AISO Solutions Buyer's Guide 2025: Platforms vs. Agencies

Introduction: The AISO Solution Crossroads

The landscape of online discovery is undergoing a fundamental transformation. As audiences increasingly turn to conversational interfaces for answers, the traditional search engine results page is no longer the only destination. Industry analysis shows that over 40% of online discovery now begins through these new AI-powered channels, a seismic shift from just a few years ago. This new frontier demands a new strategy: AI Search Optimization (AISO), also known as Generative Engine Optimization (GEO). As defined by industry experts, GEO is the practice of optimizing content to ensure it appears prominently in AI-generated search results [1].

It is no longer sufficient to simply rank on Google; brands must now ensure they are visible, accurately represented, and recommended within the synthesized answers provided by models like ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, and Perplexity. Achieving this requires a dedicated approach to making your content authoritative and easily digestible for AI systems. However, choosing the right partner to navigate this complex and rapidly evolving ecosystem can be a significant challenge for marketing leaders. This guide is designed to bring clarity to the AISO market by defining and comparing the three primary service models available today: Platform-Only, Full-Service Agency, and the Hybrid model.

What is a Platform-Only AISO Solution?

A Platform-Only AISO solution is a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) tool that provides the data, analytics, and recommendations necessary to improve your brand's visibility in AI search. These platforms are powerful data engines designed to monitor how AI models perceive your brand, track competitors, and identify optimization opportunities. With this model, your internal team is entirely responsible for developing the strategy and executing the technical and content-based changes suggested by the software.

Pros: This approach offers complete control over your data, strategy, and execution, which can be ideal for organizations that value autonomy. For teams with deep in-house expertise, a platform provides the raw data needed to fuel their own advanced strategies. The direct cost of a software license may also appear lower than other models, making it an attractive option for businesses with established digital marketing departments.

Cons: The primary drawback of the platform-only model is the 'execution gap.' The platform provides insights, but success is entirely dependent on having the internal resources, specialized expertise, and bandwidth to implement its recommendations. For many teams, this means valuable data sits unused, delivering no return on investment. Without a dedicated team to translate insights into action, the platform becomes a cost center rather than a growth driver.

Ideal Customer: This model is best suited for large enterprises with mature, well-staffed in-house SEO and content teams. These organizations have the existing talent and processes to leverage a powerful data and analytics engine and do not require external strategic or implementation support.

Examples of Platform-Centric Providers: This category often includes large, all-in-one SEO suites that have expanded their offerings to include AI features. For instance, Semrush recently launched Semrush One, which integrates AI visibility tracking into its broader suite of SEO tools [2]. Ahrefs is another example of a major SEO platform that has incorporated features to help users understand their visibility in AI responses [3].

What is a Full-Service AISO Agency?

A full-service AISO agency is a services-based partner that manages your entire AI Search Optimization strategy and execution on your behalf. These agencies function as an outsourced marketing arm, taking full responsibility for improving your brand's presence in AI-generated answers. They may use a combination of third-party software or their own proprietary tools to gather data and deliver results, but their primary offering is human expertise and hands-on implementation.

Pros: For companies with limited or no internal AISO resources, an agency can be a turnkey solution. They provide both the strategic guidance to navigate the new AI landscape and the hands-on execution to implement necessary changes. This allows internal teams to remain focused on other core business functions while the agency handles the complexities of AISO.

Cons: This model can be the most expensive option, as it bundles strategy, execution, and tool costs into a single retainer. A significant drawback is that the data, insights, and strategic learnings may not be fully transparent or transferable if you decide to switch partners or bring the function in-house. This can lead to a lack of control over day-to-day strategy and a dependency on the agency for performance data.

Ideal Customer: This model is ideal for companies that prefer to fully outsource their digital marketing functions. It suits organizations that lack the desire or resources to build an in-house SEO or content team and are comfortable with a hands-off approach to their AISO strategy.

