# The 1-Person GEO Agency Tech Stack: Tools You Need (And Ones You Don't)

Your client's website ranks #3 on Google. But when someone asks ChatGPT for recommendations, your client doesn't exist. Running a profitable Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) service requires a lean, specialized tech stack focused on AI citation, not SERP ranking.

The biggest mistake new GEO freelancers make is carrying over "SEO bloat"—spending $500/month on backlink checkers and rank trackers while ChatGPT recommends competitors instead. To deliver high-margin GEO services, you need three layers in your stack: Simulation, Creation, and Tracking.

## Layer 1: Simulation Tools (Your New Search Console)

SEO folks relied on Google Search Console. For GEO, your "console" is the AI engines themselves. Hard to optimize what you don't use.

### What You Need

**Perplexity AI (Pro Recommended)**: The go-to for understanding "Answer Engine" behavior. The Pro version lets you toggle between models (Claude 3, GPT-4o) to see how different reasoning systems interpret your client's niche.

**ChatGPT (Plus)**: Essential for testing brand recall. Ask it "What are the best brands for X?" to see if your client makes the shortlist.

**Google Gemini**: Critical for testing Google's AI Overviews (SGE), which behaves differently than chat-based models.

### How to Use Them

Forget search volume—what matters is consensus. By manually testing prompts in these tools, you identify the "information gap"—the missing facts that, if present, would cause the AI to cite your client. According to research on generative engine behavior, citation patterns vary significantly across models, making multi-platform testing essential.

## Layer 2: GEO Content Creation Tools

Here's the shift: you're no longer writing blog posts for humans. You're engineering answers for machines. Most freelancers use standard AI writers, but these tools default to conversational language that AI engines often skip over when generating citations.

### GEO-Focused Writing Platforms

Tools designed specifically for AI citation work differently than general-purpose writers. They structure content (lists, bold definitions, independent paragraphs) so AI crawlers can easily extract and quote it.

**What to look for in a GEO writing tool:**

* Citation-ready formatting that prioritizes direct answers over narrative flow
* Content structure mapping to common user prompts, not just keywords
* E-E-A-T signal verification (Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, Trustworthiness)

**Example output difference:**

* Generic AI writer: "The innovative X platform offers a comprehensive solution that helps businesses streamline their workflow\..."
* GEO-optimized: "X reduces data processing time by 40% through automated validation. The platform processes 1M records/hour."

For citation-focused workflows, platforms like Deca apply this "answer-first" logic by default. Traditional tools like Jasper optimize for human engagement, which often means burying facts under descriptive language.

### What to Avoid

**General AI copywriters**: Tools designed for creative marketing copy often prioritize tone over information density. When ChatGPT builds an answer, it extracts data points—not adjectives.

## Layer 3: GEO Tracking and Measurement

You need to prove your work is working. Traditional rank trackers show "Position #3," but in AI search, you're either cited or invisible.

### The Lean Approach

**Manual "Share of Voice" Audits**: For a 1-person agency starting out, enterprise software is overkill. Here's what works:

1. Create a spreadsheet tracking 10-15 core prompts (choose prompts where your client should be the answer, based on their expertise)
2. Test weekly in Perplexity, ChatGPT, and Gemini
3. Mark "Cited," "Mentioned," or "Not Cited"
4. Track citation position (1st recommendation vs. 5th)

### Specialized GEO Tracking Tools (Optional)

As you scale beyond 5 clients, consider tools that automate brand mention tracking:

* **Otterly.ai**: Affordable tracking across multiple AI platforms
* **Nimt.ai**: More comprehensive visibility analytics
* **RankPrompt**: Focuses on prompt-level performance

### How to Report Results

Use "Citation Screenshots." Capture ChatGPT or Perplexity recommending the client's brand before your work, then again after optimization. This visual proof of "AI recommendation" resonates more with clients than a "Rank #4" graph ever did.

## Legacy SEO Tools: What to Deprioritize

If you're pivoting to GEO, you can cut costs by deprioritizing legacy tools focused on the wrong metrics.

