About AEO
What exactly is AEO? Answer Engine Optimisation is the process of making your business visible in AI-generated answers — from ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini, and Google AI Overviews. When someone asks an AI chatbot "which estate agent should I use in [town]?", AEO is what determines whether your agency appears in the answer.
It's different from traditional SEO (which gets you ranked on Google's results pages) but closely related. The underlying content, structured data, and authority signals overlap significantly. You generally need both.
Why does AEO matter specifically for estate agents? Because property search is deeply research-led. UK consumers are actively using ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot to research schools, crime, commutes, and lifestyle before contacting an agent. That research is now being conducted through AI chatbots, not just Google. If your name isn't in the AI's answer, you're not in the consideration set.
How quickly will I see results from AEO? AEO is a compound process. Early signs (first AI citations) typically appear within 60–90 days for agents starting from zero. Meaningful, consistent citation in multiple AI engines across multiple query types typically takes 6–9 months. We track and report on this monthly so you can see the progress.
Do I need to do anything myself? Not much. We'll need you to provide listing data for Liam, approve neighbourhood guides before they go live, and give us access to your GBP and any relevant accounts at onboarding. After that, most of the work happens without you needing to be involved day to day.
About the AI Department
Are Alex, Cora, Mia, and the others real people? They're AI agents — built on Foundry's stack and managed by the Foundry team. We've named them because they have distinct, defined roles and because we find it more useful for clients to think about what each team member does rather than the technology that powers them.
Every output is reviewed by a Foundry team member before it reaches you or your clients.
What technology powers the department? Foundry's orchestration layer is called Hermes. Voice is powered by ElevenLabs and Retell. Video production uses HeyGen and Canva. Citation monitoring uses Spotlit. You don't need to know any of this to use the department effectively.
Can I talk to a human at Foundry? Yes. Every client has a named account contact. You can email or call them directly. The account contact is not an AI.
What if an AI agent makes a mistake? Every output that goes to a client or their customers is checked before it's sent. Listing copy is reviewed before you publish it. Neighbourhood guides are sent to you for approval. Nora operates from a defined brief that you approve at onboarding. If something goes wrong, you tell us and we fix it.
About compliance
What is the DMCC Act and how does it affect my listings? The Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act (DMCC) came into force on 6 April 2025. Under the new framework, omitting material information from a property listing is automatically classified as an unfair commercial practice. The CMA has enforcement powers. This replaced the Propertymark material information guidance.
Liam writes listings that include all required material information. He also flags any gaps in the data you provide before copy is finalised.
What about the Renters' Rights Act? The Renters' Rights Act received Royal Assent on 27 October 2025. Our lettings-facing content and listing templates are updated to reflect the new framework. If you have specific questions about how it affects your marketing materials, raise them on your audit call.
Are you Propertymark or NAEA members? No. We're a marketing agency, not a regulated estate agency body. We know the regulatory landscape because our work directly touches listing copy and compliance. For formal regulatory advice, consult Propertymark or your TPO-appointed legal adviser.
About pricing and working together
Is there a setup fee? No setup fee on any ongoing tier. The AEO Fast-Start (£1,500) is a one-time project — three neighbourhood guides, entity building, and an eight-week citation baseline. That's deliverable work, not admin.
What's the minimum commitment? Starter and Core: rolling 30-day notice. Grow: 3-month minimum. Pro: 6-month minimum.
Can I start with just the AEO Fast-Start and decide later about a tier? Yes. The Fast-Start is a standalone project. If you decide to take an ongoing tier within 60 days of completing the Fast-Start, we deduct £500 from your first three months.
Do you work with agents at eXp UK, Keller Williams UK, iad UK, TAUK, or Avocado Property? Yes. Self-employed agents at these networks are a core part of who we built this for. The approach is configured for your specific structure — no franchise office to lean on, marketing budget coming directly from your GCI. We understand the model.
What do I need to get started? Start with the free AI Visibility Audit. That tells us — and you — exactly what your starting point is. From there, we'll recommend the right tier (or Fast-Start) and give you a clear onboarding timeline.
Get the free visibility audit Book a 20-minute strategy call