Examples of AISO Agencies: Many traditional SEO and content marketing agencies are now offering AISO or GEO services. This includes specialized firms like Single Grain and Sure Oak, which have adapted their service offerings to address the rise of generative AI in search [4] [5].

What is a Hybrid AISO Provider?

The hybrid model combines a best-in-class AISO platform with optional, integrated managed services. This approach is designed to give marketing teams the best of both worlds: direct access to a powerful data platform and the expert support needed to act on those insights effectively. As we've detailed in our analysis of this model, the goal is to bridge the 'execution gap' that plagues many marketing teams.

Pros: The primary advantage of the hybrid model is that it directly solves the common problem of having valuable data but lacking the resources to implement it. It offers the flexibility to scale services up or down based on your team's evolving needs and internal bandwidth. This model combines the data transparency and control of a SaaS platform with the strategic support and execution capabilities of an agency, creating a true partnership focused on driving results.

Cons: A hybrid solution may require a larger initial investment than a platform-only tool. However, when factoring in the total cost of ownership—including the salaries of internal experts required to operate a platform effectively—the hybrid model often proves to be more cost-effective and delivers a higher ROI.

Ideal Customer: This model is built for growth-oriented marketing teams who want access to powerful, transparent data but also recognize the need for a strategic partner to help execute technical and content optimizations. It is perfect for organizations that want to build their internal capabilities over time while ensuring no opportunities are missed in the short term.

Examples of Hybrid Providers: Searchify was founded on the hybrid principle, offering both a leading AISO platform and an integrated service layer. Other key players in this category include BrightEdge and Conductor, which also provide a combination of an enterprise-grade platform and professional services to help clients succeed [6]. You can learn more about how these platforms compare in our guide to GEO platform partners.

A Buyer's Checklist: Key Questions to Ask AISO Vendors

To help you evaluate potential partners and make an informed decision, it is crucial to ask the right questions. This checklist, based on the framework from our AISO Platform Scorecard, will help you dig deeper than a standard sales pitch and truly understand a vendor's capabilities.

Platform & Data Questions:

• 'Which AI models and search engines do you cover (e.g., ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity)?'
• 'How do you simulate realistic user questions to gather data, and how do you ensure that data reflects our target audience?'
• 'How do you measure core KPIs like the ones we define in our guide to AI visibility KPIs (e.g., AI Share of Voice, Citation Frequency, and Message Resonance)? Can you explain how these metrics are calculated?'

Actionability Questions:

• 'How does your platform turn raw data into a prioritized list of actionable tasks for my team?'
• 'Can you show me exactly how your Action Center, like the one we've detailed here, works to guide my team's content and technical optimization efforts?'
• 'How does the platform help us identify and close content gaps against our key competitors in AI search?'

Service Model Questions:

• 'What level of strategic support is included with a standard platform subscription?'
• 'Do you offer managed services for implementation if my team lacks the bandwidth or technical expertise for certain tasks?'
• 'How do you structure your partnerships with clients to ensure accountability and a clear return on investment?'

Conclusion: Why the Hybrid Model Offers the Best of Both Worlds

The AISO landscape is evolving at a pace that is too fast for most marketing teams to manage with software alone. Data without execution delivers zero ROI, and an unused platform is a wasted investment. While full-service agencies can provide execution, they often lack the data transparency and flexibility modern marketing teams require.

The hybrid model offers a distinct strategic advantage by providing both an industry-leading platform to identify opportunities and the expert services to capture them. It is a flexible, scalable partnership designed for growth, empowering your team with the tools and support needed to win in the new era of search. Searchify was built on this hybrid principle from day one. Our platform provides unparalleled insights into your AI visibility, and our Action Center delivers a clear, prioritized plan to improve it. For teams that need additional support, our AISO experts can act as a seamless extension of your own team to implement the technical and content optimizations required to become an authority in your space.

To see how Searchify's hybrid approach can close your execution gap and drive measurable results, schedule a personalized demo with one of our AISO experts today.