# [AI SEO agency: what they do, and what you can do yourself](https://rebilder.com/solutions/ai-seo-agency)

- **Updated:** 2026-09-10
- **Description:** Plan an AI SEO agency engagement around reliable business sources, useful content, technical integration and reporting you can act on.

Build a clear AI SEO brief: identify the information customers need, connect reliable sources and measure what changes. Rebilder gives your team and agency the tools to do that work.



## What you get

- A plain breakdown of what these engagements include
- How to connect the technical foundation
- Six questions that separate a good engagement from a bad one
- A free scan, so you walk into the call knowing your own numbers

## These engagements contain two very different jobs

A useful proposal covers both the technical delivery and the information customers need. Integration connects the sources; editorial work makes those sources useful. Both need maintenance as the business and website change.

|  | The technical half | The editorial half |
| --- | --- | --- |
| What it is | Serving, bot rules, response size, fact position | Content that answers real questions |
| How long | Initial setup and ongoing maintenance | Continuous |
| Effect | Immediate and measurable | Gradual and hard to attribute |
| Can you do it in-house | With integration and testing capacity | With editorial capacity |
| What it should cost | Based on integration scope | Based on research and content scope |

Separate initial implementation from ongoing responsibilities. That makes it easier to compare scope, assign ownership and decide what a retainer should deliver each month.

## Connect the technical foundation

Content negotiation gives requesting agents a compact representation of business facts. Connect it to current sources, test the important routes and verify that browser and crawler responses still work correctly.

middleware.ts

```ts
import { NextResponse } from 'next/server'
import { createGatewayProxy } from '@rebilder/gateway/next'
import { gatewayConfig } from '@/lib/gateway-config'

// Configure storeId and source resolvers in gatewayConfig.
export default createGatewayProxy(gatewayConfig, () => NextResponse.next())
```

1. **Scan a page of each template** and write the numbers down. This is your baseline and your negotiating position.
2. **Review bot access.** Test which assistants and crawlers the current rules allow, then align them with your business goals.
3. **Answer `Accept: text/markdown`.** The free tier covers 1,000 agent visits a month and the SDK is unmetered and self-hostable.
4. **Assign ongoing ownership.** Keep integration maintenance, source updates and content improvements in the plan.

## Six questions to ask before you sign

- **What will the engagement deliver?** Define the work, evidence and measurement window before starting.
- **What is the baseline, and who takes it?** An engagement with no before-measurement cannot demonstrate an after.
- **Who owns each responsibility?** Separate integration, content and ongoing reporting so the team knows how the work will continue.
- **What happens after the engagement?** Agree on code ownership, source access, hosting and handover.
- Combine server-side request reporting with browser analytics. The gateway observes requests it handles; the Rebilder Tag records AI-referred visits and supported browser activity.
- **How will browser and crawler responses be tested?** Verify the intended content and behavior after the integration.

> **Connect both reporting sources** Combine server-side request reporting with browser analytics. The gateway observes requests it handles; the Rebilder Tag records AI-referred visits and supported browser activity.

## What does an AI SEO agency do?

Technical integration and useful content work together: a technical one covering how your pages are served to AI agents, and an editorial one covering content that answers the questions people ask. Both need an initial plan and ongoing ownership.

## Do I need an AI SEO agency?

Start with a scan to identify the work. Use your own team where it has the capacity and expertise; bring in an agency for integration, content or ongoing management that needs dedicated support.

## How much should this cost?

The SDK is free. Integration, testing, content work and ongoing maintenance depend on your site and scope. Ask for deliverables, maintenance responsibilities and reporting in the scope.

## How should an agency report results?

Ask for a clear delivery and measurement plan. Rebilder improves source information and visibility; the assistant selects its own answers and sources.

## Are you an agency?

Rebilder is a software platform for your business or agency. Start with a free scan, self-host the SDK, or contact us to discuss setup and managed operations.

## Related

- [AI SEO services](https://rebilder.com/solutions/ai-seo-services)
- [AI SEO](https://rebilder.com/solutions/ai-seo)
- [Generative engine optimization agency](https://rebilder.com/solutions/generative-engine-optimization-agency)
- [AI search optimization: the definitive guide](https://rebilder.com/learn/ai-search-optimization)
- [Scan any URL free](https://rebilder.com/scan)