The Melbourne shortlist · Professional services

10 best GEO agencies
in Melbourne.

Generative engine optimisation (GEO) is the work of getting a brand mentioned and cited in AI answers from ChatGPT, Google AI Overviews, Perplexity and Gemini. It is new, and the claims often run ahead of the evidence. This guide compares Melbourne agencies that offer GEO as a real service, and is plain about what each can and cannot show.

By James Richardson Published Last checked Method v1 31 businesses considered
Our two cents

Ask for the prompt set, not the promise.

GEO is young, and almost every result in this category is self-reported. Impressive holds the most relevant independent credential, a 2025 APAC Search Awards win for Best Use of AI In Search. StudioHawk and Online Marketing Gurus publish the most AI-specific client results, and Luminary describes the most detailed method but has few public reviews.

Optimising, our featured placement, is owned by our publisher. It publishes original Australian AI search research and an audit price range, but only one GEO case study so far. Whoever you choose, agree the prompt set and a dated baseline before you pay, and treat any guarantee of AI placement as a red flag.

How the shortlist is assessed ↗
In this guide
  1. Compare the shortlist
  2. Read the assessments
  3. Before you hire
  4. How we score
  5. Updates and corrections

The shortlist, at a glance.

2c editorial score / 100
10 GEO agencies in Melbourne, with rank, 2c score and what each suits best
#BusinessScoreBest suited to
01 OptimisingRichmond
Featured · Owned by our publisher
 81 Brands wanting measured AI visibility
02 ImpressiveCremorne 83 Brands combining SEO and GEO
03 StudioHawkPrahran 81 Ecommerce brands wanting SEO-led GEO
04 Online Marketing GurusMelbourne CBD (Sydney HQ) 78 National brands, multi-channel search
=05 LuminaryMelbourne CBD 69 Enterprise sites with web rebuilds
=05 Rocket AgencyMelbourne CBD (Sydney HQ) 69 Mid-market and B2B brands
07 Shout DigitalHawthorn East 65 Retail brands wanting performance terms
08 nimblRichmond 62 Small businesses wanting senior attention
09 SoudCohSt Kilda Road 60 Local service businesses, prompt tracking
10 ROI Growth AgencyCamberwell 58 Local Melbourne businesses on budgets

Scores compare businesses within this category only. They are editorial assessments from desk research, not customer star ratings. An “=” marks businesses with the same rounded score. Position 1 is a disclosed featured placement; positions after it follow the score.

01 / Best suited to brands wanting measured AI visibility

Optimising

Featured · Owned by our publisherEvidence confidence: HighLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Disclosure: Optimising is owned by our publisher, James Richardson. It holds position 1 as a featured placement. Its score comes from the same rubric and the same kind of evidence as every other business in this guide.

Our two cents

Optimising is a Richmond-based, SEO-only agency that sells GEO as audits, campaigns and monthly AI visibility reporting, and it publishes original research on Australian AI search, including a 115-business AI traffic study. It suits Melbourne brands that want ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Mode visibility measured alongside their SEO. The main caveat is thin GEO outcome evidence: its one AI case study, Tourism WA, documents scope and baselines rather than measured results.

Why it makes the list

  • Publishes original AI search data, including a study of AI-referred traffic across 115 Australian businesses that SmartCompany republished [optimising.com.au]
  • Publishes an AI visibility audit price range of $5,000 to $20,000+ GST [optimising.com.au]
  • Says outright that no agency can guarantee AI visibility, and lists the metrics it reports: citation rate, share of voice, sentiment and cited pages [optimising.com.au]
  • Reporting combines Ahrefs Brand Radar data with its own prompt scraping across ChatGPT, Perplexity, Gemini and Google AI Mode [optimising.com.au]
  • Google rating of 5.0 from 59 reviews [google.com]

What to consider

  • Only one GEO case study is published, and its results are stated loosely ('100's citations') rather than as measured before and after figures.
  • Small team (16 people named on its About page), so confirm which senior strategist will run your GEO work.
  • No Clutch reviews, and no ABN or service terms on the website.
  • Not verified: Tourism WA outcome figures, Shopify Plus Partner status, National AI Centre directory listing (directory site did not resolve), Ongoing GEO campaign pricing, Insurance.
22.5/25Expertise and capability
15/25Evidence of work
18/20Customer experience
12/15Transparency
13.5/15Professional standards
Services
AI visibility audits, GEO campaigns, AI search reporting, Technical SEO, Content strategy, Platform migrations
Service area
Melbourne, and clients across Australia
Pricing
AI visibility audits mostly $5,000 to $20,000+ GST, quoted after a scoping call. No published price for ongoing GEO campaigns. [optimising.com.au]
Location
Office in Richmond VIC
Independent reviews
5 on Google Business Profile (59 reviews)
Visit Optimising ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: yes, disclosed above. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

