AI SEO Experts
AI SEO Consultant
Looking for an AI SEO consultant who’ll tell you exactly how the work gets done, what it costs, and whether it’s even worth it for your site? That’s me. I’m TJ, founder of Lifted Websites, and I’ve worked in search since 2009. I help businesses in Scottsdale, across the Phoenix metro, and nationwide get found in both Google and AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. One strategy, built on clean ranking signals, with reporting in booked calls instead of vanity charts.
What does an AI SEO consultant do?
An AI SEO consultant is a senior search strategist you hire directly to get your business found in both Google and AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. I'm TJ, founder of Lifted Websites. I've worked in SEO since 2009, and I build the clean ranking foundation that AI engines actually cite, then track where your brand shows up across all five engines. Consulting plans start at $800/mo.
Most "AI SEO" pitches are vague. They promise to get you "into ChatGPT" without telling you how, what it costs, or how they'll prove it worked. I do the opposite. This page shows you exactly how I work, what I charge, and the one thing that decides whether a business is worth optimizing for AI search at all.
What an AI SEO consultant actually does
The job is to make your site the source AI engines trust. That breaks into four concrete pieces of work, and a good consultant should be able to point to each one on your account:
- Fix the ranking foundation first. Crawlability, site speed, entity and schema markup, internal linking, and Core Web Vitals. AI engines pull from pages that already rank well, so this is where citation work begins.
- Build content AI can quote. Answer-first structure, standalone factual sentences, comparison tables, and FAQ schema that matches the visible text. This is what gets lifted into an AI answer.
- Strengthen your brand as an entity. Consistent name, address, and phone across the web, plus Organization and Person schema, so models understand who you are and connect the mentions.
- Measure where you appear, then close the gaps. Tracking citation share across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, Claude, and AI Overviews, and feeding what's missing into the next content cycle.
This is the same work behind our done-for-you AI SEO services. The difference with consulting is simple: you work with me directly instead of an account manager.
Consultant vs. agency vs. doing it yourself
A consultant is the right call when you want a senior strategist on your account, not a junior running a playbook. Here's the honest comparison.
| Factor | Direct consultant (me) | Large agency | DIY / in-house |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the work | The founder, directly | Junior account manager | You and your team |
| Strategy depth | High, tailored to your site | Process-driven, sometimes templated | Limited by your time and tools |
| AI engine tracking | All 5 engines, logged quarterly | Varies by team | Manual and time-consuming |
| Typical monthly cost | From $800/mo | Often $2,500–$10k+/mo | Tool costs only |
| Best for | SMBs and multi-location brands that want a senior partner | Large teams needing heavy execution | Teams with spare expert capacity |
The truth most "AI SEO" pitches skip
Clean Google ranking is the biggest driver of AI citations. Independent 2026 analysis of dozens of studies found that a page's classic search rank was one of the strongest predictors of whether AI engines cite it, second only to basic crawl access. In plain terms: the work that ranks you on Google is the same work that gets you quoted in ChatGPT and Perplexity.
That matters more after Google's June 2026 spam update. Google has folded aggressive AI-only tactics into its spam policies. If a page only exists to game an AI answer and would make no sense to a human reader, it now reads as spam. AI Overviews already appear in roughly one in five Google searches, so the surface is real, but the way to win it is real content and real authority, not tricks.
You don't need a separate "GEO" line item and a separate SEO line item. One strategy, built on clean ranking signals, covers both. That's how I scope every engagement, and it's why I won't sell you a standalone "ChatGPT package" that ignores your foundation.
How I measure AI visibility (the actual stack)
Most consultants say "we'll audit your AI presence" and leave it there. Here is exactly how I track each engine, and the tools I use to do it.
| Engine | How I track your visibility |
|---|---|
| Google AI Overviews & AI Mode | Search Console AI-visibility report plus manual prompt probes for your core queries |
| ChatGPT Search | Bing index checks (ChatGPT retrieves through Bing) plus repeat prompt testing |
| Perplexity | Citation-share tracking and named-source probes for your topics |
| Claude & Gemini | Brand-mention monitoring and prompt probes across your service queries |
| All engines (quarterly) | Ahrefs Brand Radar citation share, logged so you can see the trend over time |
On the lead side, calls are tracked through CallRail, so reporting shows up as booked calls and form fills, not just ranking screenshots. Rankings that don't turn into phone calls aren't worth paying for.
AI SEO consulting plans & pricing
I publish pricing because you deserve to know before a sales call. Every plan starts with a free audit of where your brand stands in Google and AI search today.
Local AI SEO — $800/mo
For a single-location business targeting one local market and Google Business Profile. Foundation, on-page, entity/schema, and AI Overview readiness for your core local queries.
Multi-Local Plus — $2,000/mo
For multi-location and national brands. Unlimited locations, deeper content authority hubs, full GEO and AEO work across all five AI engines, and quarterly citation-share reporting.
Custom Consulting & GEO — $3,000–$10,000+/mo
For competitive verticals, ecommerce, and enterprise. Dedicated strategy, advanced entity work, digital PR for brand mentions, and a tailored AI visibility program. Scope built around your market.
When AI SEO consulting is not the right fit
I'd rather tell you this now than three months into a retainer. AI SEO consulting is not for everyone.
If your site has thin, duplicated, or AI-spun content, no amount of AI optimization will get you cited. Engines pull from sources they trust, and trust starts with quality. If that's your situation, the foundation has to be fixed before any GEO work makes sense, and I'll say so on the first call rather than sell you a plan that won't move. If you need cheap, high-volume content at scale, I'm the wrong consultant.
AI SEO consultant FAQ
What is an AI SEO consultant?
An AI SEO consultant is a search strategist you hire directly to make your business visible in both Google and AI answer engines like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. The work combines traditional SEO, generative engine optimization (GEO), and answer engine optimization (AEO) into one strategy.
How is a consultant different from an AI SEO agency?
With a consultant you work with a senior strategist directly, usually the founder, instead of a junior account manager running a templated playbook. It's a better fit when you want tailored strategy and direct access. For heavy execution across a large team, a full agency or our done-for-you AI SEO services can make more sense.
How much does an AI SEO consultant cost?
At Lifted Websites, consulting plans start at $800/mo for a single local business, $2,000/mo for multi-location and national brands, and $3,000 to $10,000+/mo for custom programs in competitive verticals. Freelance AI SEO consultants often charge $50 to $150 per hour, so a fixed monthly plan is usually more predictable.
Can you really get a business cited by ChatGPT and Perplexity?
Yes, but not through tricks. AI engines cite pages that already rank well and demonstrate real expertise. The work is to build clean ranking signals, answer-first content, and strong entity authority, then track citation share across each engine and close the gaps. Citation builds over time as trust builds.
Do I still need traditional SEO if I hire an AI SEO consultant?
Yes. Traditional SEO is the foundation, not a separate thing. Clean ranking is one of the strongest predictors of AI citation, so the same work that ranks you on Google is what gets you quoted in AI answers. A good consultant builds one strategy that serves both.
Want to see where you stand in AI search?
I'll run a free audit of your Google and AI visibility and tell you honestly whether consulting is worth it for your site. No pressure, no junior account manager, just me.
📞 Book Your Free Audit — (888) 863-7421📞 Or call us directly: (888) 863-7421 | 6815 E Camelback Rd, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
