SEO vs GEO: What a Service Business Actually Needs
A side-by-side table of what SEO and GEO each do for you, and how they work together.
Compare SEO and GEO side by sideOur SEO and GEO services are built into your website from day one, so Google can rank your business and AI tools like ChatGPT can recommend it, with one payment and no monthly fee.
Ethos delivers SEO and GEO as one complete package, and each part has its own page so you can see exactly what is included.

The complete package for $2,400: website, keyword research, SEO copy, schema and AI-ready content.
See what the $2,400 package includes
Keyword research, SEO copy, schema and Google Search Console, built into your site from day one.
See what our SEO setup includes
Content and structure that help ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity understand and recommend you.
See how GEO gets you recommendedIf you want customers to find you on Google and in AI answers, choose the Website + SEO & GEO package; choose a site without SEO only if search is not where your customers come from.
| Option | Who it is for | When to choose it | Timeline | What you get |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Website + SEO & GEO $2,400 |
Service businesses that want new customers from Google and AI | You depend on referrals, or competitors show up before you | 7 business days to launch; first signs in 4 to 8 weeks | A site built to rank on Google and to be recommended by AI tools |
| Website Redesign with SEO & GEO $2,400 |
Businesses with a slow, outdated or hard-to-find site | Your Wix, template or agency site doesn't show up | 7 business days after we receive your material and access | A new, faster site that keeps what already ranks and adds SEO & GEO |
| Custom Website $1,500 |
Businesses that mainly need a professional site to send clients to | Most customers come from referrals and you need credibility | 7 business days | A fast, premium site; SEO & GEO are not included |
| Landing Page $800 |
New businesses with a tight budget | You just opened and need to exist online now | 7 business days | One fast page with basic technical SEO |
We build SEO and GEO in four steps inside the 7-day ETHOS Method: research, write, structure and launch.
We study your market and pick the keywords and questions your customers use in your area.
We write every page for search and AI: a direct answer first, then the details people need.
We add schema, fast clean code and Google Search Console so search engines understand you.
We launch, submit your sitemap and check that your key pages can be found and indexed.
Everything is done before launch, so your site starts working for you from day one.
Book Your Free Website Strategy CallOur SEO and GEO are different because you pay once, GEO is included and every timeline we give you is honest.
SEO and GEO come in a $2,400 package, not a retainer. Most agencies charge for this work every month.
AI search optimization is part of the same package, while GEO programs often start near $1,500 a month.
First signs in 4 to 8 weeks, stronger results in 3 to 6 months. We never promise a position or a lead count.
A search-ready website is fast, clearly structured and consistent everywhere your business appears, and the biggest risk is paying for promises nobody can keep.
Before you worry about rankings, check three foundations: speed, a structure machines can read and one consistent identity.
Pages should pass Core Web Vitals and load fast on a phone. We target 95 to 100 on Google PageSpeed.
One H1, logical headings, a direct answer at the top of each section and schema that describes your services.
Your name, phone and services must match on your site, Google Business Profile and directories.
A 2026 analysis of more than 200 local-service AI citations found that 42% came from Google Business Profile, 28% from directories and 17% from business websites, so a website alone is not enough (source).
It is the biggest single source AI tools use for local answers. Create it and keep every field complete.
AI tools quote clear, direct answers. Pages that bury the answer in the middle rarely get cited.
A different phone or name on two directories makes AI tools less confident about recommending you.
Walk away from any provider who shows one of these three signs, no matter how good the price looks.
No one controls Google or ChatGPT. A guaranteed #1 position is a promise nobody can keep.
Your domain, hosting, Search Console and Google Business Profile should always belong to you.
If you can't see what was done each month and why, you can't tell whether it works.
Ethos builds SEO and GEO for businesses in every U.S. state, 100% online, from our base in North Carolina.
We research your city and your competitors wherever you are, and meet over Zoom, phone or WhatsApp, Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm Eastern.
Pick a time for your free callYour website and its SEO are in English, and every call, message and adjustment can happen in the language you prefer.
Meet the family behind EthosThese are real reviews from business owners who chose our Website + SEO & GEO package, quoted exactly as they appear on Google.
[PREENCHER: real Google review about SEO & GEO results, quoted exactly as published]
[PREENCHER: real Google review about SEO & GEO results, quoted exactly as published]
[PREENCHER: real Google review about SEO & GEO results, quoted exactly as published]
[PREENCHER: link to the Ethos Google Business Profile reviews]
Here are straight answers to the ten SEO and GEO questions we hear most, from cost and timing to ChatGPT and guarantees.
SEO helps Google rank your pages in search results; GEO helps AI tools like ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity understand and recommend your business. You need both. Start with our plain-English guide to GEO.
No. SEO and GEO are included in the $2,400 Website + SEO & GEO package and in a website redesign with SEO & GEO, because they work best when they are built into the site.
No. It is one payment. The optional Care Plan ($250 per month) covers hosting management and small edits, not a monthly SEO fee. See what one-time SEO can and can't do.
First signs usually appear in 4 to 8 weeks, and stronger results in 3 to 6 months. It depends on your city and your competition.
No, and you should be careful with anyone who does. No one controls Google or AI tools. We guarantee the work: a fast site, built with SEO and GEO from day one.
Give AI tools clear answers on your website, a complete Google Business Profile, consistent details in directories and real reviews. Use our ChatGPT recommendation checklist.
Keyword research, pages written for search, schema, a fast site and Google Search Console setup. See everything our SEO setup includes.
No. You keep control of your Google Business Profile. What matters is that it shows the same name, phone and services as your website.
The most common causes are a slow site, no clear pages for each service and missing technical setup. Check the 6 common causes and a self-test.
They work for service businesses in every U.S. state, but results depend on your city and competition. On our call we show you a market study of your area. See websites by industry.
These guides explain how Google and AI tools find businesses, in plain English and with real examples.
A side-by-side table of what SEO and GEO each do for you, and how they work together.
Compare SEO and GEO side by side
The on-site and off-site checklist, based on studies of the sources AI tools cite.
Get the ChatGPT checklist
What one-time SEO solves, what depends on time and reviews, and what you can safely skip.
See what one-time SEO can doTell us about your business and we will reply within 24 hours, Monday to Saturday, to confirm a free Zoom call, where we show you how your area searches for your service.