How to Choose an AIO Agency: Pricing & 5 Key Tips

The Era Where AIO Success Heavily Depends on 'Which Agency You Choose' Is Here

With the rise of AI search, led by Google's SGE (Search Generative Experience), a new concept called "AIO (AI Optimization)" is rapidly gaining importance in the world of web marketing. This is because with traditional SEO measures alone, your company's information may not be cited in AI-generated answers, potentially causing you to lose opportunities to be seen by users.

To adapt to this change, many businesses are starting to consider implementing AIO. However, they are simultaneously facing a new challenge: "I don't know which agency to hire." Since AIO is still a new field, the reality is that there is significant variation in the skills, knowledge, and quality of services offered by different agencies.

In this article, as an AIO, MEO, and SEO specialist, I will not recommend any specific agency. Instead, I will provide an "objective framework for comparing AIO agencies" from a neutral standpoint. While also touching on market pricing and common pitfalls, the goal is to help store owners and web managers of small to medium-sized businesses find the optimal partner for their company.

4 Types of AIO Agencies and Their Characteristics

First, let's categorize agencies that undertake AIO into four main types and neutrally examine the pros and cons of each. This is the first step in considering which type is right for your business.

Type 1: Specialized SEO/MEO Agencies

These are agencies that have traditionally specialized in SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and MEO (Map Engine Optimization). They offer AIO services by applying their existing knowledge of search engine optimization.

• Pros: They are often skilled in universal SEO practices that are also likely valued by AI, such as content creation, strengthening E-E-A-T (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness), and acquiring backlinks. For local businesses, integration with MEO is also seamless.
• Cons: They may be weak in the technical aspects essential for AIO, especially advanced structured data implementation (JSON-LD). Even if they advertise "AI optimization," their services may in reality be just an extension of traditional SEO measures.

Type 2: Web Production / System Development Companies

These are companies whose primary business is building websites and developing systems. They approach AIO from a technical perspective.

• Pros: Their greatest strength is in "technical AIO," such as implementing structured data, improving site speed (Core Web Vitals), and enhancing crawlability. They excel at building the foundation to accurately convey information to AI.
• Cons: While they are skilled at technical implementation, they may have weaknesses in content strategy, writing, and an overall marketing perspective, all of which are necessary for content to be cited by AI. Even if the technical foundation is solid, if the information on it isn't compelling, AI won't choose it.

Type 3: Specialized AIO Consulting Firms

These are a relatively new type of company that focuses on AIO as a specialty, offering comprehensive support from strategy development to implementation direction.

• Pros: They dedicate significant resources to analyzing the latest trends and algorithms in AI search, making them highly specialized. They can formulate AIO strategies that align with overall business goals from both technical and content perspectives.
• Cons: As they are primarily consultants, the actual "execution" of measures may need to be done in-house or outsourced to a separate production company. Also, due to their high level of expertise, their fees tend to be relatively expensive.

Type 4: Freelancers / Individual Consultants

These are experts who undertake AIO projects on an individual basis. Many have deep knowledge in specific fields.

• Pros: They are often more cost-effective than organizations, and you can expect close communication and flexible responses. If you can find an expert specializing in a particular industry or technology, they can be highly cost-effective.
• Cons: Quality can be inconsistent as it depends on the individual's skills and experience. Their capacity and available resources are limited, making them unsuitable for large-scale projects. Additionally, staying updated with the latest information tends to be person-dependent.

5 Key Factors to Check When Comparing AIO Agencies

Keeping the four types above in mind, be sure to check the following five items when comparing specific agencies. Asking these questions will reveal the agency's capabilities and stance.

1. Scope and Specificity of Services

This is the most important comparison point. Don't settle for vague statements like "We do AIO." Clarify specifically "what they will do for you."

• Technical AIO: Is structured data (JSON-LD) implementation included? What kind of schema (e.g., `LocalBusiness`, `FAQPage`, `Product`) do they plan to implement, and on which pages?
• Content AIO: Does the service include planning and creating content that is easy for AI to generate answers from (e.g., Q&A format, comprehensive articles)? Will they rewrite existing content?
• E-E-A-T Enhancement: Are measures to increase trustworthiness included, such as adding author/supervisor information, clearly stating operator details, and supporting the acquisition of citations and mentions?
• MEO/Local Strategy: How will they link Google Business Profile optimization and review management with the website's AIO strategy?