02 / Best suited to brands combining SEO and GEO

Impressive

Evidence confidence: HighLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

Impressive is a Cremorne digital agency whose GEO practice is led by Digital Director Rachel Harvey and usually runs alongside SEO retainers. It holds the most relevant independently verified credential in this Melbourne list: the 2025 APAC Search Awards win for Best Use of AI In Search, with Rail Online. It suits brands wanting SEO, GEO and paid media in one place. Check its GEO figures closely, since the Kudosity numbers differ between pages, and expect no published price.

Why it makes the list

What to consider

  • GEO results are self-reported and inconsistent: Kudosity's ChatGPT figures differ between the AI SEO page and the case study page.
  • No Impressive pricing is published; the only figure is a general market range.
  • GEO is one of many services in a full-service agency, so confirm the GEO team's size and who works on your account.
  • Not verified: B Corp certification, Google partner tier, Timeframes for GEO results, Pricing, Insurance.
22.5/25Expertise and capability
20/25Evidence of work
18/20Customer experience
9/15Transparency
13.5/15Professional standards
Services
AI SEO / GEO, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity optimisation, SEO, Digital PR, Paid media, CRO
Service area
Australia-wide, from a Melbourne head office
Pricing
Not verified
Location
Office in Cremorne VIC
Independent reviews
4.8 on Google Business Profile (145 reviews) · 5 on Clutch (25 reviews)
Visit Impressive ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

03 / Best suited to ecommerce brands wanting SEO-led GEO

StudioHawk

Evidence confidence: HighLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

StudioHawk is a Prahran-headquartered SEO and AI search agency, founded in 2015 and now 120+ staff, that published a 21-month study of AI search revenue across 100 Australian ecommerce brands. Its GEO service covers schema, entity work, digital PR and visibility tracking. It suits ecommerce and mid-to-large brands wanting GEO built into a large SEO program. The caveat: AI results appear only as case-study headlines, and the case study we opened reported SEO gains, not AI metrics.

Why it makes the list

  • Published original research on ChatGPT revenue and order values across 100 Australian ecommerce brands [studiohawk.com.au]
  • Lists AI referral traffic and AI Overview growth results on its case study index [studiohawk.com.au]
  • Google rating of 4.8 from 129 reviews [google.com]

What to consider

  • AI-specific results are headline figures only; the full case study we loaded showed SEO metrics, not AI citations or AI traffic.
  • Its GEO page says AI SEO is embedded in all its work, so ask what is delivered and reported specifically for GEO.
  • No pricing published.
  • Not verified: Full AI case study details, Pricing, Insurance.
22.5/25Expertise and capability
17.5/25Evidence of work
18/20Customer experience
10.5/15Transparency
12/15Professional standards
Services
Generative engine optimisation, ChatGPT optimisation, AI visibility audits, Technical SEO, Digital PR, eCommerce SEO
Service area
Australia, the UK and the US, from a Melbourne head office
Pricing
Not verified
Location
Head office in Prahran VIC
Independent reviews
4.8 on Google Business Profile (129 reviews) · 4.8 on Clutch (6 reviews)
Visit StudioHawk ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

04 / Best suited to national brands, multi-channel search

Online Marketing Gurus

Evidence confidence: ModerateLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

Online Marketing Gurus is a national search agency headquartered in Crows Nest, Sydney, with a Melbourne office listed on Elizabeth Street. Its generative AI SEO page shows more named-client GEO results than any other agency here, including a 59% rise in AI Overview share of voice for Safety Xpress over six months. It suits national brands wanting GEO from a large team. Melbourne buyers should note the local office looks small, and its Google listing shows a different Melbourne address.

