Researched agency ranking
Best AEO Agencies for Ecommerce (2026)
13 AEO agencies for ecommerce compared on AI search capability, results, pricing and reviews, picked from the 90 we track.
- Agencies reviewed
- 90
- Median minimum
- $5,000/mo
- Typical hourly rate
- $100–$149
- Offer AI search
- 96%
On this page
- Quick answer
- Key takeaways
- Comparison table
- The 13 best AEO agencies for ecommerce
- Best AEO agency for ecommerce by need
- How much AEO agencies for ecommerce cost
- How we ranked them
- How to choose an AEO agency for ecommerce
- Agency vs freelancer vs in-house
- What an AEO agency for ecommerce does
- FAQ
- More AEO agencies for ecommerce
- Related rankings
Which AEO agency for ecommerce is best?
The best AEO agencies for ecommerce in 2026 include Prosperity Media for published research on AI citations, Optimising for Shopify SEO with AI visibility audits, Whitworth SEO for technical AI-ready SEO, Victorious for pure-play answer engine optimization, and Siege Media for content and GEO. The median minimum across the 90 agencies we track is $5,000 a month. UltraGrowthMedia is the pick for teams that want AEO and outbound run by one team.
Key takeaways
- The median minimum for an AEO agency in our pool is $5,000 a month, with 39% of the 90 agencies starting between $1,000 and $5,000 and 35% below $1,000.
- 96% of agencies in this pool offer AI search work, so the label alone tells you little. Ask what they test, which engines they track and what they have changed for clients.
- North American and UK agencies both show a median minimum of $5,000 a month, against $1,000 in Asia-Pacific, so the real price gap on this page is between offshore packaged plans and Western retainers.
- AEO for ecommerce depends on clean product data, structured markup, reviews and strong category content. Agencies with ecommerce SEO foundations, such as Optimising and StudioHawk, have the edge over pure content shops.
- Most AEO work here is a service inside an SEO retainer. Victorious lists answer engine optimization by name, while others use GEO, AIO or AI SEO, so compare deliverables rather than labels.
Best AEO agencies for ecommerce compared
| # | Agency | Best for | Min. budget | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | UltraGrowthMedia | GEO combined with SEO and outbound | $3,000 | ★4.9 |
| 2 | Prosperity Media | Overall for AI citation research | $5,000 | ★4.9 (15) |
| 3 | Optimising | Shopify SEO with AI visibility audits | Not published | ★5.0 (61) |
| 4 | Whitworth SEO | Technical AI-ready SEO | Not published | ★4.8 (24) |
| 5 | Victorious | Pure-play answer engine optimization | $10,000 | ★4.8 (70) |
| 6 | Siege Media | Content-led GEO | $10,000 | ★5.0 (20) |
| 7 | Search Engine People | AEO and GEO with CRO in Canada | $1,000 | ★4.9 (56) |
| 8 | StudioHawk | Large ecommerce catalogues in Australia | $1,000 | ★4.8 (119) |
| 9 | Digital Hitmen | AI-focused small-business SEO | $2,500 | ★5.0 (100) |
| 10 | Outpace SEO | CBD and regulated-niche stores | $1,000 | ★5.0 (117) |
| 11 | Online Path | GEO and AEO on flexible terms | $1,000 | ★5.0 (123) |
| 12 | Growth Hacker | AI search plus Shopify and CRO | $5,000 | ★4.9 (26) |
| 13 | eSearch Logix | Budget AEO and LLM optimisation | $1,000 | ★5.0 (25) |
Ratings are public Clutch, G2 or Google averages with review counts in brackets. Minimums are monthly unless stated.
The 13 best AEO agencies for ecommerce in 2026
Each agency below leads a specific category. Start with the one that matches your situation rather than reading top to bottom.
#1Best for GEO combined with SEO and outbound
UltraGrowthMedia
Full-stack marketing for ambitious growth-stage brands.
