How to choose a marketing agency for AI search and AEO.

September 1, 2025, Chicago, IL – The way brands are discovered has fundamentally changed. Today, consumers and business buyers are no longer relying solely on traditional search, They are turning to AI-powered platforms that deliver direct answers instead of lists of links.

This shift has introduced a new competitive battleground: Answer Engine Optimization (AEO). Instead of competing for rankings, brands and agencies must now compete to be the source that AI platforms cite as the definitive answer.

For marketers, this changes how agencies should be evaluated. According to Cramer-Krasselt’s VP, Search Director Nicholas Papagiannis, it’s no longer just about media, creative or even SEO. It’s about whether an agency can structure content, build authority and create consistent signals across the ecosystem so that AI platforms recognize and surface their expertise.

At C-K, this approach combines strategy, performance marketing and data-driven insights with a focus on building authoritative, answer-ready content. By aligning brand storytelling with measurable outcomes and ensuring consistency across owned and third-party platforms, the agency helps clients improve visibility not just in search engines, but in AI-generated answers.

As AI continues to reshape how decisions are made, the most valuable agency partners will be those that understand how to influence not just rankings but also recommendations, ensuring brands are present wherever consumers are asking questions.

Your brand’s revenue is at risk if your insights or support content doesn’t appear as AI-sourced answers. When that happens, your competitors can intercept customers in their moment of need and potentially take your sales.

Read more of Papagiannis’ insights at MediaPost.