How to Evaluate AI Search Optimization Companies

The best AI search optimization company for you is one that tracks real buyer prompts, explains its methods openly, improves your content and third-party presence, and reports honestly on what changed. “Top” lists are often written by the companies themselves, so judge providers against clear criteria instead of rankings.

What These Companies Actually Do

AI search optimization (sometimes called GEO or AEO) aims to make a brand easier for assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, Perplexity and Copilot to find, understand and cite. Providers usually offer some mix of:

• Prompt tracking across several AI models.
• Audits of facts, content and crawler access.
• Content creation focused on buyer questions.
• Digital PR and listings work to earn third-party mentions.
• Reporting on mentions, accuracy and competitors.

Types of Providers

Software platforms

Automated tracking and content support at a monthly subscription. Good for small and mid-sized firms that want ongoing visibility data.

Specialist agencies

Hands-on strategy, content and PR, usually at higher monthly retainers. Useful when you need a team rather than a tool. Our page on AI recommendation agencies compared looks at this group.

Traditional SEO agencies adding AI

Some have strong technical and content skills; others have simply renamed old services. Ask what has changed in their process.

Seven Questions to Ask

1. Which AI assistants do you monitor, and how often?
2. Can I see the prompts you track and the raw answers?
3. How do you decide which prompts matter for my business?
4. What do you change on my site, and what happens off-site?
5. How do you handle wrong facts in AI answers?
6. What does reporting look like each month?
7. What is the contract length and how do I cancel?

Red Flags

• Guarantees of mentions, top positions or traffic gains by a date. AI answers cannot be controlled.
• Claims of official partnership with OpenAI, Google, Anthropic or Microsoft that give special placement. Such placement is not for sale.
• Offers to insert you into training data. No outside company can do that.
• Fake reviews or forum seeding as part of the plan.
• Vague reporting with no prompt-level detail.

Comparing Prices Fairly

Compare like with like. A €99 monthly tool and a multi-thousand-euro agency retainer are different services. Work out what one extra customer is worth to you, and ask what volume of prompts, content and reporting each price includes. Short trials or monthly plans reduce your risk.

Run a Small Test

Before committing, pick 20 prompts and record today’s answers yourself. Share them with shortlisted providers and ask each how they would approach the gaps. Their answers will tell you more than any ranking.

Check the Provider’s Own Visibility

A fair test: ask a few assistants about the provider itself. Does it describe them accurately? Do they practise the consistency they preach on their own site and profiles? This is not proof of skill, but a messy presence is a warning sign. Also read their content. Providers who explain the limits of AI search honestly tend to set better expectations in client work.

If you lean toward agency help, see our page on hiring an AI optimization agency.

Where Keboost Fits

Keboost is a software platform. It tracks the prompts your customers ask across AI models, shows where you and your competitors appear, and creates and distributes focused content so assistants can find and cite you. Plans are €29 and €99 per month, cancel anytime (see pricing). We do not guarantee placements, because no one honestly can. Run a free AI visibility check to start your own test.