From SEO to AEO: The Agencies Helping B2B Brands Adapt to AI Search

B2B buyers are no longer waiting for Google’s blue links to tell them what to consider. They are asking ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Copilot for direct recommendations, and they are forming opinions before they ever land on your website.

The numbers back this up. Gartner predicts that 25% of traditional organic search traffic will shift to AI chatbots by 2026. Over 58% of Google searches already end without a click, according to SparkToro’s analysis. For B2B brands, this means a new optimization discipline is no longer optional.

That discipline is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). And the agencies below are the ones helping B2B companies get it right.

What Is AEO, and How Is It Different from SEO?

AEO is the practice of optimizing content so AI-driven search systems can extract, understand, and cite it as a trusted answer. While SEO focuses on ranking pages and earning clicks, AEO focuses on earning citations, brand mentions, and authority within AI-generated responses.

But here is the important nuance: AEO does not replace SEO. It expands it. Traditional SEO builds the foundation, including crawlability, indexing, backlinks, and keyword relevance. AEO layers on top of that foundation by making your content structured, entity-rich, and citation-worthy for AI systems.

The B2B brands winning in 2026 are running both in parallel. They are ranking on Google and getting cited in ChatGPT. Treating these as competing strategies is a mistake. They are complementary, and the best AEO agencies understand that.

What Does an AEO Agency Actually Do?

Not every agency calling itself “AEO-ready” delivers the same depth of service. Here is what a genuinely specialized AEO agency should bring to the table.

Entity optimization and structured data ensure AI systems can correctly identify your brand, products, and people as a unified knowledge graph. This includes schema markup that helps AI crawlers parse your content accurately. Without it, AI platforms may confuse your brand with competitors or surface inaccurate information.

Topical authority and answer-optimized content involve building structured content clusters that signal deep expertise in your category, while producing fact-rich content designed to be summarized and quoted by LLMs. AI systems favor brands they recognize as credible, authoritative sources on a given topic.

Digital PR and citation building secures high-authority mentions across trusted publications. AI systems treat these third-party signals as validation of your brand’s credibility, directly influencing whether you get cited in AI-generated answers.

AI visibility monitoring and hallucination management tracks how often and in what context your brand appears across AI platforms, while flagging instances where AI systems misrepresent your brand or surface outdated information. This is the measurement and protection layer that most in-house teams lack.

B2B buyers now research using AI tools before contacting sales, often forming shortlists without ever visiting a website. If your content is not structured for AI extraction, you are invisible to this growing segment of buyers.

Best AEO Agencies for B2B SaaS and Tech Brands in 2026

Here is a quick comparison before we dive into the details. AEO agency retainers typically range from $4,000 to $50,000+ per month, depending on scope and company size, so understanding where each agency sits helps you self-qualify early.

Now, let us look at what each agency brings to the table.

1. Minuttia

Minuttia is an adaptive content marketing AEO agency built for B2B SaaS and tech companies. The agency combines Google and AI search strategy, human and AI content creation, digital PR, and agent analytics into a single growth ecosystem.

Their approach is strategy-first. Rather than jumping into execution, Minuttia builds customized growth plans that bridge traditional SEO and AI search visibility. The agency has also built proprietary AI tools for visibility tracking and agent analytics, giving clients a clear picture of how their brand shows up across AI platforms. They work best with established brands that have strong product-market fit and a long-term content vision.

Projects start at $4,000 per month, making them one of the more accessible options for mid-size B2B companies looking to enter the AEO space.

2. Siege Media

Siege Media has built its reputation on high-quality, design-led content that earns links and drives organic growth. Founded in 2012, the agency has evolved from a link-building focused shop into a full-service content and digital PR partner.

Their AEO capabilities sit within a broader offering that includes content strategy, graphic design, and a proprietary tool called DataFlywheel for scalable data-driven content. Siege Media is a strong pick for B2B brands that need visually compelling, link-worthy content alongside AI optimization.

The agency primarily serves SaaS, fintech, and healthcare clients. Minimum project sizes start at $5,000.

3. First Page Sage

First Page Sage takes a unique angle on AEO through its deep focus on thought leadership. The agency has been producing expert-driven, long-form content since 2009, and their methodology naturally aligns with what AI systems look for: authoritative, well-structured, high-trust content.

Their service bundle combines thought leadership SEO with lead generation and conversion optimization. For B2B companies in complex industries like cybersecurity, manufacturing, or fintech, the expertise signals that First Page Sage builds can directly improve AI citation rates.

