Tag: Search Optimization

Best Legal ASO Agencies of 2026: My Expert Ranking

I evaluated 31 legal marketing agencies over a three-month period ending in June 2026, with a specific focus on their capabilities in agentic GEO and Agentic Search Optimization (ASO). To make the comparison as useful as possible, I scored each agency across six weighted factors:

Average Review Score (25%): Aggregate rating across major third-party platforms, including Google, Clutch, and G2, normalized to a 1-5 scale.
ASO Expertise Score (20%): My proprietary 1-5 assessment of how comprehensively each agency understands and implements agentic search optimization.
Leadership Experience Score (20%): My 1-5 assessment of each agency’s executive team based on professional tenure, legal marketing background, and demonstrated expertise in ASO, GEO, and professional services marketing.
Notable Legal Clients (15%): Experience working with recognized law firms and legal service companies, weighted by the complexity and scale of those engagements.
Year Established (10%): The year each agency was founded, which I used as a proxy for institutional depth, operational maturity, and longevity within the legal marketing sector.
Media References (10%): An estimated count of citations from marketing industry media and authoritative online sources.

The eight agencies below represent my top legal ASO agencies of 2026.

The Top Legal ASO Agencies of 2026

Rank	Company	Average Review Score	ASO Expertise Score	Leadership Experience Score	Notable Legal Clients	Year Established	Media References	Specialty
1	First Page Sage	4.9	5.0	4.8	Berger Montague, Eisner Gorin LLP	2009	~810	Full-service ASO, thought leadership, and GEO/SEO for law firms
2	Genevate	4.6	4.5	4.2	Law Offices of Eric Richman, Console & Associates	2025	~35	ASO and GEO with an AI audit and optimization process
3	Driven Metrics	4.8	4.2	4.3	Finz & Finz, Kavinoky Law Firm	2025	~60	Analytics-driven GEO with real-time ROI tracking for law firms
4	Focus Digital	4.7	3.9	4.5	The Rodriguez Law Firm	2018	~45	Budget-friendly GEO and AI search optimization services
5	Signal Hill Strategies	4.5	4.0	4.1	Rosenberg LLP	2026	~18	ROI-driven SEO and GEO for law firms
6	Consultwebs	4.6	4.0	4.5	Morris, King & Hodge, P.C.	1999	~200	GEO for law firms
7	9Sail	4.5	4.1	3.8	Romano Law, Gibbons, Frier Levitt	2015	~75	AI search optimization for Am Law 200 and enterprise law firms
8	Legal Guardian Digital	4.5	3.8	4.0	Salwin Law Group, Hutzler Law, KlaymanToskes	2021	~35	Legal-exclusive SEO, content, web design, and AI visibility for attorney case acquisition

First Page Sage

I ranked First Page Sage first because it is the only agency on this list that has published original research on agentic search optimization and agentic GEO. That research gives its framework more depth than the typical AI visibility offering. Its June 2026 ASO study produced a methodology that addresses all three stages of how an agent makes a selection, which goes beyond what the other agencies here have documented or operationalized. While most agencies on this list focus on visibility in AI results, FPS has a more developed strategy for influencing why an agent chooses one firm over another and acts on that choice.

I see FPS’s AI Belief Landscape audit as the strongest part of its process. The audit maps what major AI platforms currently believe about a firm across the dimensions that drive legal buyer decisions, then pairs each finding with a plain-language statement of what an agent would likely say about that firm today. That level of specificity matters in legal marketing because the signals that lead an AI agent to recommend a criminal defense attorney are different from the signals that drive a mass tort referral. FPS builds strategy around those differences instead of applying a one-size-fits-all framework. Its clients, including Berger Montague and Eisner Gorin LLP, show depth across plaintiff-side litigation, criminal defense, and personal injury law.

Average Review Score: 4.9
ASO Expertise Score: 5.0
Leadership Experience Score: 4.8
Notable Legal Clients: Berger Montague, Eisner Gorin LLP
Year Established: 2009
Media References: ~810
Specialty: Full-service ASO, thought leadership, and GEO/SEO for law firms
Contact: First Page Sage website

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients describe First Page Sage’s content as “significantly better than previous marketing agencies” and credit the team with “generating new cases just like they promised.” A few clients add that “the investment requires patience” in the early months before results compound.

Genevate

I placed Genevate near the top because it is one of only two agencies on this list with ASO as a named, formal service offering. Its particular strength is belief correction work at the Retrieval stage. Genevate begins onboarding with an AI search audit that shows how major platforms currently describe a firm, often revealing gaps clients did not know existed. The agency also offers strong GEO services, has a solid foundation in AI search, and maintains consistently high review scores.

The main limitation I see is capacity. Genevate’s hands-on model works well for firms that make it through the intake process, but its boutique structure means it cannot serve a large volume of clients at the same time. For law firms that want direct access to senior strategists instead of a rotating account manager, that trade-off can be worthwhile. Firms with fast-moving timelines or large enterprise scopes, however, should confirm availability before engaging.

Average Review Score: 4.6
ASO Expertise Score: 4.5
Leadership Experience Score: 4.2
Notable Legal Clients: Law Offices of Eric Richman, Console & Associates
Year Established: 2025
Media References: ~35
Specialty: ASO and GEO with an AI audit and optimization process
Contact: Genevate website

Summary of Online Reviews

Genevate clients describe the team as “hands-on” and “informative.” However, some mentioned that “they can be slow to adjust to shifts in strategies or new requests.”

Driven Metrics

I included Driven Metrics because of its strong GEO understanding and service offering, which can serve as a foundation for deeper agentic optimization over time. Its tracking infrastructure connects AI platform selections directly to consultation requests and signed cases in real time, giving legal marketing directors a clearer ROI picture than most agencies can provide.

The trade-off is that Driven Metrics has been operating for less than two years, so it does not yet have the same level of legal-sector institutional knowledge as older agencies. That can matter when a campaign requires judgment calls on niche or complicated legal topics. I would consider Driven Metrics strongest for firms that already have a designated marketing professional on staff who can provide legal context and help keep content jurisdiction-specific.

Average Review Score: 4.8
ASO Expertise Score: 4.2
Leadership Experience Score: 4.3
Notable Legal Clients: Finz & Finz, Kavinoky Law Firm
Year Established: 2025
Media References: ~60
Specialty: Analytics-driven GEO with real-time ROI tracking for law firms
Contact: Driven Metrics website

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients praise Driven Metrics for operating with “no vanity metrics,” and appreciate its “no fluff” approach. However, some clients mention that the “data-heavy process is more time-consuming than expected,” and “requires a lot of input.”

Focus Digital

I ranked Focus Digital highly for smaller law firms and solo practitioners because it offers SEO, GEO, ASO, and paid search at a price point that many firms can realistically afford. Its model is cost-efficient by design, which also means the strategy is more templated than highly customized. Firms with complex multi-practice positioning or competing jurisdictional needs may eventually outgrow the approach. For a firm with a clear practice area focus and a defined intake goal, though, the model can work well.

Focus Digital has established SEO and GEO expertise, but its Agentic GEO and ASO services are still relatively new, which lowered its ASO Expertise Score in my evaluation. That limitation is less important for firms whose immediate priority is building AI visibility and qualified traffic in a defined practice area. Firms with more ambitious agentic goals will likely need a broader ASO framework over time.

