Google’s Danny Sullivan and John Mueller discussed on the Search Off the Record podcast whether hiring an AEO/GEO specialist or purchasing an AI-optimization tool differs from hiring an SEO or buying an SEO tool. Their conclusion was simple: the advice remains the same. Danny referenced Google’s documentation on hiring an SEO, stating that the approach “is going to be very similar to what we've already been saying. . . ” He summarized Google’s guidance about hiring an SEO, purchasing an SEO tool, and noted that it all applies equally to GEO/AEO and large language models (LLMs). He emphasized that while hiring an SEO can be beneficial, it’s not mandatory. Many websites succeed in search without even considering SEO. His key message was, “I'm just going to think about what I want to write about for people, and I'm going to do that. ” The advice is to write for humans, not for LLMs. Google does not endorse specific SEOs, so it’s best to read Google’s general SEO guides and documentation. This prepares you with the right questions to ask when you decide to hire an SEO professional. Essentially, Google recommends understanding SEO and how Google views it before either doing the SEO work yourself, hiring an SEO company, or evaluating SEO tools. While you don’t need to implement all SEO strategies on your own, you should know how SEO works, the boundaries involved, and how Google approaches it. Google isn’t against using third-party SEOs or tools—in fact, you can do so—but you need to grasp Google’s perspective to make informed choices about which SEO or tools to engage, Danny explained. He reiterated, “SEOs and SEO tools can be helpful, but they are not required. ” Danny then addressed tools that claim to create better content. Like many claims—not just in SEO—there are no guarantees, only assertions. He also noted some SEO tools and firms sometimes recommend tactics that contradict Google’s guidelines. Sullivan warned that ignoring Google’s guidance can result in spam actions.

Therefore, it’s important to ask questions before buying services or tools or hiring someone. Finally, Danny discussed how some tools overly emphasize ranking factors rather than what benefits users. Sullivan admitted understanding this focus but cautioned it’s not ideal. While tools have improved, focusing too narrowly on specific metrics can distract from the bigger picture. John Mueller specifically mentioned metrics like “spam grade” and “domain grade, ” which can mislead users at times. Danny shared a personal frustration: “One of my favorite things would always be if it's not really favorite, it's just kind of sad. Like, ‘I don’t understand. I have domain score 89. How am I not doing better?’ And it’s like, ‘Well, it’s not our domain score. We don’t have that. ’ No, it’s not even a thing, but okay. ” You can listen to the full podcast here: