Questions answered
without hedging.

GEO — Generative Engine Optimization — is the practice of building the technical infrastructure and content architecture that causes AI systems (ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, Gemini, Copilot) to select and cite a brand when synthesising answers to user queries. Unlike traditional SEO, which optimizes for ranking in a list of links, GEO optimizes for being woven into the AI's generated answer itself. A brand cited in an AI-generated answer is present at the moment a buyer is forming a decision — before they've clicked anything.

AEO — Answer Engine Optimization — focuses on structuring content so it gets extracted as a direct answer in AI-powered search features: Google AI Overviews, featured snippets, People Also Ask boxes, and voice assistants. The goal is to be the direct answer above position one. GEO goes further: optimizing content so that AI systems like ChatGPT and Perplexity cite it when synthesising longer, conversational answers. AEO is about extraction; GEO is about citation. In practice, both are required and both are included in every Meridian Search engagement. The technical tactics overlap substantially — schema markup, answer-first content structure, and entity authority underpin both.

No. Traditional SEO is the foundation that GEO builds on. AI systems retrieve content from sources that rank well organically — if a page doesn't rank in the top results for a query, it is statistically unlikely to be read by the AI that generates answers about that query. Strong technical SEO, domain authority, and content quality remain prerequisites. GEO adds a layer of optimization that determines whether content that is already visible to AI systems gets selected and cited. The sequence is: SEO gets the content in front of AI crawlers; GEO determines whether those crawlers cite it.

Initial citation improvements — particularly in Google AI Overviews — can appear within six to eight weeks of structural work (schema markup, answer-first content reformatting). Entity recognition and Knowledge Graph establishment take longer: typically three to five months before the brand is consistently recognized. Broader citation presence in ChatGPT and Perplexity (which update less frequently than Google) typically becomes measurable at the four to six month mark. Pipeline impact from AI-sourced traffic appears six to nine months into a well-executed engagement. These are averages — competitive categories and brands with stronger existing authority see faster results.

Each platform uses different mechanisms. Google AI Overviews primarily retrieves from pages ranking in the current top results for a query — so traditional SEO ranking still matters significantly. Perplexity uses a real-time retrieval system (RAG — Retrieval Augmented Generation) that prioritizes freshness, authority signals, and content that directly answers the query. ChatGPT blends training data with retrieval from its browsing tool; Bing-indexed content is weighted more heavily. Gemini draws heavily from Google's own index. The common factors across all platforms: content that directly answers the query in the first paragraph, structured data that helps crawlers understand the page, entity recognition (the brand being known to the AI as a distinct, credible entity), and authority signals from trusted external sources.

Following payment, an intake form is sent covering: your three to five primary category queries (the questions your buyers typically ask), your top three competitors by name, your Google Search Console credentials (view only — never edit access), your GA4 credentials (view only), and a brief description of your ICP (ideal customer profile). CRM access is not required for the audit. No publishing access to the website is required for the audit phase — that comes only if a retainer follows.

Yes. The CAD $3,500 audit fee is credited in full toward the first three months of any retainer engagement signed within 60 days of audit delivery. If you choose to continue with a retainer, the audit cost is not additive — it is credited in full toward the first three months.

If early signals suggest strong existing presence, the audit will confirm that. If the audit is run and finds the situation better than expected, the roadmap reflects that — and the competitive benchmark and technical assessment remain valuable regardless. A strong AI citation baseline is rare at this stage but not impossible, particularly for brands with significant domain authority and consistent long-form content output.

Yes. The audit report is formatted for internal distribution. The 60-minute recorded walkthrough is specifically designed to be shareable with stakeholders who weren't on the original call. No confidentiality restrictions apply to the client's use of their own audit report.

The audit fee is non-refundable once work has begun. If concerns arise within 24 hours of payment but before intake is completed, contact hello@meridiansearch.io and the situation will be addressed directly. Work begins following intake form completion — not immediately after payment.

AI citation visibility is a compounding investment, not a quick-win channel. The foundational work — entity authority establishment, Knowledge Graph recognition, structured data implementation, content architecture restructuring — takes three to six months to produce measurable AI citation results, and six to nine months to produce measurable pipeline results. A 12-month minimum ensures there's enough time for the structural work to compound before the engagement ends. Shorter commitments structurally cannot deliver what the work requires.

Retainer pricing is built from audit findings. The services required, the complexity of the gaps, the volume of content work, and the number of platforms and locations involved all factor into the scope. Benchmark ranges: Foundation engagements from CAD $4,500/month, Growth engagements from $8,000/month, Enterprise from $15,000/month. The exact investment is presented in the retainer proposal — which is delivered only after the audit is complete.

Each month: a strategy call (30 minutes, client and lead strategist), delivery of the agreed scope items (technical updates, content pieces, schema implementations, reporting), and the monthly report delivered via Looker Studio dashboard with a written executive summary. Communication between calls happens via email or a shared Slack channel, depending on client preference. The client never deals with junior staff on strategic questions — the lead strategist who ran the audit is the primary point of contact throughout the engagement.

Yes. Meridian Search is a Canadian agency but serves clients globally. The AI citation gap exists regardless of where a client is located — ChatGPT and Perplexity function consistently across geographies. The primary constraint is vertical: B2B SaaS companies and multi-location elective healthcare practices only. All pricing is in CAD; invoicing in USD is available for US-based clients on request.

A renewal conversation happens at month 10. Options include renewal at current scope, expansion of scope based on results, or transition to a lighter maintenance retainer if the foundational work is complete and the client wants to manage ongoing optimization internally. Client owns all work product produced during the engagement — content, structured data, documentation, and reporting. No lock-in beyond the 12-month term.