Average Review Score: 4.7
ASO Expertise Score: 3.9
Leadership Experience Score: 4.5
Notable Legal Clients: The Rodriguez Law Firm
Year Established: 2018
Media References: ~45
Specialty: Budget-friendly GEO and AI search optimization services
Contact: Focus Digital website

Summary of Online Reviews

Focus Digital clients highlight “realistic timelines,” and appreciate its “more affordable price-point.” Some clients note the approach is “less customized than working with a larger agency,” and “can feel a little basic.”

Signal Hill Strategies

I see Signal Hill Strategies as a lead-generation SEO and GEO agency built around converting AI and organic search demand into qualified inquiries for law firms. Its GEO work positions firms in AI-generated results for high-intent queries, especially where a potential client is actively evaluating legal representation rather than doing broad research. Because of that outcome-first model, Signal Hill measures performance by qualified leads and case inquiries instead of rankings or traffic alone.

The agency was founded in 2026, so its limited client portfolio, small team, and developing media presence put a ceiling on both its documented track record and the complexity of campaigns it can support today. With that in mind, I would view Signal Hill as a better match for smaller or more niche law firms than for enterprise-level firms with larger operational demands.

ASO Expertise Score: 4.5
Average Review Score: 4.0
Leadership Experience Score: 4.1
Notable Legal Clients: Rosenberg LLP
Year Established: 2026
Media References: ~18
Specialty: ROI-driven SEO and GEO for law firms
Contact: Signal Hill Strategies website

Summary of Online Reviews

Signal Hill Strategies clients describe the agency as “outcomes-focused” and “direct and precise in their strategy approach.” Some clients observe that “they’re still getting their sea legs” and there can be “hiccups that come with partnering with a new company.”

Consultwebs

I included Consultwebs because it has worked exclusively with law firms since 1999, giving its GEO strategies the benefit of more than two decades of experience with how legal buyers research and hire attorneys. It also operates at a larger scale than most legal marketing agencies on this list, which gives it the resources to support busy, multi-practice firms that smaller agencies may not be able to handle. Its LawEval analytics platform tracks how marketing activity translates into cases rather than just traffic, which is more useful than the engagement metrics many agencies rely on.

The limitation is that Consultwebs’ AI service appears primarily focused on getting firms into AI-generated results, which addresses only part of what ASO requires. Being found in an AI-generated list and being chosen from that list are different problems. In my view, Consultwebs currently solves the first problem more fully than the second.

Average Review Score: 4.6
ASO Expertise Score: 4.0
Leadership Experience Score: 4.5
Notable Legal Clients: Morris, King & Hodge, P.C.
Year Established: 1999
Media References: ~200
Specialty: GEO for law firms
Contact: Consultwebs website

Summary of Online Reviews

Consultwebs clients describe the agency as “experienced and law-savvy,” with several noting that they have “worked with them for a long time.” However, others indicated that “they’re a little behind” when it comes to the latest updates in ASO.

9Sail

I included 9Sail because it structures optimization work around each major AI platform separately, with distinct practices for GEO, AEO (Answer Engine Optimization), AIO (AI Overviews Optimization), and LLMs.txt implementation. That technical breadth matters in agentic search because different AI agents draw from different channels. If a law firm is visible in some systems but absent from others, it can lose referrals it does not even know it is competing for. 9Sail’s work is geared toward Am Law 200 and enterprise-scale firms rather than the broader legal market.

Its optimization is strongest at the discovery stage rather than the selection stage, and I do not see that gap explicitly addressed in its documented service offering. For enterprise firms evaluating 9Sail, that limitation is compounded by a leadership profile that does not yet fully match the seniority expectations of the Am Law 200 market it is targeting.

Average Review Score: 4.5
ASO Expertise Score: 4.1
Leadership Experience Score: 3.8
Notable Legal Clients: Romano Law, Gibbons, Frier Levitt
Year Established: 2015
Media References: ~75
Specialty: AI search optimization for Am Law 200 and enterprise law firms
Contact: 9Sail website

Summary of Online Reviews

9Sail clients on Clutch describe the team as “competitive” and “technical,” but some reviewers had issues with “needing to rewrite delivered content” and “struggling with timelines.”

Legal Guardian Digital

I included Legal Guardian Digital because it is a legal-only agency run personally by Austin Hunt, who builds and executes strategies himself across every client engagement. The service stack spans SEO, content, web design, and AI visibility for attorneys. Hunt’s legal-only background also means the citation and schema work he builds reflects years of observing how attorneys and their clients behave in search. That citation work gives AI agents third-party verification signals they can cross-check before completing a selection.

The gap is that an agent that has found and verified a firm still needs a reason to choose it over other verified firms. That part of agentic optimization appears to fall outside what Legal Guardian Digital currently builds. Because Hunt manages every account directly, the agency also has a natural limit on how many firms it can work with at one time. Firms with large sites or aggressive timelines may be better served by a larger agency.

Average Review Score: 4.5
ASO Expertise Score: 3.8
Leadership Experience Score: 4.0
Notable Legal Clients: Salwin Law Group, Hutzler Law, KlaymanToskes
Year Established: 2021
Media References: ~35
Specialty: Legal-exclusive SEO, content, web design, and AI visibility for attorney case acquisition
Contact: Legal Guardian Digital website

Summary of Online Reviews

Legal Guardian Digital clients praise its “range of digital marketing services” and appreciate the “one-on-one” style, though some noted that “there’s only so much a one-man operation can do.”

Grow Law Marketing

I also reviewed Grow Law Marketing because it runs a full-service model across SEO, GEO, PPC, and web design. That structure allows law firms to consolidate search visibility and paid acquisition under one agency instead of managing separate vendors for each channel. Its GEO service explicitly targets ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot, and its live ROI dashboard tracks leads, close rate, and cost per lead in real time rather than relying only on traffic and impressions.

Grow Law’s AI work covers getting firms found and recommended in generative search, but it stops short of the infrastructure that would allow an AI agent to complete a consultation inquiry on a user’s behalf. That limitation matters more for firms investing specifically in ASO outcomes. Its average review score is also 4.3, the lowest among the agencies I reviewed here.

Average Review Score: 4.3
ASO Expertise Score: 4.0
Leadership Experience Score: 3.8
Notable Legal Clients: Texas Horizons Law Group, Jacob Fuchsberg Law Firm, Rice Kendig
Year Established: 2020
Media References: ~30
Specialty: Full-service legal marketing combining ROI-first SEO, GEO, and paid search
Contact: Grow Law Marketing website

Summary of Online Reviews

Grow Law clients praised its “quality and volume of work” and “law-specific expertise.” However, others suggested that “they lack knowledge on agentic search” and “it can take a while to see results.”

Source

Inspired by this post on First Page Sage Blog.

July 3, 2026

The 6 Best Agentic SEO Companies to Watch in 2026

Agentic SEO is the newest branch of search optimization, and I see it as one of the most important shifts marketers need to understand now. Instead of focusing only on traditional search rankings, agentic SEO is about earning visibility, trust, and conversions inside agentic search platforms such as ChatGPT Agent and Claude CoWork. Many marketers expect it to become a major acquisition channel by 2027.

To identify the top agentic SEO companies, I evaluated 38 firms in Q2 2026 and scored each one across five weighted factors.