Minimum project sizes start at $10,000, and the agency primarily serves mid-size to large enterprises.

4. iPullRank

iPullRank is the go-to choice for enterprises with large, complex websites that need both technical SEO infrastructure and AI discoverability. Their proprietary Relevance Engineering framework integrates technical optimization, content engineering, and generative AI strategy into a single methodology.

Founded by Mike King, the agency is known for its deep technical expertise in crawlability, indexation, and site architecture. For organizations where content engineering at scale is a priority, iPullRank brings a level of sophistication that few agencies can match.

Projects start at $50,000, reflecting their enterprise focus and the complexity of engagements they take on.

5. Single Grain

Single Grain is a full-service growth agency that has pivoted from pure SEO into an AI-forward, multi-channel marketing partner. Led by Eric Siu, the agency offers AEO alongside paid advertising, content marketing, CRO, and video marketing.

What makes Single Grain appealing is its breadth. The agency has developed proprietary products like CarrotAI for LinkedIn ad personalization and ClickFlow for AI-powered content workflows. For B2B brands that want AEO woven into a larger growth strategy rather than siloed as a standalone channel, Single Grain can connect the dots across organic, paid, and AI search.

The agency serves clients from startups to enterprises across SaaS, e-commerce, education, and healthcare. Most projects start at $10,000.

6. Notebook Agency

Notebook Agency is a Toronto-based consultancy founded by Steve Toth that specializes in SEO, AEO, GEO, and LLMO. The agency transitioned from traditional organic search consulting to AI search optimization between 2022 and 2024.

Their standout offering is a proprietary framework called The Trust Alignment Network, designed to position brands as preferred solutions in LLM responses. This concept has recently expanded to serve enterprise clients, giving the agency credibility at both the mid-market and enterprise level.

Pricing is not publicly disclosed, but the agency is best suited for B2B SaaS and tech brands with established search demand and competitive markets.

7. NoGood

NoGood is a NYC-based agency that works with VC-backed startups and category-defining brands. For each engagement, they assemble a dedicated “growth squad” with specialists matched to the client’s industry and growth stage.

Their AEO work is embedded within a broader growth stack that includes SEO, paid search, lifecycle marketing, and analytics. NoGood is a strong option for post-Series A companies that need fast, multi-channel growth with AI search baked into the strategy from day one.

The agency works across SaaS, healthcare, fintech, and AI/ML verticals. Pricing is estimated in the mid-five-figures range.

How to Choose the Right AEO Agency

Not all AEO agencies are built the same. Here is what to look for when evaluating potential partners.

Do they distinguish AEO from SEO? Any agency that treats AEO as a simple add-on to existing SEO services likely does not have the specialized expertise you need. Look for clear, distinct methodologies for entity optimization, topical authority, and AI-specific content structuring.

Can they track AI visibility? This is non-negotiable. Your agency should be monitoring citation frequency across AI platforms, tracking brand mentions in AI-generated answers, and measuring referral traffic from tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity. If they can only show you Google Analytics dashboards, they are not ready for AEO.

Do they manage hallucination risk? AI systems can misrepresent your brand, confuse you with competitors, or surface outdated information. A strong AEO agency proactively monitors for inaccuracies and has processes to correct them through content and entity signals.

Do they have results in your industry? AEO for a B2B SaaS company looks very different from AEO for an e-commerce brand. Prioritize agencies with case studies and experience in your vertical. The buying journey, content formats, and authority signals differ significantly across industries.

Will they start with a pilot? The best agencies are confident enough to let you test the relationship before committing to a 12-month retainer. Look for options like AEO audits, visibility reports, or short-term strategy engagements that let you evaluate fit before scaling.

Final Thoughts

The shift from traditional search to AI-powered discovery is accelerating faster than most B2B marketers anticipated. Prospects are building shortlists inside AI answers, comparing vendors through LLM-generated summaries, and making decisions before they ever fill out a contact form.

This is not a future scenario. It is happening right now.

The agencies featured in this article represent different approaches to AEO, from content-led strategies and thought leadership to technical engineering and multi-channel growth. The right partner depends on your company’s size, industry, and how deeply you want to integrate AI search into your overall marketing strategy.

What remains universal is the urgency. The brands that invest in AEO today will own their categories in AI search tomorrow. The ones that wait will spend the next two years wondering why their pipeline dried up while their competitors kept showing up in every AI-generated answer.

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