Why it makes the list

What to consider

  • Sydney-headquartered; its Melbourne Google listing (425 Smith St, 9 reviews) does not match the Melbourne address on its website (152 Elizabeth St).
  • GEO figures are self-reported and several lack baselines or time periods; the 1001 Optometry headline calls a total web traffic figure AI search traffic.
  • No pricing published; the free audit is described as 'valued at $4,000'.
  • Not verified: Melbourne office staffing, GEO case study methodology, Global Agency Awards claim, Pricing, Insurance.
20/25Expertise and capability
20/25Evidence of work
18/20Customer experience
9/15Transparency
10.5/15Professional standards
Services
Generative AI SEO / GEO, AI SEO audits, SEO, ChatGPT Ads, PPC, Reporting dashboard (Gurulytics)
Service area
Australia-wide
Pricing
Not verified
Location
Melbourne CBD office; head office in Crows Nest NSW
Independent reviews
4.9 on Google Business Profile (Crows Nest head office) (618 reviews) · 4.6 on Google Business Profile (Melbourne listing, 425 Smith St) (9 reviews) · 4.7 on Clutch (60 reviews)
Visit Online Marketing Gurus ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

=05 / Best suited to enterprise sites with web rebuilds

Luminary

Evidence confidence: ModerateLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

Luminary is a Melbourne CBD digital agency, founded in 1999 and B Corp certified, whose GEO service is led by SEO and GEO Principal Shayna Burns and benchmarks clients with named tools such as Profound and Scrunch. Its IFM Investors GEO work reports a 36% share of AI visibility in Australia across 168 prompts. It suits large organisations pairing GEO with a website build or retainer. The caveat is customer feedback: only eight Google reviews, so ask for references.

Why it makes the list

What to consider

  • Only 8 Google reviews, so independent client feedback is thin.
  • GEO is sold within website projects or a 'Grow' retainer rather than as a standalone service, which may not suit smaller buyers.
  • No pricing published; its directory listing elsewhere cites a $25,000+ minimum project size, which we did not confirm on Luminary's own site.
  • Not verified: Financial Services Forum award (independent source), ABN, Pricing or minimum budget, Insurance.
22.5/25Expertise and capability
17.5/25Evidence of work
8/20Customer experience
9/15Transparency
12/15Professional standards
Services
GEO audit and strategy, GEO implementation, Content design workshops, SEO, Website design and build, Digital strategy
Service area
Australia and Indonesia, from a Melbourne office
Pricing
Not verified
Location
Office in Melbourne CBD
Independent reviews
5 on Google Business Profile (8 reviews)
Visit Luminary ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

=05 / Best suited to mid-market and B2B brands

Rocket Agency

Evidence confidence: ModerateLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

Rocket Agency is a Sydney-headquartered search and digital agency with a Melbourne CBD office on Albert Coates Lane and a named Head of SEO and GEO, Joe Alder. Its GEO page covers content, technical GEO, brand authority and tracking, and it openly says AI tracking data is still limited. It suits mid-market and B2B brands that also want paid search. The caveat: we found no AI-specific client results, and its Melbourne Google listing has only three reviews.

Why it makes the list

What to consider

  • No GEO or AI visibility results published for any client.
  • Head office is in Sydney; the Melbourne office has 3 Google reviews, so ask who in Melbourne would run the account.
  • No pricing published.
  • Not verified: ABN, Partner tier claims, Melbourne team size, Pricing, Insurance.
17.5/25Expertise and capability
12.5/25Evidence of work
16/20Customer experience
10.5/15Transparency
12/15Professional standards
Services
GEO content optimisation and production, Technical GEO, Brand authority building, GEO performance tracking, SEO, Paid media
Service area
Sydney and Melbourne
Pricing
Not verified
Location
Melbourne CBD office; head office in Surry Hills NSW
Independent reviews
5 on Google Business Profile (Surry Hills head office) (48 reviews) · 5 on Google Business Profile (Melbourne office) (3 reviews) · 4.9 on Clutch (4 reviews)
Visit Rocket Agency ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

07 / Best suited to retail brands wanting performance terms

Shout Digital

Evidence confidence: ModerateLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

Shout Digital is a Hawthorn East agency founded in 2010 with dedicated AI search pages for ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude, and a senior SEO lead who now specialises in AI search and AEO. Its 75 Google reviews average 5.0. It suits retail and ecommerce brands that want SEO, paid media and GEO under one roof. The caveats: its case studies show SEO results only, and its homepage growth guarantee needs explaining in writing before you sign.

