This is part of our comprehensive guide on what LLM visibility optimization is and how to evaluate service providers.

Let me be honest with you about something: I’m about to tell you why most LLM visibility optimization services miss the mark—including many that look legitimate on the surface.

Why would I do that? Because after 20 years in this industry, I’ve learned that transparency builds more trust than positioning yourself as the only viable option.

The LLM visibility optimization service landscape is still forming. You’re not going to find fifty established companies with proven track records and robust case studies. What you’ll find instead is four categories of providers, each with significant limitations.

And then there’s what we’re building at Payne Street Co, which I’ll be transparent about so you can make an informed decision.

This isn’t a sales pitch disguised as education. This is an honest assessment of who’s offering what, what actually works, and what to watch out for.

Why the Service Landscape Is Still Messy

LLM visibility optimization is new enough that the service ecosystem hasn’t matured yet.

Most providers fall into one of these categories:

• Traditional SEO agencies adding “AI optimization” to their menu (usually just rebranded technical SEO)
• Brand consultancies offering “AI readiness” (strategy without execution)
• New AI-specific startups (often too narrow or unproven)
• DIY software platforms (tools without expertise or capacity)

The fundamental problem across all categories: Most do Story OR Tech, not both. And both are required.

For context on why this integration matters, read our explanation of the Story + Tech framework.

Category 1: Traditional SEO Agencies Pivoting to “AI Optimization”

Who They Are

Established SEO firms that have added “LLM optimization” or “AI search optimization” to their service menus in the past 6-18 months. They have long track records in traditional search engine optimization.

What They Offer

Mostly technical SEO fundamentals with some schema markup and maybe structured data implementation. They’re essentially doing what they’ve always done but rebranding it as AI-ready.

Typical deliverables:

• Technical SEO audit and fixes
• Schema markup implementation (often basic)
• Content optimization (keyword-focused, not AI-specific)
• Link building and traditional authority signals
• Monthly reporting on technical metrics

The Problem

They’re approaching this like it’s traditional search engine optimization with a new label. They understand the technical side but rarely have deep expertise in brand strategy, narrative consistency, or how LLMs actually evaluate authority and trustworthiness differently than Google’s algorithm did.

Most traditional SEO agencies are purely technical. They can implement code all day, but they don’t speak the language of brand positioning, sentiment management, or strategic narrative development.

They’re checking boxes without understanding the full picture—the Tech side without the Story side.

What to Look For

If you’re considering a traditional SEO agency, ask them specifically about:

• Their approach to brand narrative optimization
• How they handle entity relationship building beyond backlinks
• Their methodology for sentiment management across the web
• How they integrate brand strategy with technical implementation

If they immediately pivot to talking about schema markup and meta tags without addressing narrative and positioning, they’re missing half the equation.

Pricing

Typically $3,000-8,000/month depending on scope and agency size.

Best For

Companies that already have crystal-clear brand positioning and just need technical implementation. But make sure they understand LLM-specific optimization, not just traditional SEO with new terminology.

Category 2: Brand Strategy Consultancies Adding “AI Readiness”

Who They Are

Brand strategy and marketing consultancies that have recognized AI’s importance and are offering “AI readiness assessments” or “brand positioning for AI systems.”

What They Offer

Brand audits, messaging frameworks, narrative development, and strategic recommendations. They’re strong on the Story side.

Typical deliverables:

• Brand positioning audit and recommendations
• Messaging framework and narrative structure
• Content strategy and editorial guidelines
• Stakeholder presentations and documentation
• Strategic roadmaps (but not implementation)

The Problem

They can tell you what your brand should say, but they have no idea how to implement the technical infrastructure that makes LLMs actually understand and cite that narrative.

They’ll hand you a beautiful deck and leave you to figure out JSON-LD, structured data, and entity markup on your own. Or they’ll tell you to “work with your technical team” to implement—except your technical team doesn’t know brand strategy.

