GEO is a young field. There’s no diploma, standard or recipe that everyone recognizes yet. As a result, some agencies promise “guaranteed first place in ChatGPT,” something no honest agency can deliver. Here’s how to sort through them, and the seven questions to ask before signing anything.
1. “Do you guarantee I’ll be cited by ChatGPT?”
If the answer is yes, walk away. Each assistant chooses its own answers, they vary from one question to the next, and no one controls these algorithms. A reputable agency guarantees its work (what it delivers, at what pace, with what transparency), not the final result.
2. “What exactly will you do?”
The answer should sound something like: fix your business information, create clear service pages, add structured data, write question-and-answer content and measure what the AIs say. Be wary of vague answers like “we optimize your AI presence” with no detail.
3. “How do you measure results?”
The right approach: regular tests, done the same way, across several assistants and several phrasings of the questions, with a clear report. A single test proves nothing, because answers vary.
4. “What do I own at the end?”
Your content, your pages, your data and your access should always stay yours. If you stop, you shouldn’t lose what was built.
5. “Is there a commitment?”
A long contract with no way out, in a field this young, is a red flag. A no-commitment plan with a clear written quote shows the agency is counting on the quality of its work to keep you.
6. “Who will do the work, and who will answer my questions?”
In a small agency, it’s often the same person. That’s an advantage: no middleman. In a large one, ask who your contact will be and how to reach them.
7. “How do you avoid shortcuts?”
Some practices promise a quick effect: fake reviews, mass-produced pages stuffed with keywords, fabricated content. They can hurt your reputation and your credibility with AIs, which cross-check their sources. A reputable agency refuses these shortcuts and explains why.
The positive signs
- a starting audit that shows what the AIs say about you today;
- a written quote with no surprises;
- monthly follow-up with examples of real assistant answers;
- an honest conversation about the limits;
- a contact person you can reach directly.
And for a small business in Canada?
Choosing an agency that understands your local market helps: how customers phrase things, city and neighbourhood names, bilingualism, the reality of small businesses. At Citova, we work remotely with businesses from across Canada, and we always start with a free audit, no commitment.