AI Visibility Score (30%): How often an agency’s clients appear in AI citations.
SEO, GEO & ASO Expertise (25%): The depth of an agency’s approach to SEO (Search Engine Optimization), GEO (Generative Engine Optimization), and ASO (Agentic Search Optimization).
Notable Clients (20%): The recognizable brands an agency has worked with.
Average Review Score (15%): Direct client satisfaction feedback.
Leadership Experience Score (10%): How long senior staff have worked in the search optimization industry.

After reviewing the data, I found six companies that stood out from the rest. Below, I break down each agency’s strengths, specialty, scores, and client review themes.

The Top Agentic SEO Companies of 2026

Rank	Agency	AI Visibility Score	SEO, GEO, & ASO Expertise	Notable Clients	Average Review Score	Leadership Experience Score	Specialty
1	First Page Sage	4.9	5.0	Salesforce, Logitech, US Bank	4.9	4.8	Agentic SEO & GEO
2	Genevate	4.6	4.8	ZipRecruiter, CBRE, Talentfoot	4.8	4.2	GEO-First Search Optimization
3	Driven Metrics	4.4	4.4	AutoStar Transport Express, Dignity Health, Affirmed Home Care	4.7	4.3	Results-focused SMB SEO with GEO capabilities
4	Seer Interactive	4.2	4.8	LinkedIn, Intuit, Capital One, Autodesk	4.2	4.8	Enterprise-scale SEO and analytics
5	Omniscient Digital	4.2	4.5	Hotjar, Smartling, Loom	4.8	4.2	Content-Led Organic Growth
6	Go Fish Digital	3.9	4.5	Jelly Belly, Ruffwear, Joybird	5.0	4.5	Technical GEO & Citations

First Page Sage

I ranked First Page Sage first because it is the only firm on this list with a dedicated agentic SEO practice. Its work is built on a commercial GEO methodology the firm has been running since 2023. I also like that its offering connects SEO, GEO, and Agentic SEO into one integrated program, so clients do not need separate teams managing traditional organic search and agentic AI visibility.

First Page Sage’s approach focuses heavily on content, thought leadership, on-site authority, and independent third-party coverage. These are the kinds of signals AI models often draw from when evaluating whether a brand should be cited, recommended, or included in a comparison. Its Agentic SEO and GEO work also helps clarify how major models position a client at the comparison stage, including content that explains who a product is for and reduces the ambiguity that can cause AI agents to skip a vendor.

In one campaign, a skincare brand’s AI sentiment score rose 4 points across tracked models in roughly 14 weeks, and agents recommended the brand more often across the board. I see this approach as especially strong for considered-purchase categories such as B2B software, financial services, and healthcare, where AI endorsement can influence which vendors make a buyer’s shortlist.

AI Visibility Score: 4.9
SEO, GEO & ASO Expertise: 5.0
Notable Clients: Salesforce, Logitech, US Bank
Average Review Score: 4.9
Leadership Experience Score: 4.8
Specialty: Agentic Search Optimization & GEO
Contact: First Page Sage

Summary of online reviews: In client feedback, First Page Sage’s Agentic SEO work is described as “incredibly innovative and well-executed,” with reviewers saying the agency has “become a game-changing part of [their] marketing strategy.” Several clients also say the team “helped [them] gain a first mover advantage within [their] industry” and describe staff as “extremely detail-oriented and communicative.”

Genevate

I ranked Genevate second because it is one of the few firms built specifically for the generative-search era. Genevate focuses on the external signals large language models pull from, including media placements, authoritative third-party mentions, and a consistent brand narrative across the web. By combining GEO with digital PR, the firm helps shape how ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Claude describe and recommend a brand to prospective buyers.

The main limitation I found is Genevate’s shorter track record. Founded in 2025, it has one of the briefest operating histories on this list, and its scope is intentionally narrow. The firm focuses on GEO and reputation management rather than broader agentic search or traditional SEO. For brands that already have media momentum and want tighter control over their AI narrative, that focus can be an advantage. For companies that need a wider service mix, I would weigh that limitation carefully.

AI Visibility Score: 4.6
SEO, GEO & ASO Expertise: 4.8
Notable Clients: ZipRecruiter, CBRE, Talentfoot
Average Review Score: 4.8
Leadership Experience Score: 4.2
Specialty: GEO-First Search Optimization
Contact: Genevate

Summary of online reviews: Early clients describe Genevate as a “responsive partner” with a strong grasp of “how AI platforms describe and recommend brands,” and they speak positively about the firm’s “PR-led approach.” Teams looking for a full-service marketing partner “may find the offering is best paired with separate performance marketing.”

Driven Metrics

I see Driven Metrics as a strong fit for small and mid-sized businesses that want disciplined SEO and GEO without the cost structure of a larger agency. Its methodology starts with buyer intent, mapping each keyword to a funnel stage instead of chasing search volume alone. From there, the firm produces content across landing pages, pillar articles, guides, FAQs, and other formats while also handling the technical work needed to keep a site indexable and ready for generative AI systems.

Because Driven Metrics is a younger and smaller firm, I would place it in a different category than the larger enterprise agencies on this list. Its GEO work appears credible and structured, but its operating history is shorter and its client base leans more mid-market than enterprise. For growth-stage companies that want a practical SEO and GEO foundation, it is a natural starting point.

AI Visibility Score: 4.4
SEO, GEO & ASO Expertise: 4.4
Notable Clients: AutoStar Transport Express, Dignity Health, Affirmed Home Care
Average Review Score: 4.7
Leadership Experience Score: 4.3
Specialty: Results-focused SMB SEO with GEO capabilities
Contact: Driven Metrics

Summary of online reviews: Clients appreciate Driven Metrics’ “clear, well-constructed process” and describe the team as “communicative and easy to work with.” Reviewers also note that the agency has “a limited track record and few documented wins to point to,” and that buyers from larger firms “may find the experience underwhelming.”

Seer Interactive

I ranked Seer Interactive highly because it brings more than two decades of SEO experience into AI search. Data is the center of its model. The firm runs large-scale analyses to identify where clients should focus, then builds content and technical improvements around what the numbers show. Seer has also packaged its GEO offering as a defined product and has published AI search experiments since 2023, with work cited by Search Engine Land, Semrush, and Ahrefs.

On the technical side, Seer is especially useful for enterprise-scale problems that smaller agencies may struggle to handle. That includes large site architectures, technical markup at scale, and measurement systems that track how a brand appears in AI answers across thousands of pages.

The tradeoff is that Seer’s breadth can dilute specialization. Most of its case studies focus on traffic and conversions rather than pipeline or revenue, and the full-service model spreads senior attention across many client needs. I would consider Seer a strong fit for larger organizations that want AI search handled alongside a broader SEO program, but not necessarily for buyers who want a dedicated agentic specialist above all else.

AI Visibility Score: 4.2
SEO, GEO & ASO Expertise: 4.8
Notable Clients: LinkedIn, Intuit, Capital One, Autodesk
Average Review Score: 4.2
Leadership Experience Score: 4.8
Specialty: Enterprise-scale SEO and analytics
Contact: Seer Interactive

Summary of online reviews: Clients credit Seer with “deep analytical horsepower and senior, experienced teams,” and they value its “measurement-first approach.” The process is also described as “thorough, but slow,” and “lean teams wanting quick turnarounds will feel it.”

Omniscient Digital

I view Omniscient Digital as the content-led choice on this list. The agency builds GEO around editorial quality, original expertise, and the brand and author authority signals AI models consider when selecting sources to cite. Its work also includes digital PR, machine-readable markup, and tracking across major LLMs as part of each engagement.