This is exactly why I developed the Story + Tech framework. I was tired of watching brand strategy groups sell expensive slide decks and treat marketing activation—especially technical activation—as an afterthought.

Strategy without execution is just decoration.

What to Look For

If you’re considering a brand consultancy, ask about:

• Their technical implementation capabilities
• Whether they can actually build schema markup and structured data
• Who handles the technical work after strategy is complete
• Their experience with the technical side of LLM optimization

If they say “we provide the strategy, you handle implementation,” you’re getting half a solution.

Pricing

Typically $15,000-50,000 for strategic engagement (one-time or phased), minimal ongoing support.

Best For

Companies that need strategic positioning work anyway and have technical resources in-house to implement recommendations. But recognize you’re getting half the solution and will need to find the Tech expertise elsewhere.

Category 3: Specialized AI Visibility Startups

Who They Are

New companies built specifically around LLM optimization, often founded by former SEO specialists or AI researchers who saw the opportunity early.

What They Offer

Varies widely. Some focus on monitoring LLM citations and brand mentions. Some offer automated schema generation. Some focus on content optimization specifically for AI consumption.

Typical deliverables depend heavily on their specific focus area.

The Problem

They’re often too narrow in scope, treating LLM visibility as purely a technical problem or purely a content problem. And because they’re new, they lack the pattern recognition that comes from watching multiple digital transitions over decades.

Many are building tools or point solutions rather than comprehensive services. That can be valuable, but it’s not a complete answer.

What to Look For

Check their breadth of service:

• Are they offering comprehensive optimization or just one piece?
• Do they handle both brand strategy and technical implementation?
• What’s their track record navigating platform transitions?
• How do they adapt as AI platforms evolve?

Ask about their experience. How long have they been doing this? What other major platform transitions have they navigated? Fresh perspective is valuable, but so is pattern recognition from experience.

Pricing

Highly variable, $1,000-10,000/month depending on scope and maturity.

Best For

Companies whose specific gap matches the startup’s specific focus. Do your due diligence—many are very new with unproven approaches. But some have genuine innovation and fresh thinking.

Category 4: DIY Software Platforms

Who They Are

SaaS products offering LLM optimization tools, schema generators, monitoring dashboards, and automated recommendations. Think of platforms like Search Atlas that provide DIY capabilities.

What They Offer

Self-service platforms where you can audit your site, generate structured data, monitor AI citations, and implement recommendations yourself.

Typical features:

• LLM visibility scoring and monitoring
• Schema markup generators
• Content analysis and recommendations
• Competitor tracking
• Reporting dashboards

The Problem

They’re only as good as your team’s capacity and expertise. These tools are useful, but they require someone with 30-40 hours per week to learn the platform, implement recommendations, create content, monitor results, and stay current with updates.

For established businesses already running at capacity, these platforms just create more work without actually solving the resource constraint problem.

The tools don’t replace strategic thinking or technical expertise—they augment it. If you don’t have the underlying knowledge, the tools won’t make you competent.

What to Look For

Realistic assessment of your team’s capacity:

• Do you have someone who can dedicate 30-40 hours/week to this?
• Do they have both strategic and technical knowledge?
• Are they capable of learning new platforms quickly?
• Will this actually get prioritized or get pushed aside?

If your marketing manager is already juggling three campaigns and a trade show, adding a new platform to learn and maintain isn’t a solution—it’s another burden.

Pricing

Typically $100-500/month for platform access, but remember the real cost is internal team time.

Best For

Companies with dedicated internal resources who have both capacity and expertise. Can be excellent for large enterprises with specialized teams. Less viable for mid-market businesses at capacity.

Want to understand what’s actually involved in implementation? Read our complete 12-step guide to ranking in ChatGPT.

What We’re Building: Payne Street Studio

I’m going to be direct about what we offer and why it’s different, because transparency matters more than marketing spin.

