How We Work

A systematic
path to signAI.

Every signAI engagement follows the same four-phase methodology — built to deliver compounding results across traditional and AI search simultaneously, with no guesswork and no black boxes.

A four-phase marketing framework diagram showing the systematic path to AI search signals, moving from discovery to optimization and compounding results across all search engines.
4
Clear phases
90d
To first results
26mo
Average engagement
The Methodology

Built to compound,
not just to start.

Most agencies front-load their value and coast. Our process is designed to compound: each phase builds directly on the last, and the results of month 12 are structurally larger than those of month 1 — because the authority, content, and infrastructure we build accumulates over time rather than resetting.

We begin every engagement with a Technical Audit because we don't build on shaky foundations. We insist on understanding the full landscape before recommending a single tactic. And we measure everything — so you always know exactly what's working and why.

The Four Phases

Every engagement.
The same rigour.

Timelines vary by scope, but the sequence never does. Here's what each phase looks like, and what you walk away with.

Phase 01
Discover & Audit

Before we recommend a single tactic, we need to understand your full search landscape — technical health, current authority, competitive positioning, and AI citation coverage. The Discovery phase gives us the data to make decisions that are right for your specific situation, not generic best practices.

1.1

Technical AI Readiness Audit

200+ technical checks covering crawlability, structured data, Core Web Vitals, JavaScript rendering, and AI bot accessibility. Every issue documented and prioritised.

1.2

LLM Citation Landscape Mapping

We query 12+ AI engines with 200+ prompts from your category — mapping exactly who's being cited, how often, and why. Your competitive GEO gap analysis.

1.3

Keyword & Topical Authority Audit

Full assessment of your current organic rankings, topical coverage gaps, and the content delta between you and the category authority leaders.

1.4

Analytics & Attribution Review

We audit your GA4 setup, conversion tracking, and attribution model — identifying data gaps that would undermine our ability to measure results accurately.

Phase 02
Architect & Plan

Armed with audit data, we build your full strategy: the content architecture, entity authority plan, technical fix roadmap, and measurement infrastructure. You receive a complete strategic document — not a slide deck of vague recommendations, but a specific plan with prioritised actions, timelines, and expected outcomes.

2.1

Content Architecture Blueprint

Pillar pages, cluster topics, and internal linking architecture — mapped against your business priorities and designed to maximise topical authority signal flow.

2.2

GEO Strategy & Entity Plan

Your entity authority roadmap: Wikidata setup, structured data specifications, target publication strategy, and the content formats we'll engineer for AI citability.

2.3

Technical Fix Roadmap

Dev-ready tickets for every audit finding, prioritised by impact and effort. Your engineering team can begin implementation immediately without additional briefing.

2.4

Measurement Architecture

Analytics rebuild specifications, attribution model design, and AI citation tracking setup — the data infrastructure every future decision is built on.

Phase 03
Execute & Build

This is where the strategy becomes reality. Our writers, technical SEOs, and GEO engineers implement the plan in parallel — content production, technical fixes, structured data deployment, authority building, and measurement setup all proceed simultaneously, accelerating the timeline to first results.

3.1

Content Production

Expert-authored pillar pages and cluster content, engineered for both topical authority and AI citability — with full editorial review and subject-matter expert input where required.

3.2

Technical Implementation

Schema markup deployment, crawl issue resolution, page speed optimisation, and AI bot access configuration — working directly with your engineering team or handling it ourselves.

3.3

Authority Building

Entity establishment across Wikidata and industry databases, targeted PR placements on high-authority publications, and link acquisition from topically relevant sources.

3.4

Analytics & Dashboards

GA4 rebuild, custom attribution model implementation, AI citation monitoring setup, and Looker Studio dashboard build — your live measurement infrastructure goes live.

Phase 04
Compound & Grow

Search authority compounds. Phase 4 is the ongoing engine of growth — monthly content expansion, systematic prompt testing against your AI presence, performance analysis, and continuous iteration. This is where the compounding begins, and where most of the long-term value of an engagement is created.

4.1

Monthly Content Expansion

New cluster topics, refreshed pillar pages, and gap-filling content — systematically expanding your topical authority footprint based on performance data and competitive movement.

4.2

AI Citation Testing & Refinement

Monthly prompt testing across all major AI engines, content refinement based on citation data, and ongoing entity authority building — compounding your GEO presence over time.

4.3

Performance Reviews

Monthly senior-strategist-led reviews covering all channel performance, what's working, what's not, and what we're doing about it — with full data access and clear recommendations.

4.4

Strategy Evolution

AI search is evolving rapidly. We update your strategy as the landscape changes — ensuring your approach stays ahead of algorithm shifts, new AI engines, and competitive moves.

Engagement Models

How we work
with clients.

We offer three engagement structures depending on your situation, goals, and how much you want us involved in ongoing execution.

Timeline

What to expect,
month by month.

Month 1–2
Audit & Architecture

Technical audit delivered, LLM citation landscape mapped, content architecture designed, analytics rebuilt, and the full strategic plan documented and approved.

Month 3–5
Execution & First Results

Initial content published, technical fixes implemented, authority building underway. First AI citation appearances begin. Initial ranking improvements for cluster content start to emerge.

Month 6–12
Authority & Compounding

Topical authority measurably established. Consistent AI citation coverage across target queries. Organic traffic growing. The compounding effect of early work begins to accelerate results.

Communication

No black boxes.
No surprises.

You'll always know exactly what we're doing, why we're doing it, and whether it's working. Here's how we communicate across an engagement.

Live dashboards, always on

From day one, you have real-time access to your performance dashboards — organic traffic, AI citation rates, ranking movements, and paid search metrics. No waiting for monthly reports to see how things are going.

Weekly async updates

Every week we send a brief update: what we shipped, what we're working on, and anything that needs your attention. Short, specific, and actionable — not a wall of metrics you have to decode yourself.

Monthly strategy reviews

A 60-minute session every month with your senior strategist — covering full performance review, strategy adjustments, and clear priorities for the month ahead. This is where we make the important decisions together.

Shared strategy documents

Every strategy, content brief, and implementation plan is documented in a shared workspace. You can see — and question — every decision we make, not just the final output.

Direct access to your team

You work with senior people, not account managers. Your strategist's direct contact is available for questions between scheduled calls. We respond to Slack or email messages same business day.

Quarterly business reviews

Every quarter, we zoom out — reviewing progress against the strategic plan, adjusting direction based on what we've learned, and setting priorities for the next three months.

Ready to start
phase one?

Every engagement begins with a free AI Search Audit — mapping your current position, identifying your biggest opportunities, and giving us both a clear baseline to work from.

Get Your Free Audit → See client results →