The verdict in three sentences
For an executive search firm in Luxembourg, SEO remains the channel that captures candidates and part of client searches, while AEO/GEO works on a different moment: when a board member or HR head asks an AI assistant like ChatGPT which firms know the funds or private banking sector in the Grand Duchy. An established firm should fund both in proportion, while a newer firm must first make its expertise pages solid, because they are the raw material for both channels. Measurement differs: Search Console and qualified enquiries on one side, a dated record of AI answers to the same questions on the other.
Two audiences, two ways of searching
An executive search firm lives with an asymmetry. Clients (board chairs, CEOs, HR heads of financial groups, family offices, industrial companies) rarely search "headhunter Luxembourg" on Google before signing. They ask their network for names, then check. Since 2025, part of that checking happens through questions put to AI assistants: "which executive search firms in Luxembourg specialise in ManCos and depositaries?", "who recruits independent directors for Luxembourg funds?".
Candidates, on the other hand, search heavily on Google: "executive search Luxembourg compliance officer", "CFO role Luxembourg fund", "submit CV recruitment firm Kirchberg". They want to see open mandates and know how their CV will be handled. Here, the GDPR and oversight by the CNPD require collecting the minimum data and stating a clear retention period. This is not legal advice: your DPO or lawyer signs off the policy.
What the site must prove to clients does not change with the channel: practice areas (banking, insurance, funds, industry, European public sector), partner seniority, search process, confidentiality safeguards, working languages. If those pages are vague, neither Google nor AI assistants have anything to cite.
SEO and AEO/GEO compared for this business
| Criterion | SEO | AEO/GEO |
|---|---|---|
| What it targets | Candidate Google searches and client checks | AI assistant answers to client and candidate questions |
| Audience most affected | Candidates (mandates, CV submission) | Clients at shortlisting stage |
| Time to effect | 4 to 9 months on niche queries | Variable, often 3 to 6 months before visible changes |
| Market budget (2026 ballpark) | 1,500 to 4,000 EUR a month with an agency | One-off audit 2,500 to 7,000 EUR, tracking 1,000 to 3,000 EUR a month |
| Metrics | Impressions, clicks, contact requests, qualified CVs | Share of answers citing the firm, accuracy of descriptions |
| Main risk | Off-target candidate traffic, few clients | Measurement still young, no guaranteed outcome |
| Pages that serve both | Sector expertise, partner profiles, process, FAQ | Same pages, plus consistent third-party mentions |
These budgets reflect typical agency quotes in Western Europe for professional services firms; they remain prudent ranges. The AEO/GEO market is new and pricing varies widely between providers.
Where to put the money for your situation
| Firm situation | Priority | Indicative split | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Firm under 2 years old | Expertise pages and core SEO | 70 % SEO, 30 % AEO/GEO | AI assistants have little public material to summarise |
| Established brand, strong network | Control of how AI describes the firm | 40 % SEO, 60 % AEO/GEO | Clients already know the name and check it |
| Highly confidential mandates | Expertise content without mandate details | 50 % / 50 % | Prove the method, never the names |
| Limited budget (under 1,500 EUR a month) | One workstream at a time | One-off AEO/GEO audit, then SEO | A diagnostic avoids spreading the budget thin |
| Heavy candidate activity | SEO for mandates and the CV page | 80 % SEO, 20 % AEO/GEO | Search volume sits on the candidate side |
| Expansion to Brussels or Frankfurt | Pages per market and language | 60 % SEO, 40 % AEO/GEO | Each market has its own queries |
Languages weigh heavily in Luxembourg: French, German, English, sometimes Luxembourgish. An AI assistant may describe your firm accurately in English and loosely in German if your German pages are thinner. Both channels share that issue.
How to measure without fooling yourself
On the SEO side, measurement is mature. Search Console shows queries, impressions and clicks; the CRM or ATS shows what really matters: number of client enquiries, number of CVs matching open mandates. A report that only shows positions tells the management committee nothing.
On the AEO/GEO side, the serious approach is to fix a list of questions (20 to 40, in French, English and German), put them to AI assistants like ChatGPT at regular intervals and keep a dated record of the answers. Three things are tracked: the share of answers citing the firm, the accuracy of what is said (sectors, partners, offices) and the sources the assistant appears to rely on. No serious provider promises an AI recommendation: answers shift and cannot be ordered.
A useful diagnostic therefore covers the state of expertise pages, the consistency of public information (site, professional directories, partner profiles, press), the baseline record of AI answers and the Google queries of both audiences. It ends with a recommended split, not a standard package.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Hartmann Lenoir Partners, a 6-consultant executive search firm in Kirchberg, focused on funds and private banking. Planned annual budget: 30,000 EUR. The baseline record shows that out of 30 questions put to AI assistants like ChatGPT, the firm appears in 3 answers (10 %), one of them with the wrong sector.
Chosen split: AEO/GEO audit at 5,000 EUR, then 12 months of combined work at 2,080 EUR a month, i.e. 24,960 EUR. Total: 29,960 EUR, within budget. Tracking goal, with no promise: raise the share of accurate answers and double client enquiries from the site, currently 2 per quarter. A single CFO mandate at 33 % of a 180,000 EUR package represents about 59,400 EUR in fees.
FAQ
Should we stop SEO to fund AEO/GEO?
No, in most cases. Candidates still search on Google, and solid pages also feed AI assistants. A split of 40 to 70 % on SEO suits most firms.
How much does an AEO/GEO audit cost for an executive search firm?
As a 2026 ballpark, a one-off audit sits between 2,500 and 7,000 EUR depending on the number of languages and questions tracked. At Kolonell, this work is on quote after a conversation about your mandates.
Can we publish placement names to be cited more often?
Only with written consent from the clients and candidates concerned, which is rare in this business. It is better to describe mandate types (for example "conducting officer for a ManCo") without identifying anyone.
How long before we see an effect?
Allow 4 to 9 months for SEO on niche queries and 3 to 6 months before readable changes in AI answers. A monthly dated record lets you judge over 6 months rather than on an impression.
What should the CV submission page contain?
Only the fields that are strictly useful, a clear retention period (often 2 years, to be validated) and the contact of the data controller. Fewer than 10 fields is usually enough.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. We record what AI assistants like ChatGPT say about your firm in French, English and German, and compare it with your Google queries. Request a diagnostic quote: reply within 48 hours.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
