From Pitch to Proof: Hiring a Real AI-SEO Vendor

Quit buying buzzwords, start buying results. Here is a simple, fun, no-nonsense guide for picking an AI-SEO partner that actually ships agent-ready pages, tidy schema, and proof you can double-check.

Why this matters

If you run a business in East Texas, Houston, or anywhere with Wi-Fi, you have heard the pitch. “AI SEO.” “SGE optimization.” “Answer engine strategy.” Some of it is real. A lot of it is theater. Big talk gets sold, then the work gets shipped to strangers. You take the risk, not them. Bad AI-SEO burns budget, breaks trust, and leaves you wondering who did what.

What real AI-SEO looks like in 2025

AI-SEO is not a magic button. It is modern SEO for a world where Google, Bing, and AI apps show summaries up top and links below. The grown-up version includes:

• Agent-ready pages with crisp facts, plain language, and cited sources that machines can lift with confidence.
• Evidence blocks that tie each claim to a date, source, and link, plus image alt text so people and machines get the same story.
• Structured data in JSON-LD so systems understand who wrote the page, what it covers, and where the proof lives.
• Live testing in Google AI Overviews and Bing or Copilot, with screenshots and notes that show what surfaced and why.

Five red flags your “AI-SEO” is being farmed out

1. No working definition. If they cannot explain inputs, outputs, and proof in a short paragraph, it is theater.
2. No change log. Real programs track what changed, where, and when.
3. Schema slop. Generic, mistyped, or orphaned JSON-LD is a smell.
4. All tactics, no policy. If you use reviews or testimonials, you need clear disclosures. Ask how they handle page and social copy.
5. Pretty reports, zero citations. Screenshots without URLs, timestamps, or steps you can repeat are not proof.

Buyer checklist you can use with any vendor

1) Ask for one agent-ready page.

Request a single URL they optimized end to end. Expect tight copy, citations, and JSON-LD that matches on-page content.

2) Validate schema the right way.

Run the URL through Google’s tools, then read the JSON-LD by eye. If there are FAQs, use FAQPage correctly and connect it to the main entity.

👉 Rich Results Test: https://search.google.com/test/rich-results

👉 Schema Markup Validator: https://validator.schema.org/

3) Check AI-answer visibility across engines.

Ask how they test in Google AI Overviews and in Bing or Copilot. Look for a fixed query set, locations, and weekly snapshots.

4) Demand proof you can reproduce for every “win.”

For each claim, require the steps to reproduce: query, location, date and time, screenshot, and the link to the surfaced source. No receipts, no credit.

5) Insist on disclosure hygiene.

If you use reviews, testimonials, or affiliate links, say so in plain language. That lines up with U.S. FTC rules and keeps you out of trouble.

Day 1: Questions that change the conversation

Show the last 30 days of changes. Proves real work and real ownership.

Which pages got structured data, and which types. You are checking for fit, not spray and pray. Article, FAQPage, HowTo, Product, LocalBusiness each have different needs.

What is your evidence-block pattern. Claim, source, date, link, and alt text should be consistent.

How do you evaluate AI-generated answers. A repeatable process beats anecdotes. Track the same query set across Google and Bing over time.

How will you handle disclosures. Get exact language now, not later.

A 30-60-90 plan that proves itself

Days 1 to 30

Audit the site. Pick 3 to 5 pages for agent-ready upgrades. Tighten copy, add citations, implement JSON-LD, and validate with Google’s tools. If you sell products, ensure Product markup meets requirements. Start a small AI-answer check with a fixed query set.

Days 31 to 60

Expand to 10 to 15 pages. Strengthen internal links between related topics. Standardize disclosure and attribution language. Begin weekly visibility snapshots across Google and Bing with brief notes on what appeared in answers.

Days 61 to 90

Ship a repeatable Standard Operating Procedure: page template, schema patterns, evidence-block rules, and testing protocol. Include a roll-up that shows what moved and where, with links to proof you can recreate later. That package outlives any single vendor.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

• Confusing noise for proof. Rank trackers are not enough. Track AI-answer visibility with fixed queries and time-stamped screenshots tied to URLs.
• Marking up the wrong things. Do not label random accordions as `FAQPage`. Use it for real questions and answers only.
• Publishing without policy. If content includes brand collabs or gifted items, write one simple disclosure rule and use it everywhere.

Good ethics and good risk management travel together.

Bottom line

AI-SEO is a craft, not a claim. If a vendor cannot show their work, define their patterns, and cite their sources, you are probably buying buzzwords. Ask for agent-ready pages, validate the schema, require disclosures where needed, and save proof you can repeat later. That is how you protect your brand, in Texas or Tokyo.

Glossary of Terms

AI-SEO: Optimization for a world where engines and assistants generate answers first, links second.

Agent-ready page: Human-friendly content that machines can read cleanly, with citations and structured data.

Evidence block: A repeatable pattern that ties a claim to a source, date, and link, plus accessible alt text.

Structured data: Machine-readable markup, usually JSON-LD, that helps search engines understand a page.

Disclosure hygiene: Clear, consistent language that tells readers about reviews, testimonials, or affiliate ties.

Author Bio

Ryan W. Bailes is a U.S. strategist focused on AI-ready SEO, structured data, and evidence-based content. Read the extended checklist version on his site.

Extended Guide: https://baileszindler.com/news-insights/texas-buyers-guide-to-real-ai-seo

References

• Google Search Central, Intro to Structured Data: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/intro-structured-data
• Google Search Central, FAQPage Structured Data: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/structured-data/faqpage
• Schema.org, FAQPage type: https://schema.org/FAQPage
• Bing Webmaster Guidelines: https://www.bing.com/webmasters/help/webmaster-guidelines-30fba23a
• Microsoft 365 Copilot, public web grounding: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/microsoft-365/manage-public-web-access
• Microsoft Copilot Chat FAQ, citations: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/copilot/faq
• FTC Endorsement Guides, business guidance: https://www.ftc.gov/business-guidance/resources/ftcs-endorsement-guides-what-people-are-asking
• 16 CFR Part 255, Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising: https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-16/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-255