What Does an AEO Agency Do?
An AEO agency — Answer Engine Optimisation agency — helps businesses optimise their online presence to be accurately cited and recommended by AI tools. Where a traditional SEO agency focuses on Google rankings, an AEO agency focuses on how your organisation appears in AI-generated answers from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Microsoft Copilot, and voice assistants.
The discipline is sometimes called Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), AI search optimisation, or AI visibility optimisation. The terms differ but the practice is the same: ensuring AI tools can accurately identify, understand, and recommend your organisation when users ask relevant questions.
What AEO Services Typically Include
Structured data audit and implementation. JSON-LD schema markup — Organisation, FAQPage, Service, Article, and LocalBusiness schema — is the most direct signal available to AI tools. A credible AEO agency will audit your existing structured data, identify gaps, and implement the correct schema types on the correct pages. This is the foundation of any serious AEO engagement.
FAQ content strategy. Content structured around the specific questions your audiences ask — with those questions as H2 headings followed by direct, complete answers — is the format most likely to be cited in AI-generated responses. An AEO agency will identify the questions your audiences are asking and build a content calendar that answers them authoritatively.
Citation building. AI tools cross-reference information about organisations across multiple sources. The more credible sources confirm consistent factual information about your business, the more accurately and confidently AI tools will describe you. Citation building involves securing listings and mentions in industry directories, sector publications, and credible third-party sources.
AI visibility monitoring and reporting. Unlike traditional SEO where you can track rankings directly, AI visibility requires specialised monitoring tools. Platforms like Profound track how frequently your organisation is cited across major AI tools, what language is used to describe you, and how your visibility compares to competitors. A credible AEO agency will provide regular reporting on these metrics.
What to Look for When Choosing an AEO Agency in Canada
The AEO space is new enough that many agencies use the terminology without the underlying expertise. Ask any potential AEO agency: Can you explain specifically how ChatGPT and Perplexity retrieve information about organisations? What structured data types do you implement and on which pages? How do you measure AI visibility and what tools do you use? Can you show examples of structured data you have implemented for clients?
Agencies that speak in generalities rather than specifics, or that conflate AEO with social media management or content marketing, are unlikely to deliver meaningful AI visibility improvements.
AEO and SEO: Why Integration Matters
The most effective approach treats AEO and SEO as an integrated strategy rather than separate disciplines. The content, technical, and authority signals that improve Google rankings also improve AI visibility. An agency that handles both ensures your investments compound rather than conflict.
Pragmatica provides integrated AEO and SEO services for Canadian nonprofits, healthcare organisations, and purpose-led businesses in Vancouver and Toronto. Learn more about our AEO services or get in touch to discuss your AI visibility strategy.
