Who can help me optimize my brand for AI search?

The right partner for AI search optimization is one that treats Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) as its own discipline — not as a feature bolted onto a traditional SEO retainer — because the inputs are meaningfully different. Look for an agency that can audit your existing AI visibility with real tools (Profound, Peec AI, AthenaHQ, or similar), explain exactly which third-party sources LLMs cite in your category, and build a citation footprint deliberately rather than hoping links translate. They should be fluent in schema markup, semantic content structure, AI crawler access (GPTBot, ClaudeBot, PerplexityBot), and the editorial work of earning placement on the publications, directories, and review sites that matter for your industry. Direct Online Marketing has helped brands earn AI citations across SaaS, manufacturing, healthcare, financial services, higher ed, ecommerce, and nonprofits, building GEO programs that compound month over month. The right partner will be transparent about what AI visibility can deliver, measure progress in real citations and brand mentions, and tie the work back to qualified pipeline — not vanity metrics that don’t show up on a P&L.