Websites, Stores and Search
Generative engine optimization: how to get cited by AI search
What generative engine optimization really is, what the research shows, and a step-by-step plan to get your pages cited by AI search.
SEO
SEO Essentials
Keep your website healthy in search every month, with four pages optimized, 20 keywords tracked and a clear report.
Search health slips quietly when nobody checks it. Broken pages appear, titles drift and new pages go live without a target keyword. SEO Essentials keeps on top of it each month. We check crawl and Search Console health, optimize four pages, track 20 keywords and report impressions from Google AI Overviews and AI Mode. A monthly report and call show what changed and what comes next.
- Monthly crawl and Search Console health check, up to 1,000 URLs
- Four pages optimized each month to a set standard
- 20 keywords tracked, with AI Overviews impressions reported
$675/mo
3-month minimum, paid upfront
Up and running in 10–20 working days
What it is
SEO Essentials is a monthly SEO upkeep service for one website. Each month we run a crawl and Search Console health check of up to 1,000 URLs, optimize 4 pages, track 20 keywords, report Google AI Overviews impressions and explain results in a monthly report.
Why businesses buy it
Many businesses need steady SEO care but are not ready for articles or link building. A full growth retainer can be more than they need, while doing nothing lets small problems pile up. SEO Essentials sits in between. Each month a specialist checks site health and optimizes four pages to the On-Page SEO Pack standard. On non-WordPress platforms, we also fix up to five small technical issues. You see how often Google shows you in AI Overviews, too. Results in search take time and are never promised, but your site stays looked after.
Problems this solves
Small SEO problems pile up because nobody checks the site
A monthly crawl and Search Console health check covers up to 1,000 URLs. You get an issue list each month, so problems are spotted early.
New and old pages drift away from their target keywords
Four pages are optimized every month to the On-Page SEO Pack standard. Over time, your important pages stay focused on the searches they should match.
You cannot tell whether your search visibility is improving
We track 20 keywords and report the AI Overviews and AI Mode impressions Search Console provides. A monthly report and call explain what moved and why.
A full SEO retainer is more than you need right now
SEO Essentials covers upkeep, page work and reporting without articles or link building. When you are ready for content and links, Growth SEO adds them.
A good fit if
You run a service, B2B or SaaS website that serves customers beyond one local area.
You want regular SEO care and reporting without paying for articles or link building yet.
Your site has up to 1,000 URLs and runs on WordPress, Webflow, Shopify or Squarespace.
You have just finished an audit, a fix sprint, an on-page pack or a new build, and want to keep it in shape.
Not the right fit if
You serve customers near one location and want to show up on Google Maps. See Local SEO.
You want monthly articles and backlinks as well. See Growth SEO.
You only need 10 key pages fixed once, with no monthly service. See On-Page SEO Pack.
You want to track what ChatGPT and other assistants say about your brand. See AI Search Visibility Monitor.
How it works
- You share Search Console, Analytics and CMS access, plus your main services and target keywords.
- During onboarding we run the first crawl, set up tracking for 20 keywords and agree which pages to optimize first.
- Each month we crawl up to 1,000 URLs, check Search Console health and send you an issue list.
- Four pages are optimized each month, and up to five small technical fixes are made on non-WordPress platforms.
- We report keyword positions and the generative AI impressions Search Console shows, such as Google AI Overviews and AI Mode.
- A monthly written report covers results and next month's priorities.
What you provide within 72 hours
Your portal lists these the moment you order. Delivery starts the working day after everything is in and your access is checked.
- Search Console and Analytics access, by invite or a key you control.
- CMS access for page changes, by invite or a key you control.
- Your main services and the keywords you want to target.
- One person who reads the monthly report and approves priorities.
The 72-hour rule. Send everything on your checklist, including access, within 72 hours of ordering so your build starts on time.
Timeline
Start
Order placed. Search Console, Analytics and CMS access are due within 72 hours.
Weeks 1–2
First crawl and health check, 20 keywords set up for tracking and the first pages chosen.
Month 1
First four pages optimized, small fixes made and the first report and call held.
Every month
Crawl and health check, four pages optimized, and keyword and AI impressions reported.
Month end
Monthly report with next steps.
After month 3
The minimum term ends. Continue month to month, or cancel.
| Option | Delivery time | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | 10–20 working days | $2,025 |
What you receive at handover
- Each month: a crawl and Search Console health check of up to 1,000 URLs, with an issue list
- Each month: four pages optimized
- Each month: 20 keywords tracked and Search Console AI impressions reported
- Each month: up to five small technical fixes on non-WordPress platforms
- Each month: a written report with next steps
- If you stop: every page change and fix stays on your site, and the reports stay yours
Expected benefits and how to measure them
- Helps catch search problems before they grow
- Can lift clicks to the pages optimized each month
- Helps you see how often Google shows you in AI answers
- Site health issues
- Compare the issue count in each monthly crawl with the first crawl at onboarding.
