’s what an AEO engagement typically includes:

1. Audit Your AI Visibility

• Do you appear in ChatGPT or Perplexity answers?

• Is your content structured with schema?

• Are you cited in trusted sources?

• Are your services and location consistent across directories?

2. Optimize Your Content for AI Discovery

• Add FAQPage, HowTo, Product, and Organization schema

• Rewrite blog posts and landing pages with structured headings and summaries

• Build an “Answer Graph” of related topics around your brand

3. Build a llms.txt and Attribution Framework

• Create a file that tells AI crawlers how to treat your content

• Include citation rules, training permissions, and usage terms

• Ensure credit flows back to your domain

4. Manage Entity-Based Optimization

• Align business data across Crunchbase, LinkedIn, Google, and local listings

• Monitor and standardize mentions across the web

• Add SameAs references in schema to reinforce entity recognition

5. Create a Reporting Layer for AI Visibility

• Monitor citations in Perplexity, Gemini, and GPT

• Track branded search lift and behavioral flow

• Report on downstream impact: conversions, mentions, direct traffic

When Should You Hire an AEO Expert?

Here are the best times to bring one in:

✅ You’re investing in content, but not seeing results

You’re writing blog posts, but traffic is flat—and AI tools are answering questions with someone else’s content.

✅ You’re in a competitive or fast-moving space

Legal, SaaS, health, e-commerce, education, and marketing are already being disrupted by AI. AEO gives you an edge.

✅ You’re launching a new brand, product, or category

Get the structured foundation right from day one, so AI assistants can learn and recommend you from the start.

✅ You want to be seen as a thought leader

AEO helps ensure your name or company shows up in zero-click summaries, semantic search, and industry answers.

✅ You’re hiring SEO help, but want future-proofing

Most SEO firms still focus on traffic and rankings. AEO focuses on visibility inside AI models—where real decisions happen now.

What Does a Typical AEO Project Cost?

Pricing varies, but here’s a benchmark:

• One-time audit and implementation: $3,500 – $7,500

• Ongoing retainer (monthly updates, content strategy, monitoring): $2,000 – $6,000/mo

• Enterprise AEO (including AI agent training + full entity support): $10K+ per quarter

Compare that to what you’d pay for PPC or SEO—and consider that AEO creates durable, compounding visibility.

What to Ask When Hiring an AEO Expert

• Do you have experience with AI search models (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini)?

• Can you show examples of structured data and llms.txt setups?

• Will you track both SEO and AI discovery metrics?

• How do you handle citation and entity optimization?

• What’s your plan for making our content “AI-readable”?

Final Word: AEO Is No Longer Optional

AI is already the first point of contact for millions of users. If you’re not part of that conversation, you’re missing it entirely. An AEO expert helps make sure your brand becomes the answer—not just the website behind it.

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