In 2026, the price of GEO projects varies widely depending on the approach and depth of optimization. At Wildbos, a project starts with a free scan of your AI visibility across four engines, which takes a minute and requires no email. The total investment depends on whether you choose a one-time technical optimization or an ongoing program with measurements; a contract without measurable results is certainly not a real option.
A potential customer types your product name into ChatGPT. Instead of an honest answer featuring your company, they get a list of three competitors. You're not on it. This is the reality for many IT companies investing in visibility, but traditional search engine optimization is no longer the only place decision-makers search. The question is not whether you should be in AI assistants, but what it costs to get there and how you know the investment works.
The GEO market is young and prices vary widely. Some providers charge a one-time fee for a scan, while others work with a monthly fee for an ongoing program. A scan that only looks at your current state is relatively cheap, but it's just a snapshot.
Serious optimization requires more. It's about adjusting your content and technical setup, and building the sources AI assistants trust. One-time optimization solves part of the problem, but AI assistants continuously update their knowledge.
The rule of thumb for 2026 is that one-time projects cost less than ongoing programs. Ask each agency what exactly is included in the fee and what you'll have in hand afterward. A list of recommendations is different from executed optimization.
You pay for three things: technical, content, and authority. Technical ensures AI assistants can read and understand your website. Content ensures the answers they find match what your customers are asking. Authority ensures an AI assistant trusts your company as a source.
Ask an agency which of these three they actually execute. An agency that only delivers a scan and sends you out the door with a list leaves the heavy lifting to you. Then you're paying for a diagnosis, not the treatment.
At Wildbos, we go beyond advice. We execute the technical optimization on your site ourselves and don't deliver a list of recommendations. We call your customers and draft the review text for them, so they only need to approve and publish it. That way, we ensure the work gets done.
The goal of GEO is that your company becomes the answer in AI assistants like ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude, and Perplexity. When a decision-maker asks a question about your product category, you want your company to be mentioned. A mention in an AI answer works like a recommendation from an expert.
The return is harder to capture in a fixed number because it varies by sector. In B2B, a single good lead can already be worth a lot. An AI answer gets shared, saved, and used as a basis for a decision.
Measurability is therefore not an extra but the core of a good GEO project. Without measurement, GEO is a promise; with measurement, it's a program your management can track. You see not only what improves but also where your next step should be.
The first mistake is that companies only look at their position in Google. That position says less and less about how AI assistants judge your company. The second mistake is seeing one-time optimization as an endpoint, while AI assistants' knowledge is constantly changing.
The third and most expensive mistake is choosing an agency that offers guarantees. Guaranteed positions in AI answers don't exist, at any agency. An agency that promises this is selling a fairy tale. An honest agency explains what steps it takes and how it measures progress.
A reliable project starts with a baseline measurement in the most important AI assistants. You get to see where you stand now and what the biggest gaps are. This measurement forms the basis for the approach.
Then work happens on the three building blocks: technical, content, and authority. An agency that uses its own media contacts to place press releases and get you back into comparison articles builds a sustainable foundation. It's about the fabric of sources AI assistants trust.
Finally, there's a dashboard or report that your management understands. If you can't track the result, you can't adjust course. Choose a party that's transparent about the method and the measurement points.
Ask every agency the same questions. Questions about the approach, execution, and measurement. Ask if they execute the optimization themselves or if you need to follow the advice on your own. Ask how they build authority and how they set up measurements.
Make a comparison based on the answers, not just the price. The cheapest project is seldom the most beneficial if the work remains undone. A project that combines measurement and continuous development delivers more in the long run.
Start your search with an objective measurement of your own situation. A free scan of your AI visibility across four engines is an accessible first step. That way, you know immediately where you stand and can better assess what an agency has to offer.
Prices in the Dutch GEO market range from a one-time scan to an ongoing monthly program. A one-time scan gives a snapshot, while an ongoing program executes and maintains optimization. Always ask an agency what exactly is included in the fee and whether the optimization is actually executed.
A cheap agency can be a fine first step if you only want a baseline measurement. For real improvement, you need more. A low fee for extensive optimization is often a sign that you'll only receive advice and have to do the work yourself. An honest price reflects the technical execution, content optimization, and authority building.
Be wary of agencies that promise guaranteed positions in AI answers. Guaranteed positions in AI answers don't exist, at any agency. A reliable agency explains what steps it takes, how it measures, and what the result can be in the short and long term. The project is phased and transparent.
Have it measured for free across four assistants. You see which questions you are missing and which competitors are in the answer today.
