The question isn't which agency is better.
The question is which view of visibility you believe in.
For years, digital growth was relatively straightforward.
People searched. Businesses ranked. Traffic followed.
Today, discovery is becoming more fragmented.
And in the future, they may not search at all. They may simply ask an AI assistant to find, compare and recommend options on their behalf.
That shift is changing how businesses think about visibility.
It's also changing how agencies approach the challenge.
The SEO Works and Tenacious AI Marketing are both responding to the same trend, but from very different starting points.
One approaches the future through the lens of search and digital marketing performance.
The other approaches it through the lens of discoverability, authority and recommendation visibility.
Neither perspective is inherently right or wrong. But they do lead to different strategies.
This comparison explores where those differences sit and which approach may be the better fit, depending on how you think customer discovery is evolving.
SEO remains one of the most important marketing channels available.
However, the way people find information is changing.
Customers no longer follow a single research path.
Someone evaluating a software platform today might:
The journey is rarely linear.
According to Capgemini, 58% of consumers now use generative AI tools instead of traditional search engines when looking for product and service recommendations.
It does not alone mean that search engines are disappearing.
It does highlight a broader trend.
Discovery is becoming more distributed.
As a result, many businesses are starting to ask a different question.
Instead of asking: How do we rank higher?
They are increasingly asking: How do we become easier to discover wherever people research, compare and evaluate options?
Although both agencies help businesses improve visibility, they start from different assumptions.
The SEO Works approaches visibility through the lens of digital marketing performance.
Its services span SEO, PPC, Digital PR, content marketing, CRO and web development, helping businesses improve performance across multiple acquisition channels.
Tenacious AI Marketing approaches visibility through the lens of discoverability.
Rather than focusing solely on how customers find a business today, the agency focuses on how discovery journeys are evolving through AI-powered search, answer engines, recommendation platforms and professional networks.
Neither perspective is inherently better.
The right fit depends on the challenges your business is trying to solve.
| Business Need | Better Fit | Why |
| Full-service digital marketing support | The SEO Works | Offers SEO, PPC, Digital PR, CRO, web development and content marketing. |
| AI visibility and discoverability | Tenacious AI Marketing | Focuses specifically on discoverability, GEO and AI visibility. |
| Paid search management | The SEO Works | PPC is one of its core service areas. |
| Founder-led authority building | Tenacious AI Marketing | Founder visibility is a central part of the proposition. |
| Traditional SEO growth | The SEO Works | SEO remains one of its primary disciplines. |
| Search Everywhere Optimisation | Tenacious AI Marketing | Built around visibility beyond traditional search engines. |
| Future search readiness | Tenacious AI Marketing | Focuses on recommendation visibility and AI-powered discovery. |
The SEO Works has built its reputation around helping businesses improve performance across established digital marketing channels.
SEO remains at the centre of its proposition, but the agency also supports businesses through PPC, Digital PR, content marketing, CRO and web development.
For organisations looking for a broad digital marketing partner, that breadth can be valuable.
Rather than working with multiple specialist providers, businesses can consolidate several growth activities under one relationship.
This makes particular sense for organisations focused on:
The model is designed around improving measurable marketing outcomes across a range of channels.
Tenacious starts with a slightly different question.
Rather than focusing primarily on generating more traffic, it focuses on how businesses become discoverable, trusted and recommended as customer research increasingly moves into AI-powered environments.
That difference shapes everything that follows.
The agency's view is that visibility is gradually moving beyond rankings.
Businesses increasingly need to understand whether they are being:
This is why Tenacious focuses on disciplines such as:
The agency places greater emphasis on improving discoverability across emerging search and recommendation environments alongside traditional search visibility.
| Visibility Layer | What It Used to Mean | What It Means Now |
| Ranking visibility | Appearing on page one of Google | Still important, but no longer the only measure of discoverability |
| Technical visibility | Helping search engines crawl and understand a site | Helping both search engines and AI systems understand a business |
| Content visibility | Creating pages that target keywords | Creating information that can be cited, summarised and surfaced |
| Authority visibility | Building trust through links and mentions | Building trust signals that influence both search and AI systems |
| Recommendation visibility | Rarely measured | Increasingly important as AI systems suggest providers and solutions |
| Founder visibility | Often separate from SEO | Becoming part of how expertise and trust are communicated |
| Measurement | Rankings and traffic | Rankings, citations, recommendations and share of visibility |
One of the most interesting questions facing businesses isn't whether AI will replace Google.
