It is search optimization built for AI answers and assistants. It focuses on agent-ready pages, evidence blocks, structured data, AI crawling signals like llms.txt, and live testing in SGE, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity.

How do I know an agency is farming out my work?

Look for missing practitioners on calls, vague tech talk, no line-by-line page reviews, no evidence packs, and receipt-style reporting that skips AI answer visibility.

Which schema types should my templates include?

Common sets include Article or BlogPosting for content, Service and LocalBusiness for offers and NAP, Product for SKUs, Event for events, and FAQPage for Q&A blocks. Use JSON-LD and nest where relevant.

What should I own when hiring for AI-SEO?

Own the repo, templates, schema files, media, sitemaps, and any llms.txt or AI sitemaps. Require a change log and screenshot archive of AI answers citing your pages.

How do we measure results in 30, 60, and 90 days?

Track entity coverage, priority queries, inclusion in AI answers with screenshots, and improvements to technical readiness and structured data completeness.

Your Brand, Their Subcontractor: A Texas Buyer’s Guide to Real AI-SEO

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In Texas, a lot of agencies are selling “AI SEO.” Some know what they are doing. Many do not. They pitch smart words, then hand your work to strangers you never meet. When that happens, the risk sits on your business. Bad AI-SEO breaks trust, wastes money, and leaves you wondering who touched your site.

Here is a clear way to spot the difference between talk and results.

What real AI-SEO looks like

Real AI-SEO helps Google, Bing, and AI assistants find your facts, understand them, and quote them with credit.

Agent-ready pages that use plain language and clear facts. These pages are easy for machines to read and easy for people to trust.
Learn what we mean by agent-ready on our AI Search Optimization page. See details.
Evidence blocks that back up claims with citations, data, and screenshots, plus alt text that explains images.
Structured data in JSON-LD, like Service, LocalBusiness, FAQPage, Product, and Event. This labels your content so machines do not guess.
AI crawling signals like llms.txt or llms-full.txt that tell AI tools what they can use and how to attribute it.
Answer testing in SGE, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity to confirm your pages are showing up and being quoted correctly.

If a vendor cannot explain each step in simple words, and show a live example, you are buying a buzzword.

Five red flags you might be farmed out

No plan on the first call
You hear “trust the process,” but there are no dates, no deliverables, and no examples tied to your site.
Vague tech talk
They mention “proprietary AI,” but never name schema types, entities, or how they earn citations.
Ownership dodge
They will not bring the actual specialist to your meeting or email thread.
Portfolio fog
Pretty mockups, no proof. No before and after charts, no query lift, no AI answer screenshots.
Receipt-style reporting
Hours and task lists, but nothing about visibility in AI answers or saved proofs you can keep.

Five questions that protect you

Who is doing the work, and will they join our kickoff?
Get names, roles, LinkedIn, and calendar invites.
Show one recent page and explain it line by line.
Ask to see the JSON-LD, the evidence block, and a live example of that page being quoted.
How will we measure in 30, 60, and 90 days?
Look for tracked entities, priority queries, AI-answer screenshots, and a change log.
What lives in my repo, my CMS, and my domain?
You should own templates, schema, images, sitemaps, and any llms.txt files.
What happens if results stall?
Ask for a clear remediation checklist, not a shrug.

Helpful keywords: AI SEO Texas, Houston AI SEO, answer engine optimization plan, SGE measurement, entity tracking.

What a trustworthy scope includes

Technical readiness
A site audit that fixes indexability, speed, Core Web Vitals, and sitemap hygiene.
Keywords: technical SEO, crawl efficiency, Core Web Vitals, XML sitemaps
For local support, see East Texas SEO Services and Houston Local SEO Services. East Texas · Houston

Schema plan
Exact schema per template, a written entity list, and how each field is sourced and validated.
Keywords: schema mapping, entity-first SEO, JSON-LD validation

Agent-ready content
Page outlines that map facts to headings, FAQs, and citations. Alt text written for humans and machines.
Keywords: agent-ready pages, structured headings, FAQPage, E-E-A-T

AI-answer validation
Named assistants to test, prompts used, how quotes are captured, and a screenshot archive you own.
Keywords: SGE validation, Bing Copilot testing, Perplexity citation capture

Governance
A change log, a content cadence, and sign-off rules for claims and compliance.
Keywords: governance, audit trail, compliance review

The hidden cost of strangers behind the curtain

When an agency sells what it cannot do, the risk rolls downhill to you. A hidden subcontractor may be talented, but if they never meet your team, mistakes slip in. That is how broken JSON-LD, mislabeled updates, or thin AI-written pages reach production. Search engines and assistants will not punish the agency. They will lose trust in your site.
Keywords: broken schema, thin AI content, trust signals, brand risk

How to keep control without a fight

You do not need drama. You need clarity.