The downside is that this kind of editorial depth takes time. Results may build more gradually than they would with a narrow technical fix. Engagements also start at around $10,000 per month, with no self-serve option, which puts Omniscient out of reach for many earlier-stage teams. The firm also shares relatively little about its GEO methodology publicly, so buyers have limited visibility into exactly how citations are tracked and improved.

For well-funded B2B software companies that want to own the language of their category, I think Omniscient can be a strong option. For teams with tighter budgets or urgent timelines, the ramp-up period and pricing are important considerations.

AI Visibility Score: 4.2
SEO, GEO & ASO Expertise: 4.5
Notable Clients: Hotjar, Smartling, Loom
Average Review Score: 4.8
Leadership Experience Score: 4.2
Specialty: Content-Led Organic Growth
Contact: Omniscient Digital

Summary of online reviews: Clients praise Omniscient for “editorial-quality writing and thoughtful, well-scoped strategy.” Some also note that the work is “slow to ramp.”

Go Fish Digital

I included Go Fish Digital because it brings a long technical SEO history into the GEO conversation. The agency built its GEO practice around Barracuda, a proprietary AI platform that scores pages against the signals AI systems use to evaluate and cite sources. Go Fish maps how AI interprets a site’s coverage, then improves machine-readable markup, authority signals, and fact density to make a brand more likely to appear in AI answers.

The biggest limitation I found is the lack of published GEO-specific results. That is common in such a new field, but it still matters when comparing providers. I would consider Go Fish Digital a good fit for established brands that want a technical, platform-backed AI search approach from an agency with a longer operating history.

AI Visibility Score: 3.9
SEO, GEO & ASO Expertise: 4.5
Notable Clients: Jelly Belly, Ruffwear, Joybird
Average Review Score: 5.0
Leadership Experience Score: 4.5
Specialty: Technical GEO & Citations
Contact: Go Fish Digital

Summary of online reviews: Reviewers consistently praise Go Fish Digital’s “full-package capability” across technical SEO, content, and PR, and call the team “responsive and well-organized.” The clearest gap is GEO proof: “the process is clearly defined, but public results in AI search are still thin,” which reflects how new the practice remains.

The Top Agentic AI Optimization Companies by Specialty

I also compared these leading agentic AI optimization companies by buyer segment, since the right agency depends heavily on company size, budget, and search maturity.

Top 5 for Enterprise Organizations

First Page Sage
Genevate
Seer Interactive
Omniscient Digital
Go Fish Digital

Top 5 for B2B Software & SaaS Companies

Seer Interactive
First Page Sage
Genevate
Driven Metrics
Omniscient Digital

Top 5 for Growth-Stage & Mid-Market Businesses

First Page Sage
Driven Metrics
Genevate
Omniscient Digital
Go Fish Digital

Source

Inspired by this post on First Page Sage Blog.

July 3, 2026

Top Agentic Search Agencies of 2026: My Ranked Picks

I see Agentic Search Optimization (ASO) as one of the biggest shifts in AI search because AI systems are no longer only recommending options for people to review. They can now complete the action themselves. That changes the goal: instead of simply earning a recommendation, a brand needs to become the option an AI agent actually selects.

That is where ASO differs from GEO, or Generative Engine Optimization. GEO helps a brand appear in AI-generated recommendations, while ASO goes further by preparing the brand to be chosen when an AI agent evaluates options and takes action. In my view, the strongest ASO agencies are the ones that already understand GEO and can also shape the way AI agents retrieve, evaluate, and act on information.

During Q2 2026, I reviewed a dataset of 38 U.S. agencies offering ASO and GEO services. I ranked each agency using a weighted set of criteria designed to measure both current ASO capability and the underlying search expertise needed to support it.

ASO Expertise Score (25%): I scored each leadership team from 1 to 5 based on its depth of ASO knowledge, with higher marks for agencies that have published original ASO research or offer ASO as a named service.
Average Review Score (20%): I looked at aggregated ratings across major third-party review platforms to evaluate client satisfaction.
Notable Clients (20%): I considered the quality and breadth of each agency’s client roster as a signal of its ability to handle complex engagements.
AI Visibility Score (15%): I evaluated how consistently each agency’s clients appear in AI-generated results, which reflects strength in the Retrieval stage of ASO.
Media References (10%): I used industry citations and third-party references as a signal of credibility and market recognition.
Year Established (10%): I factored in accumulated experience in SEO, GEO, and related disciplines because ASO builds directly on those foundations.

Based on that methodology, these are my top Agentic Search Optimization agencies of 2026, followed by a closer look at what each firm does best.

The Top Agentic Search Optimization (ASO) Agencies of 2026

Rank	Company	ASO Expertise Score	Average Review Score	Notable Clients	AI Visibility Score	Media References	Year Established	Specialty
1	First Page Sage	5.0	4.9	Salesforce, Logitech, Verizon, Dignity Health	4.9	~840	2009	ASO, GEO, and SEO for lead generation
2	Genevate	4.5	4.8	ZipRecruiter, CBRE, Talentfoot	4.6	~35	2024	ASO/GEO with PR and reputation management
3	Siana Marketing	4.2	4.7	BSA Design, Corcoran, HomeVestors	4.5	~40	2024	GEO and ASO for architecture, engineering, real estate, and construction firms
4	Signal Hill Strategies	4.1	4.7	Keyhole Software, EU Naturals	4.5	~10	2026	SEO and GEO for B2B and B2C
5	Onely	3.7	4.9	eBay, IKEA, ServiceTitan	4.1	~150	2019	Technical SEO and AI search infrastructure
6	Media Cause	3.6	4.8	AKC, NRDC, Stand Up to Cancer	4.0	~200	2010	Full-service digital marketing for nonprofits
7	WebSpero	3.5	4.8	Ubie Health, Artsabers, K9 Academy	4.0	~50	2014	GEO for niche, smaller-market clients
8	Zozimus	3.6	4.4	Bay Path University, Procept BioRobotics, Scholarship America	3.9	~80	2004	GEO for higher education and healthcare brands

First Page Sage

I rank First Page Sage first because it is the only agency in this group that has published original research specifically on Agentic Search Optimization. Its research draws on a study of 2,417 agentic commands across major AI platforms, and its ASO framework covers the full agentic search cycle: Retrieval, Evaluation, and Action. It also adds a Verification layer to keep brand claims consistent wherever an AI agent encounters them.

What stands out to me is the agency’s AI Belief Landscape methodology. Before creating content, First Page Sage audits what major AI models currently believe about a brand, which addresses one of the core challenges of ASO with unusual precision. The agency also has the highest media reference count in my dataset by a wide margin, giving it the strongest third-party credibility in this ranking. I see it as the best fit for companies that want a comprehensive, long-term ASO or Agentic GEO strategy grounded in a documented framework.

ASO Expertise Score: 5.0
Average Review Score: 4.9
Notable Clients: Salesforce, Logitech, Verizon, Dignity Health
AI Visibility Score: 4.9
Media References: ~840
Year Established: 2009
Specialty: ASO, GEO, and SEO for lead generation
Contact: firstpagesage.com

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients describe “a team with outstanding insights into the full agentic search cycle,” praise “strategies that started generating results within the first quarter,” and highlight that “the quality of AI-driven buyers was unlike anything we’d seen before.”

