AI SEO Options Compared: DIY vs Agency vs Tools vs Done for You
Prices checked October 2026 · By 30 Second Productions
Short answer: There are four ways to get your business seen by ChatGPT, Claude & Google AI. Do it yourself for free if you know websites. Hire an SEO agency for ongoing work if you have the budget. Use an AI SEO tool to track results. Or pay once and have it done for you in 48 hours.
More people now ask AI which business to call. AI SEO helps make sure your business is one it names.
Here are the four main ways to do it, what each costs, and who each one suits.
At a glance
| Option | Price | Turnaround | What's included | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Do it yourself | $0 + your time | Up to you | Whatever you learn and do on your own website | Owners who are handy with their website |
| SEO agency | Most common: $501–$1,000 a month, or $2,501–$5,000 a project (Ahrefs survey) | Varies by agency | Depends on the agency and the contract | Bigger businesses that want ongoing, hands-on SEO help |
| AI SEO tools | From $99 a month (example: Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit) | Reports right away | Tracks what AI says about you and flags problems. You make the fixes. | Marketers who want to track AI results over time |
| 30 Second Productions (done for you) | $349 one-time (regular $497). Optional install: $79 | 48 hours | We check if AI recommends you, add the code AI needs, fix your business info, make sure AI can see your site, and send a full report. 6 expert reports free. | Small business owners who want it handled once |
Do it yourself
- Price
- $0 + your time
- Turnaround
- Up to you
- What's included
- Whatever you learn and do on your own website
- Best for
- Owners who are handy with their website
SEO agency
- Price
- Most common: $501–$1,000 a month, or $2,501–$5,000 a project (Ahrefs survey)
- Turnaround
- Varies by agency
- What's included
- Depends on the agency and the contract
- Best for
- Bigger businesses that want ongoing, hands-on SEO help
AI SEO tools
- Price
- From $99 a month (example: Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit)
- Turnaround
- Reports right away
- What's included
- Tracks what AI says about you and flags problems. You make the fixes.
- Best for
- Marketers who want to track AI results over time
30 Second Productions (done for you)
- Price
- $349 one-time (regular $497). Optional install: $79
- Turnaround
- 48 hours
- What's included
- We check if AI recommends you, add the code AI needs, fix your business info, make sure AI can see your site, and send a full report. 6 expert reports free.
- Best for
- Small business owners who want it handled once
Prices checked October 2026 on each company's own public page. See sources below.
Do it yourself
You can do a lot of this on your own.
Google says there is no special trick to show up in its AI answers. The basics matter most.
That means: let search engines and AI reach your site. Keep your key facts in plain text. Keep your business info the same everywhere.
The catch is time. You need to know your way around your website, and it is easy to miss things.
Good
- ✓ Free
- ✓ You learn how your site works
Watch out
- • Takes hours of reading and testing
- • Easy to break things if you edit code
Doing it yourself is the better pick if you like tech jobs and have a free weekend.
SEO agency
An SEO agency can do the work for you and keep at it over time.
Prices vary a lot. In an Ahrefs survey of 439 SEO providers, the most common monthly fee was $501 to $1,000. The most common project fee was $2,501 to $5,000.
Not every agency does AI search work yet. Ask what they will do for ChatGPT, Claude & Google AI.
Good
- ✓ A team does the work
- ✓ Can cover all of SEO, not just AI
Watch out
- • Costs the most
- • Ask exactly what they will change for AI search
An agency is the better pick if you want a team working on your SEO every month, not a one-time job.
AI SEO tools
These are apps you pay for every month. They check what AI tools say about you and point out problems.
For example, the Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit is $99 a month. It tracks AI prompts and flags site problems that can block AI.
It does not change your website for you. You still need someone to make the fixes.
Good
- ✓ See your results week by week
- ✓ Good for spotting problems
Watch out
- • Monthly cost that keeps going
- • You still have to do the fixes
A tool is the better pick if you already have someone who can make fixes and you want to track results each week.
30 Second Productions (done for you)
We do the work for you, one time. You pay once. There is no monthly fee.
We check if ChatGPT, Claude & Google AI recommend you. Then we fix what holds you back and send you a report of every change.
All changes go in one small file. Switch it off and your site goes back to how it was.
We cannot promise you will be number one. Nobody honest can. You get a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Good
- ✓ Done in 48 hours
- ✓ One payment, no subscription
- ✓ Your design and content stay the same
Watch out
- • A one-time fix, not monthly upkeep
- • You need a website first
We are the better pick if you want it done fast and once, without learning the tech.
How to choose
- Do you have time to learn it and do it yourself?
- Do you want monthly help, or a one-time fix?
- Do you just want reports, or do you want the fixes made for you?
- What is your budget: $0, about $100 a month, $349 once, or $500+ a month?
- Ask anyone you hire: what exactly will you change on my site?
- Be careful of anyone who promises the #1 spot in AI answers.
4.9/5 from 13,500+ clients · Since 2012
Want ChatGPT, Claude & Google AI to find your business? We do it for you in 48 hours.
Get Started — $349Questions people ask
What is the cheapest way to do AI SEO?
Doing it yourself is free if you know your way around your website. Google says there is no special trick for its AI answers. The basics matter most.
Do AI SEO tools fix my website?
The tool we checked tracks and reports. For example, the Semrush AI Visibility Toolkit ($99 a month) tracks AI prompts and flags problems. You still make the fixes yourself.
How much does an SEO agency cost?
It varies. In an Ahrefs survey of 439 SEO providers, the most common monthly fee was $501 to $1,000. The most common project fee was $2,501 to $5,000.
Can anyone guarantee my business shows up in ChatGPT?
No. Be careful of anyone who says they can. Good work makes it easier for AI to find and trust you, but no one controls what AI says.
How long does done-for-you AI SEO take?
We finish the work in 48 hours. After that, it can take a few weeks for ChatGPT, Claude & Google AI to pick up the changes.
Sources
Prices checked October 2026. Where a company does not publish a fact, we say "Not listed publicly".
- Google Search Central: AI features and your website: https://developers.google.com/search/docs/appearance/ai-features
- Ahrefs: SEO pricing survey of 439 SEO providers: https://ahrefs.com/blog/seo-pricing/
- Semrush Knowledge Base: AI Visibility Toolkit: https://www.semrush.com/kb/1493-ai-visibility-toolkit
- 30 Second Productions: AI SEO page: https://www.30secondproductions.com/ai-seo
All trademarks belong to their owners. We are not affiliated with these companies.