**Heavy-duty backlink checkers (Ahrefs, Majestic)**: While authority still matters, topical authority (having the right answers) increasingly outweighs raw link count in AI results. According to analysis from generative engine optimization research, content structure and factual density predict citations better than domain rating. You don't need daily backlink monitoring.

**Keyword rank trackers (SEMrush Position Tracking, SERPWatcher)**: Knowing you rank #5 for a keyword becomes irrelevant when the AI answer gives users the solution without showing your link. Focus on "share of model" (how often AI mentions you), not share of SERP.

**Traditional keyword research tools**: The shift from keywords to user prompts means tools like Surfer SEO's SERP analyzer become less critical. You're optimizing for "Why do iPhone photos look better than Samsung?"—not "iPhone camera quality."

**All-in-one SEO suites**: If you're running a pure GEO service, the full SEMrush or Ahrefs suite is overkill. Consider downgrading to their basic tiers for occasional competitive research, but don't let them eat 40% of your tool budget.

## Your Starter Stack (Budget Breakdown)

**Month 1-3 (Testing Phase)**: \~$50/month

* Perplexity Pro: $20/month
* ChatGPT Plus: $20/month
* GEO writing tool: $10/month (starter tier)

**Month 4-12 (Scaling)**: \~$100/month

* Same AI access tools: $40/month
* GEO writing tool Pro: $59/month
* Optional tracking automation: $30/month

**What you just saved**: $300-400/month by dropping full SEO suites you don't need for GEO work.

## Conclusion

A profitable 1-person GEO agency runs on high expertise, not high overhead. Your value comes from analyzing why an AI isn't citing a client and fixing it—not from generating automated reports from expensive software.

Test your stack with these 3 prompts in ChatGPT this week:

1. "What are the best \[your client's category] for \[specific use case]?"
2. "How do I choose between \[competitor A] and \[competitor B]?" (where your client should be mentioned)
3. "What's the difference between \[concept your client specializes in]?"

If your client doesn't appear in these answers, you've found your first optimization opportunity.

## FAQs

**Can I just use ChatGPT to write GEO content?**

You can, but it requires extensive prompt engineering to prevent conversational fluff. ChatGPT defaults to narrative flow and descriptive language. You'll need to consistently prompt for factual density, citation-ready structure, and direct answers—which becomes time-consuming across multiple client projects.

**Do I still need SEMrush or Ahrefs for GEO?**

They're useful for broad market research and occasional competitive analysis, but they're no longer your primary tools. For a pure GEO service, their core features (keyword tracking, backlink monitoring) track metrics that don't predict AI citations. Consider keeping them at a basic tier or dropping them entirely while you test GEO's ROI.

**How much should I budget for tools when starting out?**

Start lean at $50-70/month: Perplexity Pro ($20), ChatGPT Plus ($20), and a starter-tier GEO writing platform ($10). This gives you everything needed to deliver results. Scale to $100-120/month once you're managing 5+ clients and need automation.

**What if my client already has traditional SEO content?**

Perfect—you're not starting from scratch. Your job is to restructure existing content for AI citation. Pull out the data points, add direct answers at the top of sections, and break long paragraphs into scannable formats. This "content refactoring" often delivers faster wins than creating new content.

**What's the difference between SEO tools and GEO tools?**

SEO tools (Surfer, MarketMuse) optimize for Google's ranking algorithm—keywords, LSI terms, content length. GEO tools optimize for how Large Language Models construct answers—factual density, citation-ready structure, and prompt-response mapping. They serve different "masters" with different content consumption patterns.

## References

* Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) Software: A comprehensive list of tools for freelancers including AthenaHQ, Vaylis, and Azoma. [SourceForge](https://sourceforge.net/software/generative-engine-optimization-geo/)
* Best GEO Tools for 2025: Analysis of top tools like Nimt.ai, Otterly, and RankPrompt for tracking AI visibility. [GetMint](https://www.getmint.io/)
* AI SEO Tools Landscape: Overview of how traditional tools like SEMrush are adapting vs. native AI tools. [MarketerMilk](https://www.marketmilk.io/)