A good agency should analyze your current challenges through a hearing and provide concrete proposals, such as, "For your company, let's start by marking up the information on this page with structured data, and then create FAQ content about XX."

For example, whether they propose implementing structured data like the following can be one criterion for judgment.

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "株式会社サンプル商事",
  "image": "https://example.com/logo.png",
  "@id": "",
  "url": "https://example.com/",
  "telephone": "+81-3-1234-5678",
  "priceRange": "JPY",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "丸の内1-1-1",
    "addressLocality": "千代田区",
    "addressRegion": "東京都",
    "postalCode": "100-0005",
    "addressCountry": "JP"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 35.681236,
    "longitude": 139.767125
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": {
    "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
    "dayOfWeek": [
      "Monday",
      "Tuesday",
      "Wednesday",
      "Thursday",
      "Friday"
    ],
    "opens": "09:00",
    "closes": "18:00"
  } 
}
</script>

2. Track Record and Expertise

Since AIO is a new field, few agencies have an extensive "track record in AIO." Therefore, focus on their achievements in related fields and the knowledge of their staff.

• Check related achievements: Look for case studies where they achieved results with SEO using structured data, ranked high in search with high-quality content marketing, or significantly improved customer acquisition with MEO. These are all components of AIO.
• Assess staff knowledge level: Can they clearly answer basic questions like "What is SGE?" and "What's the difference between AIO and SEO?" Probe their understanding of the latest information from Google (e.g., Helpful Content Update) and technical specifications.
• Check for information sharing: Do they actively share information about AIO on their company blog or in seminars? This is an indicator of how committed and well-researched they are in this field.

3. Pricing Structure and Market Rates

Cost is a major factor in choosing an agency, but selecting based on price alone is risky. The transparency of the pricing structure and its balance with the services provided are crucial.

Market Rates for AIO Services

• Initial Fee: Around ¥50,000 - ¥300,000
  This covers costs for current situation analysis, competitor research, strategy planning, and initial technical setup.
• Monthly Fee:
  • Consulting/Advisory Plan: Around ¥50,000 - ¥150,000 per month
    Mainly consists of regular meetings, strategy proposals, and Q&A sessions. Assumes implementation is done in-house.
  • Plan with Implementation Included: ¥150,000 - ¥500,000+ per month
    Includes hands-on work such as content creation, structured data implementation, and reporting. The price varies greatly depending on the site's scale and the volume of work.
• Spot Contract / One-time Project: From ¥100,000
  For one-off requests like "just implement structured data" or "just create a specific article." Effective when technical issues are clearly defined.

If a price is significantly lower or higher than these market rates, you need to inquire about the reasons in detail. Be especially cautious of extremely cheap plans like "Full AIO services for ¥30,000/month," as they may not deliver what they promise.

4. Contract Duration and Flexibility

Like SEO, AIO is a strategy that requires a long-term perspective. It takes a certain amount of time (generally at least 3 to 6 months) for AI to learn and for data to accumulate before you see results.

• Minimum Contract Period: Many agencies set a minimum contract period of 6 months to 1 year. This is a reasonable setting given the nature of the work, where short-term results cannot be guaranteed.
• Cancellation Terms: Always confirm the cancellation terms during the contract period and the timing for renewal in advance.
• Strategy Flexibility: AI search specifications change daily. It's important to see if the agency is flexible enough to review and adjust the strategy according to the situation, rather than sticking rigidly to the initial plan.

5. Reporting and Communication

How the agency measures and shares the results of its efforts is extremely important for maintaining a partnership.

• Report Content: Check if they track and report on AIO-specific metrics, not just traditional search rankings and traffic. This includes "for which search queries (questions)," "in which part of the AI's answer," and "was your company's information cited."
• Analysis and Improvement Proposals: The value of an agency is determined not just by reporting numbers, but by whether they provide "insights" and "improvement proposals" on how to analyze the results and what the next actions should be.
• Communication System: Confirm that they have a system for smooth communication, such as the frequency of regular meetings (e.g., once a month) and whether they are available for ad-hoc consultations via chat tools or phone. The chemistry with the assigned contact person is also a factor that cannot be ignored.

