Article
3 May 2026
Why Your SEO Agency Isn't Talking About GEO | LP Consulting
Most SEO agencies aren't optimising for ChatGPT, Claude & Perplexity. Here's why they're ignoring GEO and what it means for your business in 2026.
Why Your SEO Agency Isn't Talking About GEO
40% of searches now happen on AI platforms. Most SEO agencies are still optimising for 2015 Google. Here's why.
THE UNCOMFORTABLE TRUTH:
You're paying an SEO agency to get you found online.
They're optimising your site for Google. Building backlinks. Improving page speed. Tracking keyword rankings.
All valuable. All important.
But they're not talking about the fact that 40% of your potential customers aren't using Google anymore.
They're using ChatGPT. Claude. Perplexity. Google AI Overviews.
And your SEO agency has no strategy for that.
WHY MOST AGENCIES AREN'T OFFERING GEO:
There are 5 reasons. Some understandable. Some inexcusable.
REASON 1: THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT GEO IS
The reality:
Most SEO agencies are still running 2015 playbooks.
Keyword research. On-page optimization. Link building. Technical SEO. Local citations.
These tactics still work for Google. But they don't work the same way for AI platforms.
GEO requires different optimisation:
Entity clarity over keyword density
Citation quality over link quantity
Review recency over backlink age
Structured data for AI extraction
Content formatted for AI citation
Most agencies learned SEO 5 to 10 years ago. They haven't upskilled.
The problem:
You're paying for expertise that's becoming obsolete.
Google still matters. But if your agency isn't also optimising for AI visibility, you're only capturing 60% of your market.
What to ask your agency:
"What's our strategy for appearing on ChatGPT and Claude?"
If they say "We're working on it" or "That's not really a priority yet," they're behind.
REASON 2: THEY CAN'T MEASURE IT YET
The reality:
SEO agencies love metrics. Rankings. Traffic. Conversions. ROI.
GEO is harder to measure. There's no "AI Search Console" showing your ChatGPT rankings.
Agencies have to manually test visibility. Track it in spreadsheets. Build custom dashboards.
Most don't want to do that work.
The problem:
Agencies optimise for what they can measure easily, not what matters most.
Just because GEO metrics aren't as clean as Google Analytics doesn't mean 40% of your market isn't using AI search.
What good agencies do:
They manually test AI visibility weekly. They track:
Which AI platforms cite you
What they say about you
Which competitors appear instead
How visibility changes over time
It's more manual. But it's essential.
What to ask your agency:
"Do you track our visibility on ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity?"
If they say "Not yet, but we're looking into it," they're not prioritising your AI visibility.
REASON 3: IT DOESN'T FIT THEIR SERVICE PACKAGES
The reality:
Most SEO agencies sell standardised packages:
Bronze: £500/month
Silver: £1,000/month
Gold: £2,000/month
Each package includes X keywords, Y blog posts, Z backlinks.
GEO doesn't fit that model. It requires:
Citation building across multiple platforms
Schema implementation
Review automation setup
FAQ content creation
Entity clarity optimisation
Different skillset. Different pricing. Different deliverables.
The problem:
Agencies resist offering services that don't fit their existing infrastructure.
It's easier to keep selling the same SEO packages they've been selling for 5 years than to rebuild their service offering.
What good agencies do:
They adapt. They add GEO services. They train their teams. They update their packages.
Because they know clients who don't optimise for AI search will eventually leave for agencies that do.
What to ask your agency:
"Can you add GEO optimisation to our package?"
If they say "That's not something we offer," start looking for someone who does.
REASON 4: THEY'RE WAITING FOR CLARITY
The reality:
Some agencies know GEO matters. They're just waiting for "best practices" to emerge.
They want research papers. Case studies. Industry consensus on what works.
That's a reasonable approach for agencies that value evidence over experimentation.
The problem:
By the time best practices are documented, first-mover advantage is gone.
Right now, competition for AI visibility is low. Businesses optimising now have 6 to 12 months before it gets crowded.
Agencies waiting for clarity are costing their clients that advantage.
What good agencies do:
They experiment. They test. They optimise based on results.
They don't need academic papers to tell them that businesses with clear entity descriptions and recent reviews get cited more often by AI platforms.
They see it working and they implement it.
What to ask your agency:
"Are you testing GEO strategies for any clients yet?"
If they say "We're monitoring the space," they're waiting. You need someone acting.
REASON 5: THEY'RE PROTECTING THEIR EXISTING REVENUE
The uncomfortable truth:
Some agencies know GEO matters. They're deliberately not offering it.
