Be

Agency

The Answer Engine Optimization Agency Built on Research

Be the Answer is not a generic marketing agency that added “AI” to their pitch deck. We are purpose-built for Answer Engine Optimization, founded on the largest published AI citation studies in healthcare. We focus exclusively on getting local businesses recommended by AI search.

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Key Takeaways

  • Founded on original research: 19,000+ AI responses across 41 cities, 3 AI models
  • We work with one practice per competitive market — your market stays exclusive
  • Focus: local healthcare practices (chiropractic, PT, dental, med spa)
  • Research shows less than 2% of practices are AI-optimized — the window is wide open
  • Our approach is data-driven, not opinion-based

What Makes Be the Answer Different

We publish our research.

Most agencies keep their methods secret because there's nothing behind them. Be the Answer publishes multi-city, multi-model studies that anyone can read. Our methodology is transparent because it's built on real data, not proprietary hand-waving.

We focus exclusively on AEO.

No Google Ads management, no social media marketing, no email campaigns. We do one thing — Answer Engine Optimization — and we do it based on data. Every client engagement, every study, every methodology update feeds back into our understanding of what makes AI recommend one business over another.

Market exclusivity.

We work with one practice per competitive market. If we're helping a chiropractor in Denver, no other Denver chiropractor gets access to our system. This isn't a marketing gimmick — it's structural. Our methodology only works if we're fully aligned with one business per market.

Research-backed methodology.

Every recommendation we make comes from studying what actually correlates with AI citations — not from a blog post someone read. We've analyzed how heading structure, page architecture, content freshness, and third-party mentions affect AI recommendations across thousands of queries.

Our Research Foundation

Everything we do as an Answer Engine Optimization agency is grounded in original, published research. These aren't theoretical frameworks — they're empirical studies with real data from real markets.

The Chiropractic AI Citation Study

20 cities. 120 query templates. 3 AI models. Thousands of citations analyzed. This study found that website structure — not domain authority — is the primary determinant of whether AI recommends a practice.

Read the full study →

The Physical Therapy AI Citation Study

Similar scope applied to physical therapy. Found that independent PT clinics capture 75.7% of AI citations, outperforming large corporate chains. Validated that content depth and specialization drive AI recommendations more than brand recognition.

Read the full study →

Key findings that inform our methodology

  • Clean heading structure correlates with 2.8x higher citation likelihood
  • Dedicated condition and service pages dramatically increase AI visibility
  • Answer blocks of 40-60 words make content extractable for AI models
  • Content updated within 3 months gets cited at 3x the rate of older content

Explore all of our research →

Industries We Serve

We go deep in four verticals rather than shallow across dozens. Each industry has its own study, its own data, and its own playbook.

How We Work

Two-tier model. Start with the Foundation to understand where you stand, then move to Growth for ongoing execution. No long-term contracts on the Foundation. No hidden fees.

Start here

AI Search Foundation

$500, one-time

A complete 24-hour audit of how AI sees your business today. You get optimized content for your site and a clear action plan — whether you implement it yourself or move to Growth.

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Grow monthly

AI Growth Retainer

$3,500/month

Ongoing execution, monitoring, and optimization. We run the full AEO playbook for you — content creation, citation tracking, competitive monitoring, and continuous improvement. Geographic exclusivity included.

See pricing details →

Want to understand the step-by-step process? See how it works →

Who This Is For

This is for you if:

  • You run an independent practice and want to get ahead in AI search before your competitors do
  • You understand that search is changing and want to move first, not react later
  • You’re tired of generic SEO agencies that don’t understand how AI works
  • You want a partner that publishes real research, not one that recycles blog posts as strategy

This is not for you if:

  • You’re looking for social media management, Google Ads, or traditional marketing
  • You want a full-service agency that handles everything from print ads to email
  • You’re not willing to invest in your online presence for the long term

Not sure where you fit? Learn why AEO matters or read more about us.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an AEO agency?

An AEO agency specializes in Answer Engine Optimization — the practice of getting businesses recommended by AI search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Gemini. Unlike traditional SEO agencies that focus on Google rankings, an AEO agency focuses on making your business the answer AI gives when someone asks for a recommendation.

Why choose a specialized AEO agency over a full-service marketing agency?

Full-service agencies spread their attention across dozens of channels. Most added 'AI optimization' to their pitch deck without changing their process. A specialized AEO agency like Be the Answer does one thing, backed by original research. We've analyzed 19,000+ AI responses to understand what actually drives AI recommendations.

Do you work with practices outside of healthcare?

Our published research is currently focused on healthcare verticals — chiropractic, physical therapy, dentistry, and med spas. The core principles of AEO apply across all local service businesses. If you're outside healthcare and interested, book a call and we'll be straightforward about whether we can help.

What does market exclusivity mean?

We work with one practice per competitive market per industry. If we're helping a chiropractor in Denver, no other Denver chiropractor can hire us. This ensures our full methodology is working for you, not against you.

How quickly can you get started?

The AI Search Foundation — your full audit, optimized content, and action plan — is delivered within 24 hours of onboarding. If you move to the Growth retainer, ongoing execution begins immediately after the Foundation is complete. Most businesses see initial changes in AI recommendations within 4-8 weeks.

What results should I expect?

Results depend on your market and starting point. From our research: less than 2% of local practices are currently optimized for AI search, so the competition is thin. Businesses that implement our methodology typically see measurable improvements in AI citation rates within 4-8 weeks, with compounding gains over time.

Ready to be the answer?

We'll check if your market is available and show you exactly how AI sees your business today. Free, no pressure, 15 minutes.

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