UltraGrowthMedia builds answer engine optimisation for brands that want to be named when buyers ask ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity or Google AI Overviews for a recommendation. The work covers entity clean-up, schema markup, third-party citation building and answer-style content, and because the same team runs SEO, cold email and LinkedIn outbound, AI visibility is tied to pipeline rather than reported on its own. Founded in 2022 by Tushar Dey, the 27-person remote team works in weekly sprints, clients talk directly to the practitioners doing the work, and progress shows up on live reporting dashboards. Retainers start at $3,500 a month.
Watch out
It is a small team with limited monthly capacity, and it lists few named clients, so ask for ecommerce references.
Run by our team.
#2Best overall for AI citation research
Prosperity Media
Surry Hills SEO and GEO specialist built around content, links and LLM citations
Prosperity Media is a Sydney SEO agency that has invested early in generative engine optimisation, including published research on which sources AI models cite in Australia. It covers ecommerce and enterprise SEO, migrations, SEO content, digital PR and online reputation work, with Clutch listing 80% of work as SEO. Clients include IAG, Danone and RateCity, and it holds a 4.9 rating from 15 Clutch reviews.
Notable clients
- IAG
- St George
- Danone
- Pepsi
- Oneflare
- RateCity
Watch out
There is no paid media practice, and a $200 to $300 hourly band with a $5,000 minimum sits above many local options.
#3Best for Shopify SEO with AI visibility audits
Optimising
Richmond SEO-only shop since 2008, B Corp certified, strong on migrations and eCommerce
Optimising is a Melbourne agency that has done only SEO since 2008, with Shopify SEO, migrations and enterprise eCommerce among its recognised strengths. It now offers AI visibility audits and GEO campaigns with AI search reporting, which fits retailers that want AI answers measured next to rankings. It is a certified B Corp, names Chemist Warehouse and adidas as clients, and shows a perfect Google rating across 60-odd reviews.
Notable clients
- adidas
- Chemist Warehouse
- Nando's
- Jim's Group
- St Agni
- FY Smile
Watch out
It has no paid media, social or web build, and publishes no pricing or case-study figures.
#4Best for technical AI-ready SEO
Whitworth SEO
Ancoats technical SEO consultancy behind the HiveMCR conference
Whitworth SEO is a Manchester consultancy led by a practitioner with more than 16 years in SEO, offering technical audits, ecommerce SEO, migration support and what it calls AI Ready SEO. It reports 200% traffic growth and 347% conversion growth for Blue Light Card (agency-reported) and works with Auto Trader. It also runs training and events, and holds a 4.8 rating from 24 reviews.
Notable clients
- Auto Trader
- Blue Light Card
- Rotageek
- MyWorkwear
- JEMS Environmental
Watch out
It is search-only with no paid media, social or web build, and its headcount and pricing are not published.
#5Best pure-play answer engine optimization
Victorious
Pure-play SEO agency with a data-led, test-driven approach.
Victorious is a San Francisco agency that does SEO and nothing else, and it lists Answer Engine Optimization by name alongside technical and local SEO, link building and SEO copywriting. It holds a 4.8 rating from 70 reviews, reports monthly with a transparent cadence, and counts Wayfair among its named clients. That focus suits brands that want AEO inside one disciplined SEO programme.
Notable clients
- GE Digital
- SoFi
- Delta Dental
- Wayfair
- Salesforce
Watch out
It is SEO only, so paid and creative need other partners, and a $10,000 minimum rules out most early-stage stores.
#6Best for content-led GEO
Siege Media
Content-first SEO agency for ambitious SaaS, fintech, and ecommerce brands.
Siege Media lists generative engine optimization with content marketing, digital PR and Reddit marketing, and CEO Ross Hudgens wrote a book on GEO. Its in-house design and editorial team builds data-led content that earns links and mentions, both of which feed AI answers. Clients include Instacart, Airbnb and PayPal, and it holds a 5.0 rating from 20 Clutch reviews.
Notable clients
- Instacart
- Zendesk
- Zapier
- Airbnb
- Asana
- Intuit QuickBooks
Watch out
Retainers start at $10,000, results are slow versus pure link building, and its logos lean to SaaS, fintech and marketplaces.
