The verdict in three sentences
For an international arbitration and corporate law firm in London, SEO captures searches for specific services and reassures those checking a partner, while AEO/GEO (visibility in the answers of AI assistants like ChatGPT) reaches general counsel asking for a shortlist. Both rest on the same material: accurate partner profiles, pages by seat, institution and sector, and third-party mentions. If the budget is limited, start with a combined diagnostic of both channels rather than a 12-month contract on one.
Two channels, two logics
Clients in this field (group general counsel, boards, sometimes states) choose on partner reputation, experience of seats and institutions (ICC, LCIA, SIAC, HKIAC, ICSID), working languages and sector. Here is how SEO and AEO/GEO apply:
| Criterion | SEO | AEO/GEO |
|---|---|---|
| What it targets | Google queries: "LCIA arbitration lawyers London", "investment treaty arbitration counsel" | AI answers to "which London firms for an energy arbitration under ICC rules?" |
| Usual time to effect | 4 to 12 months | 3 to 9 months, depending on the sources cited |
| Market budget, 2026 ballpark | 4,000 to 10,000 GBP / month with a specialist agency | Diagnostic 3,000 to 9,000 GBP, monitoring 1,500 to 5,000 GBP / month |
| Metrics | Impressions, clicks, enquiries tied to a page | Share of answers citing the firm, accuracy, sources cited |
| Risks | Generic content, traffic without clients | Inaccurate answers about your partners or seats, measurement too short |
| Reliance on third parties | Medium (links, directories) | High (legal press, institutions, publications) |
These ranges come from typical agency quotes and public agency rate pages. The AEO market is young and price gaps are wide.
Where to invest depending on your situation
The right split depends less on fashion than on where you stand today.
| Situation | Suggested priority | Why |
|---|---|---|
| New firm from a spin-out | SEO first, on partner names and seats | You must exist when a client checks a name |
| Established brand, little qualified traffic | AEO/GEO, then SEO on sector pages | Assistants often know the firm but describe it poorly |
| Highly regulated practice (financial services, sanctions) | Both, with systematic review | Every page must stay accurate and cautious |
| Limited budget (under 3,000 GBP / month) | Combined diagnostic, then key pages | A shared base serves both channels |
| Opening an office in Singapore or Dubai | Local SEO in the new hub, AEO on the global brand | Local queries and shortlist questions differ |
| Lateral partner joining with a client base | Complete profile and third-party mentions | Both channels draw on that profile |
Solicitor advertising in England and Wales falls under SRA rules, and prospect data under the UK GDPR, the Data Protection Act 2018, the ICO and PECR for cookies and marketing email; the Equality Act 2010 points towards a WCAG 2.2 AA target. No page should cite a case, ranking or award that is not real and publishable. This is not legal advice.
How to measure each, and what a diagnostic covers
SEO is measured in Search Console and in your enquiry tracking: impressions on arbitration queries, clicks, enquiries tied to a page, and matters where the client says they found the firm online. AEO/GEO is measured with a dated record: the same set of 30 to 50 shortlist and verification questions, asked monthly, answers archived, tracking the share of answers that cite the firm and the accuracy of the facts (partners, seats, languages). No serious provider promises an AI recommendation or a Google ranking.
A diagnostic broadly covers the state of key pages, the service queries targeted, the current answers of AI assistants like ChatGPT, the consistency of public information and third-party mentions. Kolonell built, for example, the site of TR Signing Group, a signing services company in New Jersey, another professional services business where trust depends on accurate information. Kolonell's SEO and AEO work is on quote.
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Illustrative example: Aldgate Hall Partners, 11 partners, commercial and investment treaty arbitration, energy sector. Planned annual budget: 60,000 GBP. Option A: all SEO, 5,000 GBP a month for 12 months. Option B: combined diagnostic 6,000 GBP, SEO at 3,000 GBP a month for 12 months (36,000 GBP), AEO monitoring at 1,500 GBP a month for 12 months (18,000 GBP), so 6,000 + 36,000 + 18,000 = 60,000 GBP. The baseline record shows the firm cited in 4 answers out of 40, one of which gives it a Paris office it does not have. Option B fixes that within the first quarter; option A does not even measure it.
FAQ
Does AEO/GEO replace SEO for an arbitration firm?
Not for now: general counsel still use Google to check a partner. The two channels share most of their foundations, which makes a shared budget efficient.
What budget should we plan in London in 2026?
The ballpark is 4,000 to 10,000 GBP a month for specialist SEO and 3,000 to 9,000 GBP for an AEO diagnostic. A 10-partner firm can start at 2,000 to 4,000 GBP a month.
How many questions should the AI answer record track?
Between 30 and 50 questions usually cover shortlisting by institution, by sector and partner verification. Fewer than 15 gives an unstable measure.
Can we talk about our matters on the site?
Only public information or information the client has authorised, and within SRA rules. Confidential awards stay off the site, even anonymised, if they are identifiable.
How long before judging results?
Plan a first review at 6 months and a decision at 12 months. The dated record and Search Console then give a comparable baseline.
Find out how AI assistants describe your firm. We compare what Google and AI assistants like ChatGPT show today about your London firm. 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.