Ask for transparency in writing.
Require working sessions with the practitioner who will touch your files.
Make ownership explicit, including repos, schema files, media, sitemaps, and llms.txt.

If a partner refuses, they made the choice for you. Hire the people who will open the files on Zoom, explain every field, and leave you with proof you can save.

A simple hiring checklist

Put the practitioner in the kickoff invite
Get a one-page measurement plan with dates
Ask for 3 recent examples with screenshots of AI answers that cite those pages
Own the repo, schema files, media, and llms.txt
Save a monthly “evidence pack” with results and changes

Helpful keywords: AI SEO checklist, evidence pack, Texas SEO hiring, Houston SEO vendor guide.

Two lines to remember

If they cannot explain it without slides, they cannot execute it with code.
In AI search, proof beats pretty. Buy outcomes, not buzzwords.

Texas tips

Use local entities in schema and copy, like city names, neighborhoods, landmarks, and service areas.
Capture reviews that include service, city, and outcome. Example: “MVD surgery Houston, pain resolved in 6 weeks.”
Keep your Google Business Profile and local citations consistent so assistants can cross-check your NAP and categories.
Keywords: East Texas SEO, Houston AI SEO, local entities, review schema, NAP consistency.

Do a 10-minute AI visibility check

You can fact-check an agency’s claims in public, in minutes. Look for proof that AI systems actually recognize them for what they sell.

Run these quick tests

Google SGE and Bing Copilot: Ask, “Who is {Agency Name}?” and “What services does {Agency Name} provide?” Then ask, “Which agencies in {City, State} offer AI SEO or AI Search Optimization?”
You are looking for the agency to appear with correct services, not just as “Advertising Agency.”
Perplexity: Ask, “Show recent work or case studies for {Agency Name} AI SEO.” Save any cited pages.
Model-friendly signals: Visit the agency site and check for:
- llms.txt or llms-full.txt at the root
- An AI or GEO sitemap in robots.txt
- JSON-LD for Organization, LocalBusiness, Service, BlogPosting, FAQPage
- Real case studies with dates, outcomes, screenshots, and citations
Cross-checks: Do their Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, and site headings all say the same services you were pitched, including AI SEO or GEO, or do they only say “Advertising Agency”?

Why this matters

If assistants and answer engines do not link the agency to AI SEO, there is a gap between pitch and presence. In AI search, recognition is earned with clear entities, clean schema, live examples, and consistent naming. That is proof in concept, and it tells you who you are hiring.

FAQs

What is real AI-SEO?
Real AI-SEO readies your pages for assistants and AI summaries, with structured data, evidence blocks, and live validation in SGE, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity.

Which schema should my site prioritize first?
Start with Article or BlogPosting for content, LocalBusiness and Service for offers and NAP, Product for SKUs, Event for events, and FAQPage for Q&A. Use JSON-LD.

What proof should an AI-SEO vendor show?
Screenshots of AI answers citing your pages, your JSON-LD samples, entity lists, and a dated change log stored in your namespace.

Do I need llms.txt?
It is not a formal standard, but it helps guide AI crawlers and clarify attribution rules. Keep it alongside sitemaps and robots policy.

How soon should I see movement?
In 30 to 90 days you should see improved structured data coverage, entity alignment, and first signs of citations or AI answer inclusion, with screenshots in your evidence pack.

How do I vet an agency using AI models?
Ask SGE, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity who the agency is and what services they offer, then ask for agencies in your city that do AI SEO. Save screenshots. On their site, look for llms.txt, an AI sitemap, and JSON-LD that names Service types for AI SEO or AI Search Optimization. If models and metadata do not connect the brand to the service, push for evidence or reconsider.

Glossary for buyers

AI SEO, AI Search Optimization, GEO
Ways to help AI systems and search engines find, understand, and cite your content.

Agent-ready page
A page built so assistants can lift facts with credit. Uses clear headings, bullets, and an evidence block.

Evidence block
A small section with sources, data points, images, and helpful alt text in one place.

Entity list
The people, places, products, and ideas your brand wants to be known for, mapped to schema.

llms.txt, llms-full.txt
Machine rules that tell AI what it can crawl and how to attribute.

AI-answer validation
A repeatable test that confirms your pages are cited in SGE, Bing Copilot, and Perplexity.

Author
Ryan W. Bailes is co-founder of Bailes + Zindler, a Texas web and AI-SEO studio focused on agent-ready sites for East Texas and Houston businesses.

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