#7Best for AEO and GEO with CRO in Canada
Search Engine People
Veteran Toronto search shop running SEO, Google Ads and AI search for SMBs to enterprise
Search Engine People is a Toronto agency founded in 2001 by early Canadian SEO practitioner Jeff Quipp. It lists AEO and GEO next to SEO, Google Ads, link building, content and CRO. It holds a 4.9 rating from 56 Clutch reviews, publishes pricing guidance starting around $1,000 a month with no fixed minimum term, and is a Google Premier Partner. It suits brands wanting AI search plus conversion testing.
Notable clients
- Speedy Cash
- Levitt LLP
- PAR Technology
- Sunset Docks Muskoka
- Aon
- Cosmo Music
Watch out
About 70% of its work is SEO, so paid social and creative are secondary, and case studies give limited method detail.
#8Best for large ecommerce catalogues in Australia
StudioHawk
Prahran-born SEO specialist with 120+ staff across Melbourne, Sydney, London and Atlanta
StudioHawk is a Melbourne SEO-only team with 51 to 200 staff, offering ecommerce, enterprise and technical SEO, migrations and AI search optimisation for ChatGPT and Gemini. Its client roster includes Officeworks, City Beach, Kogan and New Balance. It holds a 4.8 rating from 119 reviews, claims repeated APAC Search Awards wins for large agencies, and has a $1,000 minimum, which is low for a team of its size.
Notable clients
- Officeworks
- City Beach
- Clarks
- PetStock
- Kogan
- New Balance
Watch out
It is search-only, so paid and social need another agency, and smaller clients may not get senior attention.
#9Best for AI-focused small-business SEO
Digital Hitmen
Award-heavy Perth SEO agency known for local and low-budget search wins
Digital Hitmen is a Perth SEO agency led by Brad Russell, with local, ecommerce and Shopify SEO, technical work and AI search optimisation and GEO. It won APAC Search Awards 2026 Best Use of AI in Content and Global Digital Excellence Awards 2025 Outstanding Use of AI, and shows around 100 Google reviews at 5.0. Its minimum is $2,500, and it works with SMB and mid-market clients.
Notable clients
- Aries Car Rental
- Kitchen Warehouse
- The Unusual Pet Vets
- Online Flooring Store
- Elite Tune
- Jaram Australia
Watch out
Results figures come from its own releases, and it is a small team less suited to large multi-market programmes.
#10Best for CBD and regulated-niche stores
Outpace SEO
SEO-only agency with a compliance-first cannabis SEO service and a dispensary case study
Outpace SEO is an Oklahoma City agency, founded in 2013, that sells SEO only, with ecommerce SEO for cannabis and CBD stores and AI search optimisation on its service list. Clutch shows 117 reviews at 5.0, praising timeliness and proactivity, and its minimum is $1,000 a month. It runs a compliance-first approach for dispensary and CBD sites, and also lists home services, business services and manufacturing clients.
Notable clients
- Botanical Sciences
Watch out
SEO is its only core service, cannabis is about 10% of its mix, and its case study's headline and body figures do not match.
#11Best for GEO and AEO on flexible terms
Online Path
Family-owned Adelaide Google Partner for SEO, PPC and Ad Grants
Online Path is an Adelaide agency that lists GEO and AEO for AI search next to SEO, Google Ads and Shopping, Meta and TikTok ads, social and email. It shows 123 Google reviews averaging 5.0, many from 2025, and offers no lock-in contracts with a $1,000 minimum. Dated case studies include 367% more conversions for Heaps Good Solar. It suits small ecommerce teams testing AI search work.
Notable clients
- Heaps Good Solar
- XL Concrete
- Nuago
- Foil Me
- Curaprox
- Viterra
Watch out
Clients are mostly SMBs with limited enterprise evidence, and award claims lack specific years and categories.
#12Best for AI search plus Shopify and CRO
Growth Hacker
Founder-led Montreal SEO and CRO shop built around Shopify and local search
Growth Hacker is a founder-led Montreal agency pairing Shopify and ecommerce SEO with AI search optimisation and conversion testing, so visibility gains connect to on-site sales. It reports doubling organic traffic for Steadiwear in under three months and a 40% sales lift for Charlie B through CRO. Delivery is bilingual in English and French, and it holds a 4.9 rating from 26 Clutch reviews.