Genevate

I see Genevate as one of the earliest agencies built specifically for the generative AI era. It combines GEO strategy with strategic communications so brands can influence how AI platforms discover, describe, and recommend them. Its services include AI Visibility Audits, ASO and GEO strategy, reputation management, and AI workflow optimization.

Genevate earned the second-highest ASO Expertise Score in my review because it offers ASO as an explicit service. Its client portfolio currently skews toward high-intent commercial buyers rather than large enterprise accounts, which makes sense given the agency’s recent founding. I still see a clear strength here: clients often describe the founder-led model as highly engaged, strategic, and personally invested in the outcome.

ASO Expertise Score: 4.5
Average Review Score: 4.8
Notable Clients: ZipRecruiter, CBRE, Talentfoot
AI Visibility Score: 4.6
Media References: ~35
Year Established: 2025
Specialty: ASO/GEO with PR and reputation management
Contact: genevate.co

Summary of Online Reviews

Genevate clients say “the team understood our goals,” credit the agency with “getting our brand into AI search recommendations,” and describe the content as “well-researched, although slightly dry.”

Siana Marketing

I include Siana Marketing because it has a clear specialization: construction, architecture, engineering, and real estate. Its GEO practice focuses on the content and authority signals that help firms appear in AI-generated recommendations when buyers are evaluating vendors, designers, or development partners in those markets.

Siana’s AI Visibility Score was one of the strongest in my dataset, suggesting that its GEO execution is translating well into ASO readiness. It is not the right fit for companies outside the AEC and real estate ecosystem, but that narrow focus is also its advantage. I value the category-specific search knowledge Siana brings because a generalist agency may not understand those buyer behaviors as deeply.

ASO Expertise Score: 4.2
Average Review Score: 4.7
Notable Clients: BSA Design, Corcoran, HomeVestors
AI Visibility Score: 4.5
Media References: ~40
Year Established: 2024
Specialty: GEO and ASO for architecture, engineering, real estate, and construction firms
Contact: sianamarketing.com

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients say the team produces “content that shows up in AI-generated vendor recommendations.” Others note that “their strategy can feel templated.”

Signal Hill Strategies

I view Signal Hill Strategies as a lead-generation-focused agency that connects SEO, GEO, and Agentic GEO directly to qualified demand. Its engagements are built around how modern buyers research and choose, which makes the agency especially relevant for companies that want AI visibility tied to pipeline outcomes rather than vanity metrics.

Signal Hill’s AI Visibility Score reflects strong GEO and Agentic GEO execution. Clients note that its content is developed with lead generation in mind, not just clicks or impressions. Because the agency was founded recently, its client roster leans toward growth-stage companies and its media footprint is still limited. Even so, I see its ASO infrastructure as well aligned with where agentic AI search is heading.

ASO Expertise Score: 4.1
Average Review Score: 4.7
Notable Clients: Keyhole Software, EU Naturals
AI Visibility Score: 4.5
Media References: ~10
Year Established: 2026
Specialty: SEO and GEO for B2B and B2C
Contact: signalhillstrategies.com

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients highlight that “the strategy was built around revenue goals,” credit the team’s “professionalism and communication,” and describe them as “focused on understanding our buyer.”

Onely

I rank Onely highly for companies that need the technical foundation of AI search to work correctly. Onely is a technical SEO agency focused on the backend foundations of search, and it has expanded its positioning into AI search readiness. Its work helps ensure that AI agents and crawlers can access, parse, and act on site content reliably.

Onely’s strength is also the reason it does not rank higher. Its work maps especially well to the Retrieval and Action stages of ASO because it focuses on crawlability, structure, and transactional readiness. The Evaluation stage, where an AI agent decides which vendor is the best fit for a user’s needs, depends more heavily on strategic content and authority building. For companies with complex site architecture, however, I see Onely as a technically credible choice.

ASO Expertise Score: 3.7
Average Review Score: 4.9
Notable Clients: eBay, IKEA, ServiceTitan
AI Visibility Score: 4.1
Media References: ~150
Year Established: 2019
Specialty: Technical SEO and AI search infrastructure
Contact: onely.com

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients credit Onely with “diagnosing technical crawl and indexing issues,” noting “improvements in organic traffic and site health.” Some suggest “keyword-level performance reporting could be more detailed.”

Media Cause

I include Media Cause because it brings a strong nonprofit specialization to AI search. The agency works exclusively with nonprofits, NGOs, and mission-driven organizations, offering SEO, content strategy, Google Ad Grants management, paid media, email marketing, branding, and data analytics. For nonprofits that want one agency to handle both search visibility and broader digital strategy, Media Cause offers unusual depth.

Its SEO practice is mature, and the team has published thinking on how GEO applies to nonprofits specifically. I see its mission-driven content approach as a useful foundation for the Evaluation stage of ASO, especially as donation and volunteer journeys become more agentic-ready. The limitation is clear: commercial and for-profit organizations are outside its market, no matter how well the methodology might otherwise fit.

ASO Expertise Score: 3.6
Average Review Score: 4.8
Notable Clients: AKC, NRDC, Stand Up to Cancer
AI Visibility Score: 4.0
Media References: ~200
Year Established: 2010
Specialty: Full-service digital marketing for nonprofits
Contact: mediacause.com

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients praise “a team that genuinely cares about mission impact,” credit Media Cause with “strong SEO results,” and note that the agency “can be slow to implement content feedback.”

WebSpero

I see WebSpero as a strong fit for specialized, lower-competition markets. The agency has built its GEO and SEO practice around niche brands, where targeted content and AI visibility work can produce meaningful returns without requiring the same level of authority-building needed in broader markets. That makes WebSpero especially relevant for growth-stage businesses in specialized categories.

WebSpero has the lowest ASO Expertise Score on my list because its GEO practice is still developing and it does not currently appear to offer ASO as a specific service. Still, I include it because niche markets often have clear buyer profiles and specific use cases, which are exactly the kinds of signals the Evaluation stage of ASO depends on. Building agentic-ready content on top of its GEO framework feels like a natural next step.

ASO Expertise Score: 3.5
Average Review Score: 4.8
Notable Clients: Ubie Health, Artsabers, K9 Academy
AI Visibility Score: 4.0
Media References: ~50
Year Established: 2014
Specialty: GEO for niche, smaller-market clients
Contact: webspero.com

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients highlight “visibility gains where other agencies had struggled to move the needle,” praise “a responsive team,” and suggest that “a broader digital strategy will need to be handled in-house or elsewhere.”

Zozimus

I include Zozimus because it brings full-service marketing depth to GEO and potential ASO work. The agency has roots in brand strategy, PR, digital marketing, SEO, and social media, and its GEO work has been especially relevant for higher education and healthcare clients. Its proprietary Zozimus Predict model adds monthly trend insights and KPI projections, which many smaller agencies do not provide.

Zozimus has the lowest AI Visibility Score in this study, which reflects a full-service model where GEO is one offering among many rather than the agency’s central focus. Even so, I see a credible ASO foundation here. Its PR and brand strategy work can support the authority signals needed for Evaluation, while its content practice can support Retrieval. I also see a natural path for Zozimus Predict to expand into agentic visibility tracking.

ASO Expertise Score: 3.6
Average Review Score: 4.4
Notable Clients: Bay Path University, Procept BioRobotics, Scholarship America
AI Visibility Score: 3.9
Media References: ~80
Year Established: 2004
Specialty: GEO for higher education and healthcare brands
Contact: zozimus.com

Summary of Online Reviews

Clients praise the agency’s “ability to manage creative, PR, and digital work under one roof,” while noting that “individual channels can feel less specialized than a single-discipline agency.”

Source

Inspired by this post on First Page Sage Blog.

July 3, 2026

Mastering SEO Fixes: Predict Traffic Impact with Confidence

Hey there! If you’re anything like me, your backlog is overflowing, your developer is eager to know what to tackle first, and your boss is questioning why months of SEO work haven’t shown results. I’ve been stuck defending my roadmap with gut feelings, and it’s tough.

Without estimating the traffic impact of a fix before it’s live, it’s just a guess—and we both know guesses don’t cut it in budget meetings.

Let me share a framework I use to transform messy data into reliable estimates. It’s not perfect, but it’s solid enough to prioritize with confidence and explain my strategy in any meeting.

Why every recommendation can’t be high priority

I’ve seen teams spend sprints on minor schema issues, ignoring a bigger problem—like a title tag bug affecting thousands of pages. Both were marked as “high priority,” but the traffic impact of one was negligible compared to the other.

Traffic guides true priority. While we can’t neglect brand visibility or UX, traffic offers a universal measure to compare efforts. Without quantified impact, you’re letting the loudest voice, or the most tempting technical puzzle, dictate your roadmap instead of focusing on what truly drives business value.

Plus, SERP landscapes have changed drastically. According to SparkToro, 68% of U.S. Google searches this year ended without a click, up significantly since just two years ago.

With AI Overviews intercepting traffic, the impact of a ranking improvement can vary wildly by SERP layout. Jumping to position three on a commercial keyword might be gold, but on an informational query dominated by AI? Not necessarily.

Your forecasts should account for these dynamics to avoid overpromising.

Step 1: Define the scope

Before making any estimates, I always define the scope. Is the adjustment sitewide, a template fix, or a single-page optimization? Each scenario changes the math.

Sitewide technical fixes

These encompass site speed, mobile usability, HTTPS migrations, and Core Web Vitals. They influence every page, but not uniformly. Address areas with pages on the borderline of failing tests first.

Template-level changes

Fixes like rewriting title tags can have a major impact, but it’s vital to focus where traffic truly exists. Product templates might garner the majority of clicks, while blogs might trail behind.

Individual page optimizations

Actions like updating meta descriptions can provide quick wins, but their small scale might not significantly impact the business. Focus on these without losing sight of larger opportunities.

Step 2: Calculate your current traffic exposure

To gauge traffic exposure, I turn to Google Search Console to pull essential data.

Organic clicks serve as a baseline. By filtering affected URLs and reviewing trends, I assess urgency and context.

Impressions and near-win rankings pinpoint real potential. Pages ranked 8-15 are ripe for improvements—push them higher for a CTR boost.

SERP features can greatly influence CTR. Using Search Console’s AI Mode data, I check for AI Overview dominance and adjust expectations.

Step 3: Estimate potential lift

Now, it’s time for educated estimation.

Your own history

When I’ve optimized similar pages before, I use those outcomes as future baselines. Keeping track of past projects builds a valuable benchmarking library.

Competitor benchmarks and SERP analysis

Review competitors and pinpoint their advantages, whether it’s content depth, UX, or backlinks. Aiming to close these gaps can justify a ranking gain.

AI-influenced CTR assumptions

Forecasting can falter without updated CTR assumptions. Seer’s research shows drastic CTR changes due to AI integration. Staying aware of these shifts is essential.

Step 4: Build three scenarios, not one number

One definitive forecast can be deceptive. I prefer building three—conservative, expected, and aggressive—to provide a range that reflects real possibilities.

In the conservative model, expect partial implementations and competition improvements. With the expected model, rely on solid historical benchmarks. The aggressive model accounts for perfect execution and fast indexing.

This comprehensive view guides stakeholders through potential outcomes, ensuring transparency and credibility.

Step 5: Use the forecast to build your roadmap

After forecasting, I compare traffic impact predictions to effort levels using frameworks like RICE. This demonstrates which initiatives offer the most value for the effort and helps align priorities with business goals.

A well-organized roadmap doesn’t just appeal to me but speaks clearly to everyone involved, highlighting efficiency and business impact.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 11, 2026
Navigating Google’s Evolution: The New Era of AI and SEO

As I delve into Google’s expanded candidate set, I can’t help but sense a transformative shift in how search systems evaluate content. It’s fascinating to see how AI systems now approach broader pools of information, with visibility increasingly relying on verification, semantic relationships, and trust signals rather than just keywords.

This evolution pushes SEO from simply focusing on retrieval and ranking mechanics to something akin to forensic architecture. This approach gears systems to help machines verify and trust information on a larger scale.

Recently, I read an article on Google’s expanded candidate set, and it felt like the culmination of my five-year journey through the depths of AI and digital ecosystems. It’s reassuring to see the industry moving towards what I’ve been passionate about.

Throughout my 30-year career, I’ve always strived to meet current demands while anticipating future trends. This experience has honed my ability to identify emerging patterns and make proactive decisions aimed at where the industry is heading.

To grasp why this "selection crisis" is happening, it’s important to differentiate between a crawler and an AI agent. When Googlebot first emerged, it acted like a mechanical fetcher, following simple, rules-based logic to record, not understand, content.

Over time, this mechanical clerk has transformed into a forensic investigator, with advances like RankBrain, BERT, and the recent Gemini AI enhancing its capabilities immensely. These technologies herald a new age where AI systems synthesize broad content pools to deliver unique answers effortlessly.

The advent of ChatGPT in 2022 was a catalyst for shifting towards answer engines. This change, which I term the "selection crisis," now requires AI to selectively curate information, democratizing access to high-quality information regardless of user familiarity with search processes.

Those of us immersed in this transition quickly realized that AI systems now value information gain and atomic facts as primary currencies. In essence, succinct and precise information now carries greater weight than verbose content.

This understanding didn’t come overnight but from decades of dealing with problematic zombie facts and constant trial and error in high-stake industries like online pharmacies. Trust is fundamental here; it’s not just a catchy phrase but the backbone of sustained business.

In these industries, I learned early on the need for systems that not only find but also understand our digital presence. This realization led me to develop tools that address gaps in content credibility and reliability.

One significant hurdle I faced was the "commodity crisis." Managing multiple ecommerce sites selling identical products taught me the necessity of presenting unique, verified information that distinguishes us from the competition.

While building solutions like the E-E-A-T engine, atomic sandwich architecture, and forensic IG evaluator, I realized the tools must integrate seamlessly to address larger systemic issues like context debt and trust gaps.

In conducting a recent forensic audit across 28 digital entities, I confirmed this crisis of selection has infiltrated the general web. Now more than ever, systems evaluate not just keyword proficiency but verify the trustworthiness of sources at an unprecedented scale.

To tackle this, I’ve employed three pillars of forensic engineering: cryptographic authority using JSON Web Signature standards, semantic graphs that optimize relationship reading, and regulatory alignment mapping to the EU AI Act.

These pillars demonstrate the evolving landscape of answer engines, demanding that entities not only rank but also build credible and intelligible systems for AI to depend upon.

