How to Choose an SEO Agency & Why You Still Need One for AI Search

Here’s the mistake a lot of businesses are making right now: assuming that AI search has made SEO irrelevant. If anything, it’s raised the stakes.

The competitive world of SEO has only gotten more competitive with the rise of AI search. Google’s AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Microsoft Copilot are changing how people find information — and how your business gets found. As of early 2026, research shows that 60% of online searches end without a click.

That’s a scary statistic. But just because people aren’t clicking doesn’t mean you’re not gaining visibility. If you’re showing up in AI search engines, you’re part of the conversation. And SEO is how you get cited.

Let’s talk about what an SEO agency does, how they help show up in AI search engines, and how to pick the right one for your business.

Why SEO is Still the Foundation of AI Search

We’ve all heard it: “SEO is dead.” But AI search engines don’t generate their answers from nothing. They draw on indexed, crawlable web content — and to decide which sources to trust and cite, they rely on the same authority signals that traditional SEO has always used. Google itself has confirmed that AI Overviews pull from content that would rank well in standard search. Perplexity and ChatGPT similarly prioritize content from authoritative, well-structured, indexed sources.

Here are the main areas to focus on:

• Technical SEO: Page speed, mobile optimization, crawlability, structured data, and error resolution are all part of the infrastructure AI and search engines need to crawl and index your site.
• Content authority: Well-structured, authoritative content built around the topics your audience is actually asking about.
• On-Page SEO: Keywords, content quality, metadata, headings, and internal linking that signal what your pages are about and why they should be trusted.
• Off-Page SEO: Backlinks, digital PR, and brand mentions that build the authority AI platforms weigh when deciding what to cite.
• Structured data: Structured data (schema markup) that helps AI engines understand and categorize your content.
• E-E-A-T: Strong E-E-A-T signals (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness) establish trust and tie to AI content surfacing.
• Local SEO: Location-based optimization for businesses serving specific markets, which is extremely relevant in AI-powered local search. Here’s a quick local SEO checklist to get you started.

That means if you already have an SEO strategy in place, great! If not, you’re essentially invisible — not just on page two of Google, but in the AI responses your target customers are reading right now.

What is an SEO Agency?

Here’s a quick definition: An SEO agency is a specialized company that works with businesses to improve their visibility across both traditional and AI-powered search.

Their core job is to build the technical foundation, content authority, and off-site credibility that search engines and AI platforms need to crawl, trust, and surface your site. That starts with a detailed audit of where you stand today, like examining your site speed, mobile usability, content quality, keyword positioning, and backlink profile. This leads to a strategy tailored to your specific goals and competitive landscape.

Why Hire an SEO Agency?

There are many benefits of outsourcing SEO to an agency, but here are a few of the things you’ll gain instant access to upon signing a contract:

• A full team of strategists, technical SEOs, content writers, link builders, and analysts is typically less expensive than the cost of one in-house hire.
• Enterprise-grade tools (SEMrush, Ahrefs, Screaming Frog, Google Search Console) that would cost thousands per year to license independently.
• Faster identification of search engine algorithm changes and AI search shifts, with adaptive strategies that respond before your rankings drop.
• Clear, detailed monthly reporting so you always know what’s working, what isn’t, and what needs to change.
• Better rankings both locally and nationally, plus a growing presence in AI-generated answers as your domain authority builds.
• More time for your team to focus on the work only they can do.

What Does an SEO Agency Do?

Sure, that all sounds great — but what are you actually paying for, right? When you choose the right SEO agency, they typically handle:

• SEO Audits: A thorough review of your site’s technical health, content gaps, keyword positioning, and backlink profile to identify the highest-priority opportunities.
• Keyword Research: Identifying the terms and questions your audience is searching, including the conversational, long-tail queries that AI search engines respond to.
• Technical SEO: Fixing crawl errors, implementing structured data/schema markup, improving site speed, and resolving anything that prevents search engines from indexing your site cleanly.
• Content Strategy & Creation: Building a content roadmap and producing the kind of comprehensive, authoritative content that earns citations in AI answers and rankings in traditional search.
• Link Building: Earning high-quality backlinks through digital PR, partnerships, and strategic content placement to build the domain authority that both traditional and AI search rely on.
• Local SEO: Optimizing your Google Business Profile, local citations, and location-based content to capture nearby buyers.
• Reporting & Analytics: Monthly reporting on organic traffic, rankings, conversions, and the metrics that tie back to actual business outcomes (not just vanity numbers).

How Do SEO Agencies Work?

Working with an agency means you’re bringing on a group of people and integrating them with your team. That’s why it’s important to understand how an SEO agency works, so you can integrate your teams seamlessly.

While each agency will operate differently, there are typically about four phases. Here’s what to expect from an SEO agency:

Phase 1: Discovery & Audit

Your site will be reviewed in depth, analyzing your competitors and establishing baseline metrics. This phase can be thought of as R&D: it surfaces the biggest opportunities and the most critical issues. You’ll typically receive a detailed audit report with prioritized recommendations and a plan for making those improvements.

Phase 2: Strategy Development

Based on the audit, a roadmap is built: priority keywords, content opportunities, technical fixes, and link-building targets — all mapped to your specific goals. Make sure to ask your team to walk you through the roadmap before executing so you can fully understand the plan and ask any questions you might have.

