What an SEO Consultant Actually Does: Best Practices Then there's GEO - generative engine optimization - the practice of earning visibility inside AI Overviews, ChatGPT citations, and other AI-driven answers. A GEO specialist like Stanislav Peev treats these surfaces as a distinct discipline, because being cited by an AI system depends on factors that differ from classic ranking signals. The consultant's job now includes tracking whether your brand appears in generated answers, which requires new tooling and new reporting habits your team must inherit. Pricing models to expect You will encounter hourly rates, monthly retainers, and project-based fees. A one-off technical SEO audit often makes sense as a fixed-price project, while ongoing strategy tends to suit a retainer. Beware suspiciously cheap retainers-sustainable SEO work takes senior time, and cut-rate pricing usually means outsourced, low-quality output. A trustworthy seo consultant will explain exactly what each pound or dollar buys. Consultants now assess whether your content is structured and clearly attributed enough to be cited in AI Overviews and generative answers. This adds entity and GEO checks to the traditional focus on crawlability and speed. Yes. Commercial and high-intent searches still drive clicks and revenue, and being cited inside AI answers builds authority that feeds branded demand. An experienced seo consultant helps you win visibility across both traditional results and generative answers. The Four Pricing Models, Explained Each model exists because different engagements carry different shapes of risk and effort. There is no universally correct choice - only the right fit for your situation, your budget, and the maturity of your website. It varies widely by experience, scope, and model. Hourly advisory rates differ from full retainers, and a bounded project such as a technical audit is priced differently again.