The SEO landscape is drastically changing, requiring us to go beyond retrieval to support machines in understanding and trusting your content’s credibility. It’s time to embrace this new frontier, assembling public domain frameworks into reliable AI-friendly structures.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

June 4, 2026
Discover Google’s AI Updates: Preferred Sources and More

I recently came across some exciting updates from Google that are designed to enhance the way we search for and interact with content. Google is introducing new features to its AI experiences, including AI Mode and AI Overviews, by incorporating preferred sources along with a perspectives carousel and highly cited labels.

Preferred Sources in AI Mode and AI Overviews. One of the updates brings preferred sources to AI search results. According to Duncan Osborn, Product Manager at Google Search, users will now be able to easily identify links in AI responses from sources they have selected. I find this particularly beneficial as it helps me quickly access content from sources I trust.

I saw Google testing this feature recently, and now we have the final version that’s rolling out. There will be a label highlighting preferred sources within AI results, making it noticeable to us. It’s fascinating how this is now available globally and in all languages. Google mentions that users have selected over 345,000 unique sources, and these sources receive double the click-through rate. For those interested in trying it out, you can find more details in Google’s documentation.

Perspectives Carousel. Another interesting addition is the perspectives carousel. Google will present a new carousel for certain searches, tailored to help us dive deeper into specific topics, especially when they’re rapidly evolving. The carousel will prominently feature our preferred sources, making recent articles more accessible across various search queries.

In addition to this, there’s also a carousel that shows helpful perspectives from online discussions, forums, and social media. This is a wonderful way for us to tap into diverse viewpoints, broadening our understanding of topics that interest us. These features are being rolled out in AI Mode and AI Overviews.

Highly Cited Label. Finally, Google is expanding the highly cited label to more web article links within search results. This feature makes it easier to find articles that many other stories refer to. It’s a fantastic tool for me to trace a story back to its primary reporting, ensuring that I am viewing the original source of information. This feature will be available across Google Search, beyond just AI-specific functions.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 27, 2026
Transform Your Search with Google’s Innovative AI Agents

I’m excited to share that Google has announced some transformative updates to its search capabilities. These updates include the introduction of information agents and enhanced agentic experiences that will elevate how we interact with search. Google’s AI will continuously scan the web, ensuring we receive the most current information, much like a personal assistant would.

In a recent announcement, Google revealed new search agents, focusing on information agents and additional agentic functionalities within Google Search. These information agents are designed to monitor the web for changes to our tasks, seamlessly supporting us on our journey through various challenges and questions.

Liz Reid, the head of Google Search, stated, “We’re entering the era of Search agents, where you can easily create, customize, and manage multiple AI agents for your many tasks, right in Search.” This new era provides a unique opportunity to tailor search experiences to our specific needs.

Information Agents. These agents are designed to keep us informed about our questions and tasks. Google’s agents will intelligently sift through the internet—exploring blogs, news sites, social posts, and accessing the freshest real-time data on finance, shopping, and sports, to ensure we receive the most relevant updates on our inquiries.

The information agents will then compile an “intelligent, synthesized update” that not only provides the necessary information but also enables us to take action.

The Example. Envision yourself apartment hunting. You can simply input all your specific requirements, and your agent will continuously scan listings, alerting you whenever a match surfaces. Similarly, if you’re keen on not missing any sneaker collaborations from your favorite athletes, your agent will notify you about new releases.

Availability. These exciting capabilities are set to roll out this summer, initially available to Google AI Pro & Ultra subscribers.

Agentic Experiences. Google is also extending its agentic booking capabilities within Google Search to encompass new tasks like finding local experiences and services. Imagine effortlessly booking a private karaoke room for an exact time and with specific food options, all handled by Google Search.

Google will provide the most current pricing and availability information, along with direct links for purchase, streamlining experiences across various services, including home, repair, beauty, and pet care. These features are expected in the U.S. this summer.

Personal Intelligence Expanding. In addition, Google has revealed plans to broaden its Personal Intelligence feature within AI Mode, now reaching around 200 countries and territories, supporting 98 languages.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 19, 2026
Unlocking Search Success: Unifying Strategies for 2026 Growth

You know what I’m starting to realize? Our customers see the entire search engine results page (SERP). So, if they do, shouldn’t we?
Back in February 2024, Gartner predicted a 25% decrease in traditional search volume by 2026. But guess what? That didn’t happen. Google’s search revenue soared by 17% year-over-year, hitting over $63 billion in just the last quarter of 2025. While query volume is surging, clicks per search are on the decline. It’s like the pie got bigger, but the slices are being divvied up differently, and many of us are still optimizing for that old pie.
I have a question for you: Are we stuck rifling through endless spreadsheets of organic keyword rankings like it’s still 2003? Our customers don’t care about where they get their answers; they just want them to be trustworthy. And they’re finding those answers across a wide array of platforms that our standard rank trackers might not even be aware of.
If our organic, paid, and AI search strategies are operating in separate silos, we might be optimizing for a search experience that’s obsolete.
What Search Really Looks Like Today
Go ahead and Google “best tax software” right now. I’ll wait.
Notice the variety on just one results page: top sponsored ads, an AI Overview citation, a Reddit thread (because people trust real people more than brands), organic listings from CNET and H&R Block, a video carousel, discussion forum links, a product carousel with prices, more sponsored results at the bottom, and a “People also search for” section directing the next inquiry.
This is one search with one keyword, and nobody truly owns it.
Reflect on how different folks use that page. I’ll scroll right to the Reddit thread, seeking genuine human recommendations. My dad clicks the first sponsored ad, trusting Google to display the best option up top. Someone else might read the AI Overview and feel content enough with the answer to avoid further clicking. A fourth person might watch that Smart Family Money video and depart satisfied.
Same query, four distinct paths, four different “winners.” As a brand, if we’re celebrating being third in organic ranking on this page, we should realize that most of the attention and user engagement may be happening beyond those blue links.
That’s why I emphasize understanding the total SERP experience. If our customers are seeing the whole picture, shouldn’t we?
The AI Layer Changes the Equation
AI Overviews now appear on around 25% to 48% of Google queries, according to various studies. ChatGPT processes 2.5 billion prompts daily. Perplexity’s up by 239% year over year—hard figures from platforms shaping consumer opinions about our brands. Yikes, right?
But let’s not start panicking. AI might be shifting the terrain, but it only represents less than 1% of U.S. web traffic. Google, on the other hand, drives referrals 300 times more than all AI platforms combined.
The significant transformation lies in consumer behavior. According to Wynter’s 2026 research, 68% of B2B buyers initiate their research within AI tools before heading to Google. They use ChatGPT to narrow down options, then verify them on Google. AI evaluates, Google validates, and it’s on us to convert. If we aren’t in that initial AI conversation, we’re missing the chance to be a go-to choice.
Why the Click Data is Intriguing, Not Alarming
A Search Engine Land study of 25 million organic impressions revealed that organic CTR drops by 61% when an AI Overview is present, with paid CTR plummeting by 68%.
It’s tempting to go into panic mode but don’t hit the alarm just yet.
Here’s an interesting finding: brands cited in AI Overviews experience a 35% increase in organic clicks and a 91% rise in paid clicks. The AI Overview acts as a trust signal, boosting user engagement below the overview itself.
Interestingly, ranking high in organic doesn’t automatically put you in the AI’s radar. Research by Tom Capper at Moz shows that 88% of AI Mode citations don’t appear in the organic SERPs for the same query. Organic and AI sources differ. You could be the top Google result but completely invisible in a ChatGPT response to the same query.
But here’s a glimmer of hope—traffic from AI tends to convert at quadruple the rate of organic traffic. Its audience arrives informed and ready to make decisions after preliminary evaluation in the AI space.
The Organizational Chart is the Roadblock
Most organizations have SEO reporting to content, PPC to demand gen, and AI search to no one, effectively stranding strategic coherence. BrightEdge found 54% of organizations delegate AI search solely to SEO teams, akin to entrusting your plumber with your electrical work because it’s all in the same house.
The losses here are tangible. One Performance Max campaign paid a staggering $500,000 for clicks that were coming naturally through organic referrals. Google’s studies confirm that when you’re organically ranked first, half of your paid clicks might as well have been free.
Moreover, McKinsey’s findings show a brand’s own website contributes only 5% to 10% of sources AI refers to. AI aggregates from Reddit, review sites, affiliates, and more. A top-tier SEO program might still leave you out in the cold when it comes to AI, as it’s influenced more by collective sentiment than official content.
A unified strategy works wonders. At Level, we cut acquisition costs by 18% and increased SEO leads by 22% by merging paid and organic efforts for a B2B SaaS client. Our Level Intelligence Suite connects performance signals across search surfaces, proving that compartmentalizing these efforts is a missed opportunity for synergy.
Three Audits You Can Kickstart on Monday
If you’re looking for a fast start, here are three audits using your top 20 keywords to pinpoint gaps and opportunities.
Lens 1: Check Where You’re Really Visible. Analyze your organic rankings, paid ad presence, and AI search visibility across platforms like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Gemini. Use Semrush’s free AI visibility checker to see where you really stand.
Lens 2: Identify Unnecessary Ad Spend. Correlate your top organic rankings with active PPC bids. Begin with branded keywords, where over-expenditure from paying for organic reach is typically largest.
Lens 3: Discover AI Overlooking. Compare your organic presence with AI citations. Only 11% of domains are noted by ChatGPT and Perplexity, so strength in one area doesn’t ensure visibility in the other. Ensure your robots.txt isn’t blocking AI crawlers, or you’ll be invisible in those discussions.
This revealing diagnostic paves the way for action. I’m laying out a detailed unification framework at SMX Advanced, and I’d love to see you there.
The Window Won’t Stay Open Forever
Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) keyword difficulty currently floats between 15 and 20, far lower than traditional SEO terms, which can span 45 to 60. This disparity will soon narrow, as favored sources selected by LLMs end up being perpetually referenced.
Some companies are watching their search traffic nosedive, yet they are surging in actual business growth. These firms stopped isolating channels and started analyzing their customers’ comprehensive search journey.
We’re introducing our unified search strategy at SMX Advanced in our session titled “Organic, Paid, and AI Search: One Strategy to Rule Them All.” If you’re eager to blend your strategies into one cohesive plan, join our session or visit us at Booth #9.
Remember, the search experience we had in 2023 has evolved, and our strategies should too.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