Phase 3: Implementation

The work begins! The team will get started fixing technical issues, publishing optimized content, and launching link-building campaigns. Your team will need to be involved in granting access, giving approvals, and providing content input (depending on your engagement structure).

Phase 4: Monitoring & Optimization

SEO is a long game, and it does take time. But it also compounds over time. Your agency will track performance monthly, adjust the strategy based on what’s working, monitor and respond to algorithm updates, continue building your authority, and more. This phase never really ends — maintaining online visibility is a 24/7 job.

Expect meaningful results in 3–6 months. For competitive industries or sites with significant technical issues, it can take longer. Any agency promising rankings in days or weeks is a red flag.

Reporting should come monthly at minimum, covering organic traffic, keyword rankings, technical health, and content/link-building activity. Good agencies explain what the data means for your business, not just send a dashboard.

Do I Need an SEO Agency?

Most likely. In some rare cases in niche industries, SEO might not be the biggest priority. However, the vast majority of businesses need a strategy to improve brand visibility in AI search and traditional search.

Here are the clearest signs it’s time to bring in outside help:

• Your competitors are outranking you: If they’re consistently appearing in search results and AI answers while you’re not, they have an SEO advantage that only compounds over time.
• Your internal team is stretched thin: SEO is a full-time job (it’s actually often several jobs). When it has to compete with every other marketing function, SEO gets deprioritized.
• Your site has technical issues: Slow load times, crawl errors, and mobile usability issues are crucial for SEO and AI search, and they require dedicated expertise to diagnose and fix.
• You’re invisible in AI-generated answers: Search your core topics in ChatGPT, Perplexity, or Google’s AI Overviews. If your brand never appears, you have an authority gap.

How to Choose an SEO Agency That Fits Your Brand

Not all agencies are equal, and the work they provide isn’t either. What makes a good SEO company is a team that thinks like your business partner, connecting their work to leads and revenue. They're transparent about how they approach and they build custom strategies based on best practices and your specific goals (rather than pushing pre-packaged tiers).

Here’s how to pick an SEO agency:

Define Your Goals

Before you start talking to agencies, ask yourself: What does success look like? Do you want local visibility, national brand awareness, or are you trying to hit a specific revenue target? Clear goals let you evaluate whether an agency’s approach actually maps to what you need.

Review Previous Work

Any solid agency will proudly display its work, but there are a few things to keep an eye out for. Case studies should include real metrics: traffic growth, ranking improvements, timeline, and business outcomes. Look for experience in your industry or business model (B2B, e-commerce, local services).

Ask About Tools and Processes

An SEO agency comes with a huge arsenal of the best tools, such as SEMrush, Ahrefs, Google Search Console, and Screaming Frog. More importantly, they should walk you through how they use them and what they’re looking for so you can understand their process.

Ask About AI Search Strategies

SEO shouldn’t be the agency’s sole focus: they must also be thinking about AI search. Ask them how they approach SEO, AEO, and GEO. These practices are specifically designed to get your brand cited in AI-generated answers, not just ranked in traditional results.

Evaluate Communication and Reporting

You want regular reports that explain what the numbers mean, proactive communication when something changes, and a team that treats your account like it matters.

Red Flags to Watch Out For

Just like not all SEO agencies provide the same level of quality, some agencies out there will make promises they can’t keep. Here are some warning signs to watch out for:

• Guarantees of specific rankings (no legitimate agency can promise this because Google’s algorithm is not in their control)
• Vague or evasive answers about their methodology
• No access to Google Analytics or Search Console accounts
• Claims of results they can’t back up with real case studies or references
• Pricing significantly below market rate, which usually signals corner-cutting
• Promises of results within days or weeks

Work with an SEO Agency for Modern Search

The right SEO partner doesn’t just boost your rankings. They build digital authority that shows up in traditional search, in AI-generated answers, and in front of the customers who are actively looking for what you offer.

At Terra, we build SEO and marketing strategies around your business and today’s search landscape. Whether you need technical infrastructure work, content built to earn AI citations, or a strategy to own your local market, we’re ready to deliver it.

Ready to show up where it counts? Check out our SEO services or reach out to us to talk SEO.

FAQs

What is an SEO agency?

An SEO agency is a specialized company that helps businesses improve their visibility in search engines and AI-powered tools like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity. These SEO professionals handle everything from technical website fixes to content strategy and link building that gets your brand found and cited.

What does an SEO agency do?

An SEO agency improves your visibility in both traditional and AI-powered search by handling keyword research, technical SEO, content strategy, link building, and monthly reporting. Their goal is to make your site an authoritative, well-structured source that search engines and AI tools trust and cite.

Does SEO still matter with AI search?

Yes, more than ever. AI search tools like Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, and Perplexity pull from indexed, authoritative web content. The same SEO signals that earn rankings in traditional search (technical health, content quality, backlinks, E-E-A-T) are what earn citations in AI-generated answers.

What should I look for in an SEO agency?

If you’re not sure how to select the best SEO agency for you, look for transparent methodology, custom strategies, case studies with real metrics, and a team that can speak to AI search (not just traditional rankings). Red flags include guaranteed rankings, vague answers about process, and below-market pricing.