Why?
Because if they tell clients "40% of searches now happen on AI platforms," clients will ask why they've been paying for Google-only optimisation.
The problem:
Agencies prioritise their revenue over your results.
They'd rather keep selling the same services than admit the market has shifted and their offering needs to evolve.
What good agencies do:
They're honest. They tell clients:
"Google SEO still matters, but we need to add GEO to your strategy. Here's why and here's what it costs."
Clients appreciate honesty. They don't appreciate agencies hiding information to protect monthly retainers.
What to ask your agency:
"What percentage of searches in our industry still happen on Google vs AI platforms?"
If they downplay AI search or can't answer, they're either uninformed or being evasive.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOUR BUSINESS:
Scenario 1: Your agency doesn't offer GEO
You have three options:
Ask them to add it (if they're willing to learn)
Hire a GEO specialist alongside your SEO agency
Switch to an agency that offers both
Scenario 2: Your agency dismisses GEO as a fad
Find a new agency.
An SEO agency that doesn't understand the shift to AI search is like a marketing agency that didn't understand social media in 2010.
They're behind. And you can't afford to be.
Scenario 3: Your agency is already optimising for GEO
Brilliant. You're ahead of most businesses.
Make sure they're tracking results and adjusting strategy based on what's working.
WHAT GOOD GEO OPTIMISATION LOOKS LIKE:
If your agency (or a GEO specialist) is doing this properly, you should see:
Monthly deliverables:
AI visibility reports (where you appear on ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity)
Citation building (new listings on authoritative platforms)
Schema implementation (structured data on your site)
Review generation (automated requests, ongoing volume)
Content optimisation (FAQ sections, citeable content)
Monthly meetings:
Which AI platforms cite you (and which don't)
What they say about you (and how to improve it)
Competitor analysis (who's ranking instead of you)
Strategy adjustments (what to optimize next)
THE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOUR CURRENT AGENCY:
1. "Do you optimise for AI platforms like ChatGPT and Claude?"
If no: Why not? If yes: Show me our current visibility.
2. "What percentage of our target market uses AI search vs Google?"
This tests whether they understand the market shift.
3. "Can you show me where we rank on ChatGPT for our key services?"
If they can't answer, they're not tracking it.
4. "What's our GEO strategy for the next 6 months?"
If they don't have one, they're not prioritizing it.
5. "How do you measure ROI from GEO optimisation?"
If they can't answer, they don't know how to evaluate results.
WHEN TO FIRE YOUR SEO AGENCY:
Red flag 1: They dismiss AI search as unimportant
Red flag 2: They can't explain what GEO is
Red flag 3: They say "We'll look into that eventually"
Red flag 4: They defensive when asked about AI visibility
Red flag 5: They claim SEO and GEO are the same thing (they're not)
WHAT TO DO INSTEAD:
Option 1: Educate your current agency
Send them this article. Ask if they're willing to add GEO to your strategy.
Some agencies will adapt. Some won't.
Option 2: Add a GEO specialist
Keep your SEO agency for Google optimisation. Hire a GEO specialist for AI visibility.
Not ideal (you're paying two agencies), but it works if your SEO agency is otherwise excellent.
Option 3: Switch to an integrated agency
Find an agency that offers both SEO and GEO in one package.
This is the cleanest solution. One strategy. One point of contact. Both channels optimised.
THE BOTTOM LINE:
Your SEO agency isn't talking about GEO for one of five reasons:
They don't know what it is
They can't measure it easily
It doesn't fit their packages
They're waiting for clarity
They're protecting existing revenue
None of these reasons are good for your business.
40% of your market is using AI search. That percentage is growing monthly.
If your agency isn't optimising for it, you need someone who will.
WHAT HAPPENS IF YOU WAIT:
3 months from now:
More businesses start optimising for AI visibility. Competition increases.
6 months from now:
AI search best practices are widely known. First-mover advantage is gone.
12 months from now:
Every business is fighting for AI visibility. It's 10 times harder to rank.
THE WINDOW IS NARROW:
Right now, most UK businesses have no GEO strategy.
Most SEO agencies aren't offering it.
That's your opportunity.
Optimise now while competition is low. Capture AI visibility before everyone else wakes up to this shift.
Your SEO agency should be helping you do that.
If they're not, find someone who will.
Want a Second Opinion on Your SEO Strategy?
We offer free GEO visibility audits. We'll check where you currently rank on ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity, then show you what your SEO agency might be missing.