of Australians aged 25 to 34 use AI tools
In early 2026, 74% of Australians aged 25 to 34 and 72% aged 35 to 49 used an AI tool in an average four weeks, according to Roy Morgan.
AI search optimisation
AI SEO Services
Your customers are asking ChatGPT and Google's AI which business to choose. AI SEO is the work that gets your business into those answers. I'm Caleb, a local SEO specialist with 7+ years' experience. My AI SEO packages cover ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode, with clear monthly pricing from $500 + GST.
By Caleb Johnstone, Local SEO Specialist · Updated October 2026
What is AI SEO?
AI SEO is the work that helps AI search tools find, trust and recommend your brand. When someone asks ChatGPT for the best electrician near them, or Google shows an AI Overview at the top of the search results, the AI pulls information from websites, directories, reviews and articles it trusts. AI SEO makes sure your business is part of that information, and that it's described accurately. It builds on traditional SEO, but the content, mentions and measurement are different.
You'll also see it called generative engine optimisation (GEO) or answer engine optimisation (AEO). Generative engine optimisation is about getting your brand mentioned and cited in answers written by generative AI and large language models (LLMs). AEO is about structuring your content so AI and search engines can lift out a clear answer. My AI SEO service covers both. If you want the full breakdown, read my guide to GEO vs AEO vs SEO.
Morgan Insurance Brokers
More enquiries from ChatGPT
Morgan Insurance Brokers started working with me in March 2026. Clear service pages, consistent business details and mentions on trusted websites made them easier for AI tools to find and recommend. Year on year, visits from ChatGPT grew from 194 to 529 and enquiry actions from ChatGPT grew from 73 to 187. This came from their SEO campaign, which shows how much traditional SEO and AI visibility overlap.
Read the full Morgan Insurance Brokers case studyVisits from ChatGPT (higher is better)
BeforeJuly to September 2025194
AfterJuly to September 2026529
Enquiry actions from ChatGPT (higher is better)
BeforeJuly to September 202573
AfterJuly to September 2026187
Why AI search matters for your business now
This is no longer a future problem. People already use AI search to research and choose businesses, and AI recommends far fewer businesses than Google does.
ask AI for local recommendations
In a 2026 survey of US consumers, 45% used AI tools to find local businesses, up from 6% a year earlier. Source: BrightLocal.
of locations get recommended by ChatGPT
SOCi's study of multi-location brands found ChatGPT recommended 1.2% of business locations, compared with 35.9% appearing in Google's local map pack. Source: SOCi.
organic click-through with and without an AI Overview
Seer Interactive's 2026 study of 53 brands found organic click-through in February 2026 was 2.36% when an AI Overview appeared, compared with 3.82% without one.
Some of this research is from the US, where these tools took off first. The pattern is the same here: the brands AI names get the enquiry, and the rest never get a look in.
AI SEO vs SEO: do you need both?
They're related, but they're separate services with no overlap in what you pay for. Traditional SEO builds the foundation. AI SEO builds visibility in AI search results on top of it. You can choose one or both.
| SEO | AI SEO | |
|---|---|---|
| Main goal | Rank on Google and in the map pack | Get mentioned and cited in AI answers |
| Where it shows up | Google and Bing search results, Google Maps | ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode |
| What it focuses on | Keywords, technical SEO, backlinks, Google Business Profile | Questions people ask AI, answer-first content, brand mentions on sources AI trusts |
| Content style | Pages matched to search intent | Clear, structured content that is easy to quote |
| How I measure it | Rankings, organic traffic, calls and enquiries | AI visibility across tracked prompts, citations and AI referral traffic |
| Pricing | Quoted after a free audit | Packages from $500 + GST a month |
AI search still leans on the same signals traditional search engines use. A website that's hard to crawl, thin on content or missing from directories is unlikely to get recommended by AI either. If your SEO foundations need work, I'll tell you upfront. Existing SEO clients can add AI SEO on top of their current campaign.
Four ways I get your business into AI answers
Every package is built on the same four parts. The higher packages do more of each, every month.
Be readable
AI crawlers need to access your website, and AI needs to understand who you are. I check that bots like GPTBot and Google's crawlers aren't blocked, make sure your key content isn't hidden behind JavaScript, set up Bing Webmaster Tools, and add AI-specific structured data such as FAQ, author and entity markup. Core technical SEO, your Google Business Profile and local citations stay with your SEO campaign, so nothing is doubled up.
Learn more about technical SEOBe the answer
I rewrite important pages answer-first, with a clear answer near the top, FAQs and lists that are easy for AI to quote. New content is built from the questions your customers ask AI, not just keywords, so it covers each topic properly and builds your authority. I draft it using my own research and AI tools, and you check it for accuracy before it goes live.
Learn more about on-page SEOBe mentioned
AI search tools trust what other websites say about your brand. I find the articles, industry roundups, review sites and forums AI already cites in your industry, then work on getting your business listed and mentioned there. No fake reviews and no spam posts on Reddit.