Notable clients
- Steadiwear
- Charlie B
- E3 Électricité
- Moroccanoil
- Big Brothers Big Sisters
- Kidobebe
Watch out
Paid media and social are secondary, and a few reviewers wanted more proactive strategy beyond scope.
#13Best budget AEO and LLM optimisation
eSearch Logix
Noida SEO and web development shop with a perfect Clutch score and $199/month entry plans
eSearch Logix is a Noida agency listing AI SEO, AEO and LLM optimisation next to Shopify and WordPress SEO, local SEO and white-label work. It scores a perfect 5.0 across 25 Clutch reviews and starts SEO plans at $199 a month, with in-house developers for technical fixes. It suits small online stores that want AI search basics at a very low price.
Watch out
Leadership is not named publicly, reviewers asked for more transparency on link placements, and most work is under $10,000.
Best AEO agency for ecommerce by need
GEO with SEO and outboundUltraGrowthMedia
Published AI citation researchProsperity Media
Shopify SEO with AI auditsOptimising
Technical AI-ready SEOWhitworth SEO
Pure-play AEOVictorious
Content-led GEO and PRSiege Media
Large catalogues in AustraliaStudioHawk
Very small budgetseSearch Logix
CBD and regulated-niche storesOutpace SEO
How much does an AEO agency for ecommerce cost in 2026?
AEO is usually sold as part of an SEO retainer, so pricing follows SEO norms. These figures come from the published minimums and hourly rates of the 90 agencies in our directory for this page.
| Tier | Monthly minimum | Share of agencies | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Under $1,000/mo | 35% | Small stores and packaged AI SEO plans; often offshore, with limited custom work. |
| Mid-market | $1,000 to $5,000/mo | 39% | Growing ecommerce brands that need technical fixes, content and AI visibility work on a steady cadence. |
| Premium | Over $5,000/mo | 26% | Large catalogues and competitive categories with dedicated teams and research. |
Source: published minimum budgets of AEO agencies for ecommerce in the MakeSuccessOnline directory, October 2026.
Median minimum budget by region
The most common hourly band is $100 to $149 (33% of the 55 agencies that publish rates), followed by $150 to $199 (29%) and $50 to $99 (11%).
How we chose the best AEO agencies for ecommerce
We started with every AEO agency serving ecommerce brands in the MakeSuccessOnline directory (90 at the time of writing) and scored each one on six criteria. Every profile was researched from the agency's own site plus at least one independent source such as Clutch, Google reviews, trade press or award listings.
- AI search capabilityReal AEO or GEO work, such as audits, tracking, published research or named deliverables, not just a renamed service page.25%
- Ecommerce SEO foundationsStrength in product data, category structure, migrations and technical SEO, which AI answers draw on.20%
- Reviews and reputationRatings and review volume on Clutch or Google, plus awards and peer reputation.20%
- Proven results and clientsNamed clients and published results we could attribute to a source.15%
- Pricing transparency and valueWhether minimums are published, and how cost compares with what a store gets.10%
- Team and longevityYears in business, team size and who actually works on accounts.10%
Rankings are editorial. Agencies cannot pay to appear on this page or to change their position. Read how we review agencies →
How to choose an AEO agency for ecommerce
- Test where you appear todayAsk ChatGPT, Perplexity and AI Overviews the questions your buyers ask and note which brands are cited. That is your baseline.
- Check the SEO foundationsAEO rests on crawlable pages, structured data, strong category content and reviews. Make sure the agency fixes these first.
- Ask what they actually trackRequest which engines they monitor, how often, and how they separate AI referrals from other traffic.
- Ask for ecommerce examplesRequest a case where product or category pages gained citations or traffic from AI answers, with named clients.
- Be cautious about guaranteesNo agency controls what AI engines cite. Look for method and measurement rather than promises.
- Agree on measuresSet citations, referral traffic and assisted revenue as joint measures alongside classic rankings.
Questions to ask
- Which AI engines do you monitor and how do you report citations?
- What would you change on our product and category pages for AI answers?
- How do you use structured data, feeds and reviews in this work?
- Can you show an ecommerce client whose AI visibility improved, and how you measured it?
- How is AEO priced inside the retainer, and what is delivered each month?
