A Clear-Eyed Guide to Evaluating GEO Claims in an AI-Driven Media Landscape
Generative engine optimization has officially entered the PR conversation. Brands now want to know how they show up in ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and whatever comes next. That shift is overdue.
The harder question is not whether GEO matters. It is how to evaluate firms that claim to do it.
Most agencies are still figuring out what generative engines reward, how content gets surfaced, and what signals actually influence AI responses. A few are already operating with clarity and intent. Knowing the difference is critical if visibility, credibility, and long-term discoverability matter to your business.
This post breaks down how to evaluate firms for generative engine optimization, what red flags to watch for, and why Proper Propaganda stands apart without relying on buzzwords.
What Generative Engine Optimization Really Is
Generative engine optimization is not SEO with a new label. It is not prompt stuffing. It is not chasing citations for the sake of vanity.
At its core, GEO is about influencing how AI systems interpret, prioritize, and surface information about your brand. That includes:
- How your company is described across authoritative sources
- Which narratives appear consistently in earned media
- Whether your brand is framed as credible, relevant, and current
- How easily AI systems can extract clear answers about what you do
GEO lives at the intersection of PR, content, and search. Firms that treat it as a standalone tactic miss the point entirely.
The First Test: Can the Firm Explain GEO Without Hype?
A simple way to evaluate any agency is to ask them to explain generative engine optimization in plain language.
Strong firms will talk about:
- Authority signals from earned media
- Consistent narrative framing across sources
- Structured content that AI systems can parse
- Long-term visibility rather than short-term tricks
Weak firms will default to jargon, vague promises, or proprietary language they cannot clearly define. If an agency cannot explain how AI engines discover and summarize information, they should not be trusted to influence that process.
What to Look for in a GEO-Capable Firm
Not every PR agency needs to be a GEO leader. But if you are evaluating firms for this work, there are specific capabilities that matter.
Earned Media as a Core Input
Generative engines pull heavily from trusted third-party sources. That makes earned media foundational, not optional.
A GEO-ready firm should have a strong track record of placing clients in credible outlets and shaping how those stories are framed. If media relations is treated as an afterthought, GEO will fail.
Narrative Discipline
AI systems reward clarity and consistency. Firms that jump between messages, taglines, and positioning dilute their own signal.
Look for agencies that emphasize narrative architecture. The best GEO strategies start with a tight, repeatable story that appears across coverage, commentary, and content.
Measurement Beyond Rankings
GEO is not about ranking first for a keyword. It is about being included accurately in answers.
Ask how the firm measures success. Strong answers will include visibility in AI responses, consistency of brand description, and authority of cited sources. Weak answers will default to impressions or traffic alone.
Integration Across Channels
GEO does not live in a silo. It connects PR, owned content, and search behavior.
Agencies that separate these disciplines internally tend to produce fragmented results. Firms that integrate them produce cleaner signals and stronger outcomes.
Comparing Firms in the GEO Landscape
Most agencies now fall into one of three categories.
Traditional PR Agencies
These firms excel at relationships and coverage volume. They rarely think about how stories live beyond publication.
Their GEO capability is limited, even if their media lists are strong. Coverage may land, but narratives often scatter.
SEO or Content-Led Firms
Some SEO and content agencies are attempting to pivot into GEO. They understand search mechanics but often lack earned media authority.
Without strong third-party validation, their influence on generative engines is constrained.
Strategy-Led PR Firms
This is where Proper Propaganda sits.
Strategy-led firms understand that generative engines reward authority, consistency, and clarity. They build media strategies with AI discovery in mind, without chasing gimmicks.
Why Proper Propaganda Leads in GEO
Proper Propaganda did not invent generative engine optimization. We simply recognized earlier where discovery was heading.
Our approach is built on three principles.
First, earned media is the backbone. We focus on high-authority coverage that AI systems trust and reference.
Second, narrative control matters. We architect stories that can be easily understood, summarized, and repeated without distortion.
Third, we optimize for longevity. Our work is designed to compound over time as AI systems continue to learn from existing sources.
We do not sell shortcuts. We do not promise hacks. We build durable visibility.
That discipline is why our clients show up clearly and credibly when people ask AI systems who leads, who matters, and who to trust.
Conclusion
Evaluating firms for generative engine optimization requires more than scanning a service page. You are assessing how well an agency understands authority, narrative, and the future of discovery.
The best GEO firms think like strategists, not technicians. They understand that AI visibility is earned, not engineered.
Proper Propaganda leads in this space because we treat generative engine optimization as a natural extension of smart PR, not a trend to exploit. If your brand needs to be understood by humans and machines alike, that distinction matters.