Learn more about local citationsBe measured
I track a set of prompts your customers would ask, every month, and report how often ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode mention you compared with your competitors. I also track visits and enquiries from AI search in Google Analytics.
AI SEO packages and pricing
Pick the level that fits your goals. The AI Readiness Setup is included in month one of every package, so there's no setup fee on top.
Monitor and maintain
Basic
$500
/mo + GST- 25 prompts tracked
- 2 pages optimised a month
- 1 new AI-focused piece a month
- AI Readiness Setup and monthly report
Get cited
Growth
$1,000
/mo + GST- 50 prompts, 5 competitors
- 4 pages optimised and 2 new pieces a month
- Monthly source-gap analysis
- 2 to 3 new mentions on sources AI cites
Own the answer
Authority
$2,500
/mo + GST- 100 prompts, 10 competitors
- 6 to 8 pages optimised and 4 new pieces a month
- AI press release every month
- Original research piece each quarter
Full campaign
Enterprise
$5,000+
/mo + GST- Everything in Authority
- Scoped digital PR campaign
- By consultation
All prices + GST. AI Readiness Setup included in month one. 3-month minimum term, then month to month. A separate retainer to SEO: choose either or both.
Not ready for a monthly package? I also offer the AI Readiness Setup on its own for $750 + GST. It fixes the basics so AI can read and understand your business, and gives you a baseline report of where you show up today.
How it works
- 1
Free AI visibility check
I ask ChatGPT and Google a set of questions your customers would ask, then show you where you appear, where your competitors appear and which websites the AI cites.
- 2
Choose a package
We pick the package that fits your goals and budget. If your website needs SEO fixes first, I'll say so.
- 3
AI Readiness Setup
In month one I check AI crawler access, add AI-specific structured data, set up tracking for your prompts and competitors, and record a baseline so you can see what changes.
- 4
Monthly work and reporting
Each month I optimise pages, publish new content and build mentions, based on your package and strategy. You get a report showing your AI visibility, citations and enquiries from AI search.
What I won't promise
AI search is new, and plenty of agencies are overselling it in their marketing. Here is where I draw the line:
- No guaranteed spot in ChatGPT. Nobody controls how large language models choose their sources, the same way nobody controls Google's rankings.
- No secret AI tags. Google says there are no special requirements to appear in AI Overviews. The basics of good SEO still apply.
- No fake reviews or forum spam. Mentions have to be real to last, and spam can damage your reputation.
- No tracking every AI tool. I track ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, because that is where I can measure results reliably. The work also helps with tools like Gemini, Perplexity and Claude.
What I can promise is honest reporting, so you can see exactly what's changing each month.
Is AI SEO right for you?
A good fit if
- Your customers research before they buy or book
- You want to know what AI says about your brand
- Your website and Google Business Profile are in decent shape
- You can check new content for accuracy before it goes live
Not the right fit if
- You want a guaranteed spot in ChatGPT next week
- Your website can't be crawled or has major SEO problems (start with SEO first)
- You want hundreds of AI-written pages
- You only want paid ads
AI SEO FAQs
My packages start at $500 + GST a month and go up to $2,500 + GST, with an Enterprise option from $5,000 + GST that includes digital PR. The AI Readiness Setup is included in month one. On its own, the setup is $750 + GST.
There is a 3-month minimum, then it runs month to month. AI tools take time to pick up changes to your website and new mentions elsewhere, so three months is the shortest period where you can fairly judge the results.
AI visibility builds over months, not weeks. Most businesses should judge results over three to six months. It depends on your industry, your competitors and how strong your website and online presence already are.
I track and report on ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews and Google AI Mode. The same work also helps with other tools that rely on the web, like Gemini, Perplexity and Claude, but I only report on what I can measure reliably.
Yes, for most businesses. Google still sends far more traffic than AI search, and AI leans on many of the same signals. AI SEO and SEO are separate retainers, so you can choose either or both. If your SEO foundations need work, I'll recommend starting there.
A prompt is a question someone types into ChatGPT or Google AI Mode, like "who is the best family lawyer in Brisbane?" I track a set of prompts your customers would actually ask and report how often your business is mentioned in the answers.
I draft new content using my own research and AI tools, then you check it for accuracy before it goes live. You know your business best, and that real experience and expertise is what AI looks for. If you'd rather write it yourself, I'll optimise it for you.
No, and be wary of anyone who does. What I can do is make your business easier for AI to find, understand and trust, then show you each month how your visibility is changing.
Let's find out where you show up in AI search
Book a free AI visibility check. I'll walk you through the questions your customers ask AI, where your business appears today and what I'd do first.
Want the full picture first? Read GEO vs AEO vs SEO, see all my SEO services, or book a paid SEO audit, which includes an AI search review.