Who We Are

I’ve spent 20 years in brand strategy and web/marketing technology. I ran a company for 10 years helping small to mid-sized businesses transition from Web 1.0 to Web 2.0. I’ve seen multiple major digital transitions and understand the patterns of what works and what fails.

I developed the Story + Tech framework specifically because I kept seeing the disconnect between strategy and execution. Brand consultants would deliver beautiful decks with no activation plan. Technical teams would implement without strategic direction. Clients were stuck in the middle getting neither.

What We Offer

Comprehensive LLM visibility optimization built on the Story + Tech framework. That means we handle both brand narrative optimization AND technical implementation simultaneously.

Our service includes:

• Free comprehensive scan using our proprietary brand and website scanner
• Brand strategy audit and optimization (not just a deck—actual execution)
• Full technical infrastructure implementation (schema, structured data, entity relationships)
• LLM-optimized content creation
• Reputation management and sentiment monitoring
• Ongoing optimization and adaptation as platforms evolve
• ROI tracking connected to your actual business OKRs

Our Pricing

$5,000/month subscription after a free initial scan.

Who We Serve

Established businesses (typically $5M+ annual revenue) in B2B SaaS, commercial real estate, industrial manufacturing, finance, and insurance. Companies that have been successful but maybe haven’t prioritized digital marketing and are now recognizing that AI search is changing how customers find and evaluate them.

Our Unfair Advantage

The Story + Tech framework. We’re not too heavy on brand strategy with no activation, and we’re not overly technical with jargon that alienates your marketing team. We sit in the middle, fluent in both languages, building bridges between your narrative and your technology.

We’ve also built proprietary tools—including our brand and website scanner—that assess both dimensions simultaneously in the Story + Tech framework.

What We Don’t Have Yet

Because LLM visibility optimization is so new, we don’t have years of case studies showing 500% improvement. Nobody does. What we have is two decades of pattern recognition about what works during major digital transitions, and we’re applying that expertise to this moment.

I’m not claiming we’re perfect or the only viable option. I’m saying we’re approaching this comprehensively while most providers are handling only half the equation.

For detailed breakdown of what you actually get, read our analysis of the 7 key benefits of LLM visibility optimization.

How to Choose a Provider (Or Build In-House)

Here’s my honest recommendation framework:

Consider Traditional SEO Agencies If:

• You already have strong brand positioning and just need technical implementation
• You can verify they understand LLM-specific optimization (not just SEO rebrand)
• You’re comfortable managing the brand/narrative side internally

Consider Brand Consultancies If:

• You need strategic positioning work anyway
• You have technical resources in-house to implement recommendations
• You recognize you’re getting half the solution and can source Tech expertise elsewhere

Consider Specialized Startups If:

• Their specific focus area matches your biggest gap
• You’ve done due diligence on their approach and track record
• You’re comfortable with some risk for potential innovation

Consider DIY Platforms If:

• You have dedicated team capacity (30-40 hours/week)
• You have both strategic and technical expertise in-house
• You’re realistic about resource requirements and prioritization

Consider Payne Street Co If:

• You want comprehensive Story + Tech optimization
• You value experience navigating major digital transitions
• You want a partner who handles both strategy and execution
• You’re an established business that needs this done right without unlimited internal capacity

Build In-House If:

• You’re large enough to hire dedicated specialists in both brand strategy and technical LLM optimization
• You have executive support for a long-term initiative
• You can dedicate full-time resources (not splitting attention with other priorities)

This is realistic for enterprise companies but rarely makes sense for mid-market businesses.

Red Flags to Watch For

Regardless of which category you’re evaluating, watch for these warning signs:

Guaranteed rankings or results: No one can guarantee specific outcomes with AI systems that are constantly evolving. Promises of “guaranteed #1 ranking in ChatGPT” are nonsense.

Focus on only Story or only Tech: If a provider talks exclusively about brand positioning without mentioning technical implementation, or vice versa, they’re giving you half a solution.

Vague deliverables: “We’ll optimize your AI presence” means nothing. Look for specific, concrete deliverables and timelines.