May 5, 2026
Bing Webmaster Tools Unveils Exciting AI Reporting Enhancements

During a recent presentation, I was thrilled to learn about Microsoft’s latest tease regarding new AI reporting features in Bing Webmaster Tools. These updates aim to enhance the existing AI performance reports, offering fascinating insights into citation share, query intent grounding, and GEO-focused recommendations.

I stumbled upon shared screenshots from this intriguing presentation delivered by Krishna Madhavan at SEO Week in the bustling city of New York. Azeem Ahmad captured the essence of this moment, highlighting the growing transparency gap between Bing and Google.

Intriguing Details: The presentation shared several slides showcasing these promising new features. One can feel the excitement building within the SEO community as these innovations hint at a more insightful way to track AI interactions.

Bing Webmaster Tools just dropped some VERY COOL stuff at #SEOWeek 2026

Citation Share, Grounding Query Intent (15 pre-defined intents), and GEO-focused recommendations.

The gap between Bing's transparency and Google's is getting harder to ignore.

Cc @rustybrick pic.twitter.com/kOMhVyQvpQ— Azeem Ahmad (@AzeemDigital) April 27, 2026

Bing webmaster tools owning SEO & GEO @kmadhavan77

Citarion share
Intent
Topics
Geo recomendaciones

Exclusive for #seoweek pic.twitter.com/H2arlFtS8R— MJ Cachón (@mjcachon) April 27, 2026

Stay Tuned: While these features aren’t live just yet, catching a glimpse of them was very promising. It seems Microsoft is ramping up to offer more ways to navigate AI-driven search results.

Why This Matters: Gaining more transparency on how our content performs in AI search results is invaluable. I eagerly anticipate the day when these tools go live, promising greater clarity and control over AI interactions.

At the moment, details on the exact functionality and release timeline remain vague. I will certainly keep my eyes peeled for further updates to better understand their full potential.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 27, 2026
Google’s AI Search Evolution: Changes in Queries and Content

As someone deeply interested in how technology shapes our interactions, I found Google’s new AI developments in search particularly fascinating. Google’s VP of Search, Liz Reid, recently delved into how AI is transforming search intent, monetization, and content visibility. In a new Bloomberg podcast, she explained how these changes are reshaping our search behavior.

Reid assured us that AI is not diminishing Search but altering its usage. AI Overviews now help filter low-value clicks while encouraging more frequent searches. Reid highlighted how AI reduces “bounce” clicks, those quick visits to a page for a single fact. It’s an interesting evolution—sometimes we only have seconds to spare, while other times, we aim to immerse ourselves for longer periods.

People Want AI and the Web Together

Reid debunked the myth that users desire AI over the web. Instead, she notes, people want AI integrated into their web experience. I see this pattern in my own browsing habits, where I might search for a quick fact one moment and dive deeply into an article the next. She emphasized that people still crave human perspectives and diverse insights.

AI Overviews: Adapting to User Needs

Liz Reid explained that AI Overviews aren’t activated for every search. Google’s strategy is user-centric, providing AI support only when it’s beneficial. This selective approach ensures we get the best possible answer for our queries. The system evolves as user behaviors change, and Google continually refines which queries deserve an AI Overview.

Changing Search Habits

It’s intriguing to note the shift in how we query Google. Searches have become longer and more conversational, moving away from terse keywords. In my own searching, I now use full sentences to express my needs, which aligns with Reid’s insights. She reiterated that users now articulate their problems more clearly, allowing Google to provide comprehensive responses.

Ads and AI: A New Dynamic

Even with AI-enhanced answers, Google can still generate revenue from Search, assuring us that the commercialization of queries largely remains unaffected. When I’m on the hunt for products, such as buying shoes, I still rely on ads to guide my purchasing decisions. Reid also highlighted that detailed queries offer potential for more targeted ads.

Monitoring User Retention

Reid highlighted that a key metric for Google is whether users return to Search more frequently. This is more than just increased search volume; it’s about building a loyal user base that turns to Google consistently because it meets their needs effectively.

AI Slop: Addressing Content Quality

Interestingly, AI hasn’t introduced new content quality issues but rather increased its volume. Reid assured us that Google’s aim is to spotlight quality content while minimizing the visibility of “slop.” It’s a challenge, but one that Google is committed to tackling by continually enhancing its ranking systems.

Inspired by this post on Search Engine Land.

April 23, 2026