Decision Criteria and 'Common AIO Agency Pitfalls' from an Industry Insider

Based on the five comparison points above, here are the decision criteria for choosing the best agency for your company and the common pitfalls to avoid.

Decision Criteria Based on Your Company's Situation

• If you have an in-house web manager: You can build up in-house expertise while keeping costs down by pairing with a "consulting-type" agency (Type 1 or 3) that provides specialized knowledge and strategy, while your team handles the execution.
• If you have no resources at all: An "implementation support" agency (a highly comprehensive Type 1 or 2) that can handle everything from strategy and content creation to technical implementation is suitable.
• If your challenges are clearly defined: If you know exactly what needs to be done, such as "I just want to implement structured data," it's more efficient to hire a specialized web production company (Type 2) or a freelancer (Type 4) for a one-time project.

4 Common Failure Patterns

1. Failure 1: Paying a high price for "repackaged SEO"
   This happens when a business gets caught up in the buzzword "AIO" and signs a contract without scrutinizing the proposal. When they look closer, the work being done is just traditional keyword optimization and link building, with no AIO-specific measures (especially on the technical side). Check if the proposal specifically includes technical terms like "structured data" or "entity."
2. Failure 2: Being satisfied with just technical implementation
   This is the pattern of being content that "AIO is done" just because structured data has been implemented. Structured data is merely a "translator" to help AI correctly understand your content. If the quality of the original content is low, AI won't value it, no matter how accurately it's translated. Technology and content must always be considered together.
3. Failure 3: Expecting short-term results
   This is the case of getting anxious, thinking, "It's been a month since we signed, and we're not being cited by AI at all." AIO is a process where AI crawls your site, understands and evaluates the content, determines its trustworthiness, and only then cites it in an answer. This cycle takes time. Don't fall for sweet-sounding promises like "Guaranteed SGE appearance in 3 months"; it's crucial to have a long-term perspective.
4. Failure 4: Unclear performance metrics and unknown ROI
   This pattern occurs when monthly reports only show changes in search rankings and page views, with no clear indication of how AIO measures specifically contributed. It's difficult to build a healthy relationship with an agency that doesn't have a system to visualize results—which queries contributed to AI answers and how that ultimately led to website traffic and conversions.

Our Position on AIO Services

Up to this point, we have explained how to choose an AIO agency from a neutral perspective. Finally, we would like to modestly introduce the position of TrendPackage / LillyHoldings among the many available options.

We believe it is important to approach AIO as a combination of "technology (web production)" and "marketing (content strategy)." Backed by our technical capabilities as a web production company, we excel at technical AIO, such as accurate structured data implementation. Simultaneously, we leverage our expertise cultivated in SEO/MEO to plan and execute high-quality content strategies that get chosen by AI.

Rather than focusing on a single measure, we believe our unique strength lies in providing an integrated AIO solution that balances "technical implementation," "content enhancement," and "E-E-A-T improvement," all reverse-engineered from the client's business goals. We position AIO not as a mere technique, but as a vital part of marketing for business growth, and we partner with our clients from the high-level strategy design phase. That is the form of support we aim to provide.

Conclusion: Choosing the Right Partner is the Key to AIO Success

Choosing an AIO agency requires more than just comparing services and prices. It is most important to clarify your own business's current situation, challenges, and future goals, and then find a partner who will stand by you and walk the path together.

We recommend you use the five comparison points and common failure patterns introduced here to speak with multiple agencies. Then, make a comprehensive judgment based on the specificity of their proposals, the expertise of their staff, and your communication chemistry to select one company you can trust.

AIO is still a developing field. That's why a collaborative attitude, where the agency and the business work together through trial and error without being bound by fixed ideas, will be the key to succeeding in the coming AI era.

For a more systematic approach to AIO, please see our TrendPackage AIO Service Package for a detailed explanation.