It's what happens when customers stop doing the searching themselves.
Today, someone researching a CRM might visit ten different websites.
Tomorrow, they may simply ask: Find the best CRM for a growing company.
The AI assistant performs the research.
The customer receives a recommendation.
That changes the visibility challenge.
Businesses are no longer competing solely for clicks.
They are increasingly competing to become one of the options an AI system chooses to surface.
This is one of the reasons recommendation visibility has become such an important discussion.
Many businesses assume that strong SEO automatically translates into strong AI visibility.
The reality appears more complicated.
A 2026 visibility study found that ChatGPT recommended only 1.2% of local businesses analysed, with strong Google visibility not automatically translating into AI visibility.
That doesn't mean SEO is becoming less important.
It simply suggests that ranking visibility and recommendation visibility are not necessarily the same thing.
For businesses preparing for future search behaviour, understanding both may become increasingly valuable.
Another reason businesses are reassessing visibility strategies is the emergence of AI agents.
Increasingly, people may not compare products, services and suppliers themselves.
They may ask an AI assistant to do it for them.
That creates a different challenge.
Businesses need to ensure they can be understood, trusted and surfaced by the systems making those recommendations.
According to Ofcom, ChatGPT received 1.8 billion UK visits during the first eight months of 2025, compared with 368 million during the same period in 2024.
Whether agent-led discovery becomes mainstream next year or five years from now remains uncertain.
What is clear is that discovery journeys are evolving.
Many businesses are now looking beyond traditional rankings and asking how visible they are across the broader information ecosystem.
This comparison is less about services and more about perspective.
Businesses focused on integrated digital marketing may find The SEO Works' broader service offering aligns well with their requirements.
Businesses placing greater emphasis on AI visibility, discoverability and recommendation-driven search may find Tenacious AI Marketing more closely aligned with their future priorities.
The right choice depends less on which agency is "better" and more on which approach best reflects your organisation's growth strategy.
Related Reading
What Is GEO in 2026 and How Do You Get Cited in AI Answers?
This is the core definition guide for Generative Engine Optimisation and AI citations.
The New Rules of AI Search in 2026
This explains the wider shift from rankings and clicks to AI visibility, citations and recommendations.
How to Audit Your Website for AI Visibility in 2026
This gives you a practical checklist to find the gaps stopping AI systems from understanding or citing your brand.
Search Everywhere Optimisation: AI Visibility in 2026
This explains how to build visibility across Google, AI answers, LinkedIn, YouTube, Reddit, reviews, directories and trusted sources.
Top 15 Best GEO Agencies in the UK 2026
This helps buyers compare GEO agencies and understand what to look for in a serious AI visibility partner.
What is the biggest difference between The SEO Works and Tenacious AI Marketing?
The SEO Works focuses on helping businesses improve performance across SEO, PPC, Digital PR and broader digital marketing channels. Tenacious AI Marketing focuses more heavily on GEO, AEO and AI visibility.
Does The SEO Works offer GEO services?
Yes. The SEO Works has introduced GEO and AI SEO services as part of its wider search offering.
What is Search Everywhere Optimisation?
Search Everywhere Optimisation is Tenacious AI Marketing's approach to improving discoverability wherever customers search, research and compare options, including search engines, AI platforms and recommendation environments.
Is GEO replacing SEO?
No. For most businesses, GEO complements SEO rather than replacing it. Strong search foundations remain important while GEO helps businesses improve visibility in AI-powered discovery environments.
Why is recommendation visibility becoming important?
As AI systems increasingly provide suggestions and shortlists, businesses are paying more attention to how often they are cited, referenced and recommended.
Which agency is better for future search readiness?
Both agencies are adapting to changes in search behaviour. Tenacious places greater emphasis on discoverability, recommendation visibility and future discovery journeys.