No monitoring or measurement: If they can’t show you how they’ll track progress and prove ROI, they’re flying blind.

One-size-fits-all approach: Every business has different gaps. Providers offering identical packages to everyone aren’t doing real customization.

Unwillingness to explain their process: Good providers are transparent about methodology. If they’re secretive or vague about “proprietary methods,” be skeptical.

No discussion of ongoing work: LLM optimization isn’t one-and-done. Platforms evolve constantly. If someone’s selling a one-time project, they don’t understand the space.

The Real Question Isn’t “Which Companies?”

The real question is: “Which approach actually matches how LLMs evaluate brands?”

Because here’s what I’ve learned watching digital transitions for two decades: The companies that succeed aren’t always the ones using the flashiest agencies or the most expensive consultants.

They’re the ones who understand that success requires both story and technology working together.

LLMs evaluate your brand holistically. They’re looking at your narrative AND your technical infrastructure. Your positioning AND your structured data. Your sentiment AND your schema markup.

Any provider that only does one side of that equation is giving you an incomplete solution.

That’s why most options miss the mark. They’re optimizing for the world as it was—where you could separate brand strategy from technical implementation—instead of the world as it is, where LLMs demand both simultaneously.

For honest analysis of whether this investment makes sense for your business, read our complete ROI breakdown.

Common Questions About Service Providers

Should I hire locally or can this be done remotely?

LLM visibility optimization is almost entirely remote work. Location doesn’t matter—expertise and approach do. Don’t limit yourself to local providers unless you have a specific need for in-person collaboration.

How do I verify a provider’s expertise when this field is so new?

Look for experience navigating previous platform transitions (Web 2.0, mobile, social). Ask about their framework or methodology. Request references. Have them explain how LLMs actually work and what makes their approach different. If they can’t articulate this clearly, be cautious.

What questions should I ask during evaluation?

Ask about their Story + Tech integration, their monitoring methodology, how they handle both brand strategy and technical implementation, what their typical engagement timeline looks like, and how they prove ROI. Also ask what they DON’T do—honest providers acknowledge limitations.

Can I switch providers if the first one doesn’t work out?

Yes, but it creates inefficiency. Comprehensive LLM optimization takes 6-12 months to show significant results. Switching providers resets some of that timeline. Choose carefully upfront rather than treating it as easily reversible.

Should I hire multiple specialists or one comprehensive provider?

One comprehensive provider is almost always better for mid-market businesses. Coordinating between a brand consultant, a technical SEO agency, and a content creator creates communication gaps and integration problems. Story + Tech requires tight integration.

What if I can’t afford professional services right now?

Start with the foundational Story work yourself (clarifying positioning, ensuring consistency) and use DIY platforms for basic monitoring. When you can invest in comprehensive services, you’ll have better starting position. Partial professional work is often worse than waiting to do it properly.

The Bottom Line on Service Providers

The LLM visibility optimization service landscape is still forming. Most providers handle only Story or Tech, not both. Finding comprehensive partners who can execute the full integration is challenging but essential.

Don’t let perfect be the enemy of good, but also don’t settle for half-solutions that waste money without creating real visibility.

Ask hard questions. Verify expertise. Look for Story + Tech integration. Check for transparency. Ensure ongoing adaptation is part of the model.

And remember: The goal isn’t finding the cheapest provider or the most expensive one. It’s finding the approach that actually matches how LLMs work—comprehensive, integrated, continuously optimized.

Because partial solutions deliver partial results at full cost.

Want an honest assessment of where you currently stand? Get a free comprehensive LLM visibility scan using our proprietary Story + Tech framework. No sales pressure, just clear data on your current state and what improvement would require.

Get your free LLM visibility scan or email chris@paynestreet.co.

For complete context on what you’re evaluating, read: What is LLM Visibility Optimization?

Because Story + Tech = Momentum.

And the right provider helps you build that momentum instead of just checking boxes.