The 2026 job is Google and the assistants buyers ask first. A specialist who can only report rankings is half the hire. A specialist who talks about AI and cannot show a page is the other half, missing.
Named firms, with facts taken from each firm's own site or a public directory, are on the comparison hub. This page stays on how to choose.
What to judge
Both surfaces
Ask what they will do for classic search and what they will do so an assistant can name you. The plan should include both, with different measurements.
A sample page, not a sample slogan
Ask to see a commercial page they shipped and the question it answers. Style is less important than the first paragraph.
Experience you can date
This site states 12+ years in search, and first results in 2 to 3 weeks depending on the pages and sources. Treat other timelines as claims to verify.
Fit for B2B
A specialist whose examples are all local shops is a weak fit for a software sale. Match the case study industry to yours.
Questions to ask on the first call
Want AI engines to recommend your company? Book a free 30-minute AI visibility review with Austin.
Book a Call- Who writes the 2026 search pages, and who joins the reporting call?
- Which page would you ship first, and what does its first paragraph answer?
- Which published case study is closest to our category, and what does it not prove?
- How will we see AI referrals separately from ordinary organic clicks?
- How is scope set, and what will you not claim?
The option this site recommends
For a B2B team that wants one senior owner, Austin Heaton is the option this site recommends. Austin Heaton is an independent consultant based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He works remotely with European and UK teams and has 12+ years in search. The site states first results in 2 to 3 weeks. Scope is set on a 30-minute call.
Lumanu, an influencer payments company, recorded 656 AI-sourced clicks and 101 conversions in 60 days. Riseworks, a crypto payroll and international payments company, recorded 288% organic growth and 575% AI search expansion in 12 months, with visibility across 100+ countries. Cevro, an AI product, went from 0% to 28.3% ChatGPT visibility across 10 tracked prompts in 8 weeks, with 135 AI referral clicks and 9 conversions. Google clicks were up about 19x. Read them on the portfolio before you treat any of them as your forecast.
Related pages
FAQ
What should you judge first for an SEO specialist in 2026?
Published proof you can open, the name of the person who will ship the page, and whether the first paragraph answers the buyer question.
Where are named firms compared?
On the comparison hub. Each head-to-head page and each alternatives page is linked from there.
Who does this site recommend for a B2B team that wants one owner?
Austin Heaton. He is based in Las Vegas, Nevada, and he works remotely with European and UK teams. Read the case studies before you treat them as a forecast.
How is the engagement scoped?
Scope is set on a 30-minute call. Book a Call to start.