AEO is a new discipline. Most clients do not know what it costs. Most practitioners are guessing at their rates. This guide gives you a framework for pricing AEO services based on the value you deliver. For the full agency workflow, read AEO agency workflow.
The Value You Are Selling
You are not selling schema markup or citation tracking. You are selling AI visibility. And AI visibility translates into pre-sold traffic, higher conversion rates, and compounding authority that builds over time.
For a business that sells professional services, appearing in ChatGPT answers when a potential client asks for recommendations is worth thousands of pounds or dollars per year in new business. Your AEO service creates that appearance. Price relative to that value. Not relative to the hours you spend.
The correct question is not how many hours will this take me? The correct question is how much value will this create for the client? Price from the second question.
AEO Service Types and Pricing Frameworks
AEO Audit
An AEO audit assesses a client’s current standing. It covers schema coverage, entity clarity, content citability, citation rate baseline, and Citation Gap analysis.
Pricing framework: fixed fee based on site size. Small sites (under 50 pages): $500 to $1,500. Medium sites (50 to 200 pages): $1,500 to $3,000. Large sites (200+ pages): $3,000 to $6,000.
AEO Implementation Retainer
A retainer covers ongoing AEO work: schema implementation, content optimisation, FAQ development, citation tracking, and monthly reporting.
Pricing framework: Light retainer (monthly reporting, schema maintenance, one content optimisation per month): $500 to $1,200 per month. Full retainer (weekly optimisation, content creation, citation tracking, competitor analysis): $1,500 to $4,000 per month.
AEO Strategy Consultation
A one-time or recurring strategy session for businesses that want guidance but will implement internally. Pricing framework: $200 to $500 per hour for experienced practitioners.
AEO Training
Training your client’s team to implement AEO independently. Half-day workshop $800 to $2,000. Full-day workshop $1,500 to $4,000. Multi-session training programme $3,000 to $8,000.
Productising Your AEO Services
Productised services — fixed-scope deliverables at fixed prices — are easier to sell than custom quotes. Examples:
- The AEO Starter Pack: audit + schema implementation + FAQ optimisation on 10 pages. Fixed price: $2,000.
- Monthly AEO Retainer: citation tracking + monthly report + two content optimisations. Fixed price: $800/month.
- Citation Authority Build: 90-day programme including entity setup, content cluster creation, and citation tracking. Fixed price: $4,500.
Clear scope. Clear price. Easy to buy. Deliver using the AEO agency workflow. Turn the revenue into converting AI traffic for your own business too.
HiveEO Agency Complete gives you white-label tools, client seat management, and the full AEO toolkit to deliver these services. The agency dashboard lets you manage multiple client sites from one interface. Available at haiv3.com/hiveeo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I charge by the hour or by the project?
By the project where possible. Hourly billing puts the client’s focus on your time rather than your results. Project pricing keeps the focus on outcomes. Value-based and project pricing are almost always better for experienced practitioners.
How do I justify AEO pricing to a sceptical client?
Run a quick citation baseline together. Show them where their competitors are being cited and they are not. The gap is visible and immediate. The value of closing it is obvious.
What should an AEO retainer include at minimum?
Monthly citation tracking report, one schema check, one content improvement. Clients should receive clear evidence each month that their citation rate is moving.