Why it makes the list

  • Separate service pages for ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude, plus a senior SEO lead focused on AI search [shoutdigital.com.au]
  • Google rating of 5.0 from 75 reviews [google.com]
  • Detailed SEO case studies for Repco, Bondi Sands and Bed Bath N Table [shoutdigital.com.au]

What to consider

  • No GEO or AI visibility results published.
  • Homepage promises to 'guarantee growth' and says clients pay only once results are delivered; ask how this applies to AI visibility and get the terms in writing.
  • No pricing published.
  • Not verified: ABN, Terms of the results-based payment offer, Partner tier, Pricing, Insurance.
17.5/25Expertise and capability
12.5/25Evidence of work
18/20Customer experience
9/15Transparency
7.5/15Professional standards
Services
AI SEO / AI search, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Claude optimisation, AI visibility audits, SEO, Google Ads, Paid social
Service area
Offices in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane
Pricing
Not verified
Location
Head office in Hawthorn East VIC
Independent reviews
5 on Google Business Profile (75 reviews)
Visit Shout Digital ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

08 / Best suited to small businesses wanting senior attention

nimbl

Evidence confidence: ModerateLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

nimbl is a boutique Richmond agency run by co-founders Josh Moloney and Jarret Barber, each with about 15 years in digital, offering AI SEO with dedicated ChatGPT and Perplexity pages. Its 30 Google reviews average 5.0. It suits small and mid-sized Melbourne businesses that want senior people on the account. The caveat: its AI SEO method is described in general terms, with no named tracking tools or AI-specific client results, so ask for a sample AI visibility report.

Why it makes the list

  • Senior, named leadership and SEO team on a boutique model [nimbl.com.au]
  • Google rating of 5.0 from 30 reviews [google.com]
  • Dedicated AI SEO service with platform pages for ChatGPT and Perplexity [nimbl.com.au]

What to consider

  • No AI visibility or citation results published.
  • AI SEO reporting is promised but not described in terms of prompts, platforms or metrics.
  • No pricing published.
  • Not verified: Founding year, APAC Search Awards finalist claims, Pricing, Insurance.
15/25Expertise and capability
12.5/25Evidence of work
16/20Customer experience
9/15Transparency
9/15Professional standards
Services
AI SEO services, ChatGPT and Perplexity optimisation, SEO and AI auditing, SEO, Paid media
Service area
Australia-wide, from a Melbourne office
Pricing
Not verified
Location
Office in Richmond VIC
Independent reviews
5 on Google Business Profile (30 reviews)
Visit nimbl ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

09 / Best suited to local service businesses, prompt tracking

SoudCoh

Evidence confidence: ModerateLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

SoudCoh is a St Kilda Road marketing business whose GEO page is one of the most candid in Melbourne: it tracks a monthly panel of 20 to 50 buyer questions across AI assistants and says plainly it cannot make a model cite a client. Its 89 Google reviews average 5.0. It suits local and service businesses that want clear measurement. The caveat is age: its ABN dates from July 2024, and it shows no GEO client results yet.

Why it makes the list

  • Publishes a specific GEO measurement method and timeline, and states it cannot guarantee AI citations [soudcoh.com]
  • Google rating of 5.0 from 89 reviews [google.com]
  • Shows ABN and ACN, provides written quotes before work and has no long-term lock-in [soudcoh.com]

What to consider

  • Very new: ABN active from 22 July 2024 and business name registered May 2025.
  • No GEO client results published, and no GEO staff named.
  • No price figures, only the factors that set the price.
  • Not verified: Founding year, Google Partner status, Who delivers GEO work, Pricing, Insurance.
12.5/25Expertise and capability
10/25Evidence of work
18/20Customer experience
10.5/15Transparency
9/15Professional standards
Services
Generative engine optimisation, AI search, SEO, Google Ads, Website design, Reviews and Maps
Service area
Australia and overseas, from a Melbourne office
Pricing
Not verified
Location
Office on St Kilda Road, Melbourne VIC
Independent reviews
5 on Google Business Profile (89 reviews)
Visit SoudCoh ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

10 / Best suited to local Melbourne businesses on budgets

ROI Growth Agency

Evidence confidence: ModerateLast checked 28 October 2026 · Desk research

Our two cents

ROI Growth Agency is a Camberwell agency, trading since 2006 by its own account, that offers answer engine optimisation tracked monthly across AI Overviews, People Also Ask and AI citations. It publishes ChatGPT screenshots showing Melbourne real estate clients named first, and SEO packages from $1,500 a month with no lock-in. It suits budget-conscious local businesses. Caveats: a 4.3 Google rating from 45 reviews, and a 'Growth? Guaranteed.' tagline buyers should question.

