The traditional AEO retainer charges a flat monthly fee regardless of citation outcomes. This model transfers all performance risk to the client. The agency is compensated for effort (content creation, technical AEO, schema implementation, authority building) not for results. It suits businesses with high citation baselines and clear near-term improvement targets.
The pay-on-performance model charges the management fee only when agreed target prompts return the client's brand as a cited source in specified AI engines. The risk is shared — the agency works at cost until citations are delivered. This suits businesses starting from a low citation baseline who need proof of concept before committing to ongoing investment.
For established brands already appearing in some AI citations, the retainer model is often the more efficient path — the citation baseline is proven and the work is incremental improvement. For businesses with zero AI citations seeking proof of concept before committing to a multi-month engagement, the performance model provides accountability and risk alignment.
They are different names for the same goal: getting a large language model to cite your brand. GEO stands for Generative Engine Optimisation, AEO for Answer Engine Optimisation and LLM SEO describes optimising for large language models. We optimise for every variant at once.
TPR Media operates from Level 34, 1 Eagle Street, Brisbane City QLD 4000, serving clients across Brisbane and Australia-wide.
TPR Media compares pay-on-performance AEO with the monthly retainer model for Australian businesses: risk allocation, the citation baseline each model suits best and the accountability structure that differentiates them.