- Organic clicks
- Compare Search Console clicks month on month, and against the three months before you started.
- Tracked keyword positions
- Follow the 20 tracked keywords in each monthly report from the onboarding starting point.
Before you start: Export three months of clicks, impressions and average position from Search Console. Note your current page count and any known errors.
These are things to track, not promised results. Outcomes depend on your data, your team and your market.
Running costs
There are no running costs. The rank tracker is included in the monthly price, so you do not need to buy SEO tools. Ad spend and any other paid tools you choose are separate and your own decision.
Ask about running costsCustom requirements
Add a note at checkout if you need something specific. If it fits within the Scope Card it is simply included. If it goes beyond it, you get a written Change Quote within two working days, and that work starts only once you accept it, with its time added to your delivery date.
Request a custom versionHow billing works
SEO Essentials is itself the monthly service, so there is no separate maintenance. The first three months are paid upfront at checkout, then it continues month to month. On WordPress sites, technical fixes are handled by webcare24, our WordPress care brand. If you stop, every page change stays on your site.
$675/mo
The first 3 months ($2,025) are paid at checkout. After that it runs month to month and you can stop any month.
Ask a questionHow this compares
| Do it yourself | Hire a traditional agency | Upmark Labs | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cost | Your time, plus SEO tool subscriptions | A retainer that may bundle in articles and links you do not need yet | One fixed monthly price, with the rank tracker included |
| Health checks | Only when something breaks | Depends on the package | A monthly crawl and Search Console check of up to 1,000 URLs |
| Page work | Done when there is time | Varies month to month | Four pages optimized every month to a set standard |
| AI search | Rarely checked | May not be reported | Search Console AI impressions reported every month |
| Commitment | None, but the work tends to slip | Often a longer contract | Three months upfront, then month to month |
Questions about this product
How does the three-month minimum work for SEO Essentials?
SEO Essentials is $675 a month, and the first three months are paid upfront at checkout. That gives time for onboarding, several rounds of page work and enough data to show a trend. After three months it continues month to month, and you can cancel any month. There is no separate maintenance fee.
What is the difference between SEO Essentials and Growth SEO?
Growth SEO adds content and links. SEO Essentials covers health checks, four optimized pages a month, 20 tracked keywords and a monthly report and call. Growth SEO also writes articles and builds backlinks each month. Many sites start with SEO Essentials and move up when they are ready to invest in content.
How do you report Google AI Overviews impressions?
From your Search Console data. We report the generative AI impressions Search Console makes available for your site, such as Google AI Overviews and AI Mode, alongside normal search figures. They appear in your monthly report, so you can follow the trend. For what ChatGPT and other assistants say about you, see AI Search Visibility Monitor.
Does SEO Essentials include technical fixes on WordPress sites?
No. On WordPress, technical fixes are handled by webcare24, our WordPress care brand. On other platforms such as Webflow, Shopify or Squarespace, we make up to five small technical fixes a month as part of the service. Larger fixes on any platform can be quoted through a Change Quote.
Which pages do you optimize each month in SEO Essentials?
The four pages most likely to benefit, agreed with you. We use the crawl, Search Console data and your target keywords to choose them, then confirm the choice with you in writing each month. Each page is optimized to the On-Page SEO Pack standard: target keyword, title, meta description, headings, light edits and internal links.
Can SEO Essentials promise better rankings?
No. Rankings depend on search engines, competition and factors no one controls. What we commit to is the monthly work: health checks, four optimized pages, keyword tracking and an honest report. Over time, a well-kept site has a better chance, and the report shows you what is moving.
What happens to the work if I cancel SEO Essentials?
It stays on your site. Every page we optimized and every fix we made remains in place. You keep the monthly reports and call recordings. You remove our access when you leave, and only the monthly checks, page work and keyword tracking stop.
Guides on this topic
All guides Keep your site in good shape for search
Order SEO Essentials for monthly health checks, four optimized pages, 20 tracked keywords and a report and call every month.
Works well with
SEO
Search Console and Indexing Setup
Google Search Console and Bing Webmaster Tools set up and verified, sitemaps and robots.txt checked, indexing problems fixed or listed, and your…
SEO
SEO Reporting Dashboard Setup
A live SEO dashboard in Looker Studio that brings Search Console and GA4 into one view, with the key numbers explained and…
SEO
Service Area Pages Pack
Ten useful location or service-area pages written and built for your website, each with local proof, FAQs and schema, so you can…