- How do you distinguish AEO work from standard SEO?
Red flags
- Guaranteed citations or promised placement in ChatGPT answers.
- AEO sold as a rebranded SEO package with the same deliverables.
- Tactics that fill pages with questions or FAQs just to chase AI answers.
- No measurement of citations or referrals beyond screenshots.
- Ignoring technical SEO and product data in favour of content only.
AEO agency for ecommerce vs freelancer vs in-house
| AEO agency | Freelancer | In-house SEO | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Typical cost | $1,000 to $15,000+/mo | Lower; hourly or project-based | Salary plus tools and tracking |
| Skills covered | Technical SEO, content, PR, AI tracking | Usually one or two areas | Depends on hire; often generalist |
| Speed to start | 2 to 4 weeks | Days | 1 to 3 months to hire |
| Best for | Competitive categories, large catalogues | Audits and defined projects | Large sites needing daily SEO input |
| Main risk | Rebranded SEO with little AI work | Capacity and continuity | Single point of failure |
What does an AEO agency for ecommerce do?
An AEO agency for ecommerce is a company that helps online stores get cited and recommended in AI-generated answers, including Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT and Perplexity. Typical work includes AI visibility audits, structured data and product feed clean-up, category and buying guide content, reviews and mentions, and tracking of citations and referral traffic. Most AEO sits on top of solid technical SEO rather than replacing it.
AEO agency for ecommerce FAQ
What is the best AEO agency for ecommerce in 2026?
There is no single best AEO agency for every store. Prosperity Media ranks first for published AI citation research, Optimising for Shopify SEO with AI visibility audits, Whitworth SEO for technical AI-ready SEO and Victorious for pure-play answer engine optimization. The right choice depends on your platform, catalogue and budget.
How much does an AEO agency cost?
The median minimum across the 90 agencies we track is $5,000 a month, with 35% starting below $1,000 and 26% above $5,000. North American and UK agencies share that $5,000 median, while Asia-Pacific sits at $1,000. AEO is usually sold inside an SEO retainer rather than as a separate line.
What is the difference between AEO, GEO and SEO?
SEO improves rankings in classic search results. AEO focuses on being the direct answer in features like AI Overviews and voice results. GEO aims to get a brand cited by generative tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity. Most agencies treat AEO and GEO as extensions of SEO, with overlapping tactics.
How long does AEO take to work?
Expect technical and content improvements to be live within one to three months, with measurable changes in AI citations or referral traffic taking three to six months or more. AI engines change often, so results are less predictable than classic rankings, and any agency promising a fixed timeline deserves scrutiny.
Can an agency guarantee my store will appear in ChatGPT?
No. No agency controls what AI engines cite, and Google says AI features draw on helpful content that already meets its search guidelines. Treat guarantees as a red flag, and look for agencies that explain their testing, tracking and the content and data changes they will make.
What does AEO involve for an ecommerce store?
AEO for ecommerce usually involves clean product data and structured markup, helpful category and buying guide content, review and mention building, and fixing crawl and indexing issues. Agencies then track citations in AI engines and referral traffic. It builds on technical SEO rather than replacing it.
How do I choose an AEO agency?
Check that the agency has ecommerce SEO foundations, then ask what it tracks and how. Request a case study where AI visibility changed for a store, ask how AEO differs from standard SEO deliverables, and meet the people who will work on your account before signing.
Are AEO agencies worth the money?
They are worth it when AI answers influence how shoppers in your category research and buy, and when you lack in-house SEO skills. They are less worthwhile for stores with weak technical foundations or thin content, where basic SEO fixes should come first.
More AEO agencies for ecommerce
Well-reviewed AEO agencies for ecommerce that did not make the top list but may suit your market.
Browse all 90 AEO agencies for ecommerce →
About the reviewer
Editor & Reviewer, MakeSuccessOnline
William Harrison is an editor and reviewer at MakeSuccessOnline. Before a ranking goes live, he checks every claim on the page against each agency's own site, its published case studies and independent reviews on Clutch and G2, and cuts anything he can't verify. He also keeps rankings current, rechecking pricing, team details and client lists as agencies change.