Discovered Labs vs Siege Media: Content-led AEO programs compared

Updated December 19, 2025

The core difference: Design-led SEO vs Answer Engine Optimization

The fundamental distinction between these agencies isn't quality, it's specialization for different search environments.

Siege Media built its reputation on passive link acquisition. Their approach dedicates almost 50% of content creation time to design, producing infographics, interactive calculators, data visualizations, and maps that websites naturally want to reference. This design-first methodology generates high-quality backlinks without aggressive outreach.

The strategy delivers impressive results for traditional search. Their clients achieve average Domain Ratings (DR) of 40-50+ from reporters and bloggers who cite visually compelling assets. The approach targets Google's algorithm, which rewards authoritative backlinks and comprehensive content.

We focus exclusively on AI visibility through entity optimization. Rather than optimizing for human readers who click through search results, our CITABLE framework engineers content for Large Language Model (LLM) retrieval systems that synthesize answers directly in chat interfaces.

Answer Engine Optimization differs from SEO because we prioritize:

• Structured, machine-readable blocks with semantic markup
• Entity-based optimization ensuring AI models recognize specific brands and concepts
• Verifiable facts that LLMs trust enough to cite

Understanding this technical distinction determines which metrics actually matter for your business. Traditional SEO tracks rankings, visitors, time on site, and conversions, while we track citation frequency, share of voice in AI answers, and AI-referred conversion rates.

When a prospect asks ChatGPT "What's the best project management software for distributed teams?" they don't see ten blue links to click. They see one synthesized answer with 2-3 recommended brands. If your company isn't cited, you're invisible in that buying journey.

Methodology comparison: How each agency approaches visibility

Siege Media: The passive link acquisition model

Siege Media's content strategy generates links through top-funnel rankings tied to topics proven to produce citations at scale. Their process creates assets that reporters, bloggers, and industry sites reference organically because the visual design and data presentation make stories easier to tell.

The methodology works exceptionally well for traditional search. Results include:

• Over $86 million in annual traffic value for clients like Zapier, Zendesk, and QuickBooks
• 100+ links per month for top-performing campaigns
• Publication-quality assets touching multiple specialists including writers, SEO strategists, editors, and graphic designers

The limitation emerges when AI systems answer questions. LLMs don't "see" infographics, they parse text. A beautifully designed interactive quiz might earn 50 backlinks and rank #1 on Google, but if the underlying content lacks structured entity data and verifiable facts formatted for LLM retrieval, ChatGPT won't cite it when answering buyer questions.

Our approach: The CITABLE framework for AI retrieval

We built our CITABLE framework specifically to structure content for how LLMs retrieve, verify, and synthesize information. The seven-part methodology ensures AI systems both understand and trust your content enough to cite it:

C - Clear entity & structure: Every piece opens with a 2-3 sentence Bottom Line Up Front (BLUF) that defines exactly what entity the content addresses. LLMs recognize entities through contextual connections, not keywords, so we explicitly establish entity relationships in opening paragraphs.

I - Intent architecture: We answer the primary query immediately, then address adjacent questions prospects ask in sequence. This mirrors how AI systems cluster related concepts and pull from content that anticipates follow-up questions.

T - Third-party validation: AI models trust external sources more than owned content. We orchestrate citations across Wikipedia, Reddit, G2, industry forums, and tech blogs so multiple independent sources validate your claims, increasing citation probability.

A - Answer grounding: Every claim includes verifiable facts with sources. LLMs struggle with content containing conflicting or unverifiable data, so we ensure consistency across all platforms and cite authoritative third-party research.

B - Block-structured for RAG: Content must be structured into logically complete sections optimized for Retrieval Augmented Generation. This matches how LLMs extract specific passages rather than full articles.

L - Latest & consistent: We timestamp all content and ensure unified facts across every platform where you appear. AI systems deprioritize outdated or contradictory information.

E - Entity graph & schema: We implement structured data markup while explicitly stating entity relationships in copy so LLMs understand your topical authority.

This methodology drove measurable results for a B2B SaaS client who increased AI-referred trials from 550 to 2,300+ in four weeks. ChatGPT began recommending them as a solution, Perplexity started citing their content in technical comparisons, and Claude referenced their methodology when prospects asked for vendor recommendations.

Service models and investment requirements

Contract terms and flexibility

We operate on 30-day rolling agreements with no long-term contracts. Packages start at €5,495/month for comprehensive AEO services including content production, technical implementation, and Reddit authority building. This month-to-month structure reduces risk when testing AEO effectiveness before committing larger budgets.

Siege Media's end-to-end content strategy deliverables generally range between $12,000 and $30,000, with video production adding $5,000 to $20,000 depending on complexity. While their content marketing minimums start at $8,000 per month with 12-month contracts, all agreements include 30-day exit clauses.

The flexibility matters when methodologies are still emerging. Platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity constantly update retrieval algorithms, making the AEO category nascent. Month-to-month terms let you scale up when you see citation gains or pause if priorities shift without paying termination fees.

Content volume and production cadence

We produce 20-60+ articles monthly with daily publishing cadence. This volume advantage addresses a fundamental AEO reality: share of voice in AI answers correlates with content coverage across buyer-intent queries. If prospects ask 50 different questions about your product category and you've only published content addressing 10, you're invisible in 80% of AI-mediated research.

Siege Media's approach prioritizes quality over quantity. They don't charge per blog post because each topic requires different time investment for research, design, and development. Clients sign up for content marketing units (CMUs) based on scope, with substantial time dedicated to visual design, interactive elements, and comprehensive editing across multiple specialists.