Why it makes the list

  • Publishes a starting price of $1,500 per month with no lock-in contracts [roi.com.au]
  • AEO page maps each workstream to the search and AI surfaces it affects and admits not every activity moves every surface [roi.com.au]
  • Shows ChatGPT answers naming local Melbourne clients first [roi.com.au]

What to consider

  • Google rating of 4.3 is the lowest among agencies assessed.
  • AI 'results' are screenshots, not measured visibility over time across a defined prompt set.
  • Site-wide 'Growth? Guaranteed.' tagline; no team members named.
  • Not verified: Founding year (ABR entity dates from 2017), Deloitte Fast 50 listing, GEO pricing, Insurance.
15/25Expertise and capability
12.5/25Evidence of work
12/20Customer experience
10.5/15Transparency
7.5/15Professional standards
Services
Answer engine optimisation, ChatGPT optimisation, AI visibility schema set-up, SEO, Local SEO, Paid media
Service area
Offices in Camberwell, Melbourne CBD and Sydney
Pricing
SEO packages from $1,500 per month, no lock-in contracts. No separate GEO or AEO price published. [roi.com.au]
Location
Office in Camberwell VIC
Independent reviews
4.3 on Google Business Profile (45 reviews)
Website
roi.com.au
Visit ROI Growth Agency ↗ Read full assessment

Research basis: desk research, checked 28 October 2026. No service was purchased or tested. Commercial relationship: none. Spotted an error? Send a correction.

Before you hire

Before you buy GEO.

  • Ask for a sample monthly AI visibility report before you sign: which prompts, which platforms (ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity, Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, Copilot), how often they are re-run and which tool or method produces the numbers.
  • Agree the prompt set in writing and make sure it reflects questions your customers actually ask, then get a dated baseline so later changes can be compared like for like.
  • Treat any guarantee of ChatGPT or AI Overview placement as a red flag. No agency controls what a model says; the honest offer is better eligibility, tracked over time.
  • Ask for at least one GEO case study with before and after citation, share of voice or AI referral figures, the time period, and a client you can contact. SEO case studies alone are only partial proof.
  • Check whether GEO is billed separately or bundled into an SEO retainer, what the minimum term is, and how you exit if results do not show.
  • Ask who will do the work and whether they will check what AI tools currently say about your prices, locations and products, since wrong answers can cost enquiries.
  • Confirm the agency has a staffed Melbourne office if face-to-face contact matters; several firms in this category are Sydney-based with small Melbourne branches.

Worth knowing

No licence or registration applies to SEO or GEO in Australia. Claims and guarantees fall under general consumer law, so get any promise in writing.

Published prices in this category come from agencies themselves. Impressive says most Australian AI SEO retainers fall between $3,000 and $7,000+ a month. [impressive.com.au]

Optimising, which is owned by our publisher, puts agency GEO programs at about $2,000 to $20,000+ a month and one-off AI readiness audits at $10,000 to $20,000. [optimising.com.au]

The only independent GEO-relevant credential we found among Melbourne agencies was Impressive’s APAC Search Awards 2025 win for Best Use of AI In Search. [apacsearchawards.com]

Behind the score

Same framework. Relevant evidence.

  • 25Expertise and capability
  • 25Evidence of work
  • 20Customer experience
  • 15Transparency
  • 15Professional standards

We considered 31 agencies and consultancies with a Melbourne presence. To qualify, a business needed a dedicated GEO or AI search service page, not just a blog post. Nine competitors met that bar; two of them, Online Marketing Gurus and Rocket Agency, are Sydney-headquartered with Melbourne offices, which their entries note. Optimising is included as our disclosed featured placement, and two agencies with commercial ties to our publisher were excluded from consideration.

Each pillar is rated 0 to 5 against published anchors and weighted to 100. Unknown evidence is recorded as “not verified”, never as zero. Evidence confidence is separate from the score: High means several independent sources, checked recently, cover most pillars. Moderate means mostly the business’s own published claims, with some independent checks.

Read the full methodology.

Updates and corrections

Something needs correcting?

Corrections are free. Send us the fact, the page and a link to evidence. A submission does not change a score by itself; we check it and record any material change below.

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