Vendor evaluation
Ask better questions.
Choose with evidence.
Bring the same questions to every vendor. A useful proposal makes the measurement, the work and the boundaries easy to inspect.
Vendor evaluationDecision briefThe short answer
What should I ask before choosing a GEO provider?
Ask how observations are collected, which questions and tools are included, what changes will be delivered and who owns the content and data. Request an example report and clear exclusions. Reject guaranteed AI rankings and unexplained proprietary scores as substitutes for inspectable evidence.
Decision guide
Your vendor review sheet.
| Ask this | A useful answer includes | A reason to pause |
|---|---|---|
| How do you measure visibility? | Questions, dates, tool, collection method and failed checks | One unexplained score without underlying answers |
| What work will you ship? | Specific deliverables, limits and approval steps | Unlimited optimization with no defined output |
| What do we keep? | Content ownership, export options and exit terms | Unclear access to your own business information |
| What can you promise? | Agreed work, reporting and honest limitations | Guaranteed recommendations or undisclosed paid signals |
Common questions
Before you decide.
Are vendor visibility scores comparable?
Not without their definitions. Different question sets, tools, sample sizes and weighting can produce different scores for the same business.
Should a vendor share every internal process?
No. You need enough evidence to evaluate the service, verify reported work and understand the method. Private implementation details are not the same as missing accountability.
What should we confirm before signing?
Price, scope, access, approvals, reporting, ownership, cancellation, exports and exclusions. Resolve any ambiguity in the proposal.
Keep exploring
Check the details.
Related decisions
Your next step
Start with your questions.
Then scope the work.
See what can be measured, what needs attention and which plan fits your business.