The cadence difference reflects specialization. Design-heavy assets take longer to produce but generate passive links that compound over months. High-volume, structured content optimized for entity recognition builds topical authority that helps LLMs understand what questions to cite you for.

Measuring success: Rankings vs citation rates

Siege Media tracks traditional SEO metrics. Their clients measure success through keyword rankings, organic traffic growth, number and quality of earned backlinks, and Domain Authority improvements. Their campaigns have generated over $148 million in yearly client traffic value, demonstrating mastery of Google's algorithm.

We measure what matters for AI visibility:

• Citation rate - percentage of buyer-intent queries where your brand appears in AI answers
• Share of voice - your mentions vs competitors across ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity
• AI-referred MQLs with conversion rates tracked in your CRM

Our proprietary tracking technology tests thousands of queries across platforms to measure competitive positioning.

The conversion economics favor AI traffic significantly. Consider these benchmarks:

• Ahrefs reports AI search visitors convert at 23x higher rates than traditional organic search for their business
• A study of 12 million website visits across 350+ businesses found AI search traffic converts at 14.2% compared to Google's 2.8%, a 5x difference
• Microsoft's analysis shows Copilot referrals convert at 17x the rate of direct traffic

Standard SEO tools now offer some AI citation tracking, but most marketing teams still experience a measurement gap where keyword rankings climb while AI-referred pipeline remains invisible in their analytics. This creates strategic blindness around a channel that converts 5-17x better than traditional search.

Which agency is right for your growth stage?

Choose Siege Media if:

You need to build Domain Authority from scratch through high-quality backlinks. Your product benefits from visual storytelling through data visualizations and interactive content. Brand aesthetics and publication-quality design matter for your positioning. You have budget flexibility for $10K-$30K/month engagements and can commit to 6-12 month programs for SEO momentum. Your primary traffic source will remain Google search for the next 2-3 years.

Choose us if:

• You need to capture the 48% of B2B buyers researching with AI before they shortlist competitors
• You want measurable citation improvements in 2-4 weeks rather than waiting 4-6 months for link-building campaigns to gain traction
• Your technical product requires prospects to understand specific use cases and implementation details that AI assistants can explain
• You prefer month-to-month flexibility over annual contracts while testing AEO effectiveness
• You want higher-converting AI-referred leads rather than higher-volume Google traffic that converts at lower rates

Direct comparison: Service features

Here's how to decide: which search environment drives your pipeline? If prospects find vendors through Google search and click through to your site, Siege Media's design-led approach builds sustainable visibility. If prospects ask AI assistants for recommendations and never visit your site because ChatGPT synthesizes answers directly, you need content engineered for LLM citation.

Frequently asked questions about AEO agencies

What is the difference between SEO and AEO?

SEO optimizes for search engines like Google using keywords, backlinks, and rankings, while AEO optimizes for answer engines like ChatGPT using entity structure, verifiable facts, and semantic markup so AI systems cite your content when synthesizing answers.

How long does it take to see results from AEO?

Meaningful share-of-voice improvements become visible in 6-8 weeks, with full optimization impact usually showing within 3-4 months as entity authority builds across platforms and content accumulates in training data.

Can I do both SEO and AEO simultaneously?

Yes, our CITABLE framework produces content optimized for both traditional search engines and AI answer engines. Many of our clients maintain existing SEO programs while adding AEO to capture AI-driven demand without cannibalizing Google traffic.

Do design and visuals matter for AEO?

LLMs primarily parse text rather than processing images, so infographics and interactive elements don't directly influence citations. However, visual content can earn backlinks that improve domain authority, which indirectly signals credibility to AI systems through third-party validation.

Which AI platforms should B2B companies prioritize?

Prioritize ChatGPT, Claude, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews, and Microsoft Copilot. We track visibility across all five because each platform uses different retrieval methods and training data, meaning citation strategies must address multiple systems simultaneously.

Key terminology for AI search

Answer Engine Optimization (AEO): The practice of structuring content so AI systems like ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity cite it when answering user queries, focusing on entity clarity, verifiable facts, and machine-readable formats rather than keyword density.

Citation Rate: The percentage of target buyer-intent queries where your brand appears in AI-generated answers, calculated as (queries citing your brand / total monitored queries) × 100, typically benchmarked against competitors in your category.

LLM Retrieval: The process where Large Language Models extract specific text chunks from indexed content to synthesize answers, requiring content structured into logically complete sections that function independently for Retrieval Augmented Generation architecture.

Share of Voice: Your brand's presence compared to competitors across AI platforms, measuring both mention frequency and sentiment quality, calculated as (your brand metrics / total market metrics) × 100 for category-relevant queries.

Entity Optimization: The practice of helping search algorithms and LLMs recognize and connect your brand to specific concepts, topics, and attributes through schema markup, consistent information across platforms, and explicit entity relationship statements in content.

Third-Party Validation: External sources like Wikipedia, Reddit, G2, and industry forums that corroborate your claims, which AI systems trust more than owned content when deciding whether to cite information as credible (85% of AI citations come from third-party sources, not brand-owned content).

Ready to capture buyers researching with AI before they shortlist competitors? Our CITABLE framework and month-to-month engagement model reduce risk while building measurable AI visibility. Request a free AI Visibility Audit to see exactly where you and your top competitors appear when prospects ask ChatGPT, Claude, and Perplexity for vendor recommendations in your category.

For more guidance on AI search optimization, explore our in-depth resources on how to get your content cited by AI, tracking ChatGPT and Perplexity traffic in GA4, and the seven elements of comparison pages that dominate AI results.